Et cetera : What We're Reading: A Marriage at Sea: A True Story...

Have you ever dreamed of an untethered life? Putting aside the conventionality of modern living, trading it all in for an adventure on the open sea? That is just what Maurice and Marilyn Bailey did in 1972, as they boarded Auralyn, a boat they built together. Not long into their voyage, a collision with a whale sank Auralyn, leaving Maurice and Marilyn with a life raft, a dinghy, and a small ration of supplies. To survive they would need complete and utter cooperation and interdependence. Author Sophie Elmirst pulls from newspaper articles, the couple’s private journals, and a variety of publications to weave together the details of their unbelievable shipwreck and survival during their 118 ½ days at sea. The result? An inspiring and unforgettable story that reads like a novel. Maurice is introspective, and prone to feelings of despair, while Marilyn is pragmatic and organized. Their love is undeniable and unfettered, even in the face of such dire circumstances.

‘So how did you become seamanlike, this elusive, essential quality? …You need to know what to do and how to do it in an instant; to act with a kind of light, unthinking instinct, the way a dancer might shift position mid-flight. It sounded, worryingly for Maurice, close to an art.’

I’ve had this book on my radar for a while now and have heard many rave reviews from our readers here at VPL. We have the book available in both regular and large print. I highly recommend it for adventure lovers!

Happy reading,

Kelly Henkle