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Captain Bligh uses facts and exact and minute details to recall the events before and after the mutiny. The most important point to understand about this collection is that it is meant to illustrate the power of language.The accounts in the book are from many of the people either directly involved in the Bounty mutiny or were closely affected by it. Depending on your mindset when you read this collection, this can be a great analytical read on the most infamous mutiny in western naval history. It shows he is a very astute and analytical thinker who was perhaps out of touch with his crew. When reading the different accounts, the reader will see how each author utilizes rhetorical strategies to sway the reader to sympathize for their agenda. It is from this use of rhetoric that the reader can see the types of people these men truly were. From Edward Christian we can see the type of fire and passion that he and his brother (Fletcher, the initiator of the mutiny) possessed. The develop of these people based on simply their own writing is quite astounding.In all, these primary writings are a good source for historical analysis and also important to document the use of rhetorical strategies in written language.
This is my first review. I do know we have to rely on a version published by the 'defendant's" brother. I feel that, in a book of this sort, the editor should not be telling us his version of the story, particularly at the beginning of the book.
I bought this book because I wanted to read the contemporary accounts of the Bounty mutiny to gain an understand of both sides of the issues involved, and to make a personal decision on what happened and why. Another disappointment is that apparently, the chapter titled "Minutes of the Proceedings of the Court-Martial held at Portsmouth, August 12, 1792." is not the real minutes at all, but a partial transcript provided by Edward Christian (Fletcher's brother). I feel that some of the 'rave reviews' I read for this volume did not adequately describe several flaws that I feel need mentioning.
Mr Madison may well believe that Captain Bligh was the villian in this tragedy with Mr Christian the poor sensitive victim, but I wish he would keep it to himself and limit himself to background and supplemental material. This edition was touted as allowing me to do just that. However I found that the editor, in his introduction, tries to do some of my thinking for me.
I'm not sure I understand why the actual court transcript was not available and what is missing in the version we have. Is that really conducive to getting an objective picture.That said, the book is still interesting and does give the reader a fairly comprehensive picture of the events of that spring morning in 1789.
Also covered is the trial and disposition of those sailors brought back from Tahiti. They make fascinating reading, more interesting than the fictional accounts. Fletcher Christian died on Pitcairn Island and never put his story in print. Bligh was at sea when this was published and, when he returned home, he published in 1795 "An Answer." to the statements of the Appendix which is included as the third section of this book. The first Appendix contains a transcript of Bligh's orders and a botanical description of the breadfruit that the Bounty went to Tahiti to obtain. He quickly recounts the details of the mutiny on the first four pages and then spends the remaining 62 pages on his heroic and epic voyage across 3,600 miles of the South Pacific that took about a month and a half. Bligh depicts himself as a dedicated leader who saved the lives of all but one crew member in this fascinating and arduous journey.
In all, ten documents whose publication dates range from 1790 to 1870 are included. This book is a collection of early documents relating to Fletcher Christian's mutiny against William Bligh in 1789 on the HMS Bounty. Although he does not try to justify his brother's actions, he tries to show the state of desperation that his brother was driven to by Bligh's actions. The last two Appendixes are the story of one of the Tahitian women who married a Bounty crew member and the story of the last surviving crew member himself. The 20 page Appendix at the end of is Edward Christian's attempt to show that his brother had cause for his actions. To this Edward Christian wrote and published a "Short Reply." that is the fourth section of this book. The remaining five Appendixes are narratives of the lives of those who stayed on the Bounty after the mutiny.All of these early texts are preceded by a delightful and informative Introduction by the editor that relates the early lives of both Bligh and Christian and discusses their relationship leading up to the mutiny. The Introduction is followed by a one page listing of suggested further readings.The first section of the book is Bligh's 1790 account of the mutiny and subsequent voyage of he and 18 crew members in the ship's 23 foot boat.
It describes the mission of the Pandora to seek out the Bounty and bring back any mutineers they can find. The first four documents make up the body of the book and consist of a series of published statements by William Blight and responses by Edward Christian, Fletcher's brother. The second Appendix is an 1870 retelling of a journal kept by one of the sailors who was taken by the Pandora from Tahiti as a mutineer. Without having Fletcher Christian to defend his own actions, this set of documents is the next best thing we have to a fair presentation of both sides of the case.The above documents alone would have made a wonderful and enlightening book. This interchange in writing between Bligh and Edward Christian is wonderful to read because it presents both sides of the story in a very balanced and fair manner.
Lastly, the Introduction goes on to summarize the history of Bounty documentation and scholarship, from Bligh's first published account right on through the famous fictionalized Bounty trilogy by Nordhoff and Hall. This text consists of a written statement by Bligh, a series of interrogations of the Bounty crew regarding the events of the mutiny, and an Appendix by Edward. A picture of Bligh as a tyrant emerges from this testimony. The editor claims to have gathered together for the first time "the relevant texts and documents" related to this famous event that has intrigued readers for 200 years. The first Appendix is a copy of Bligh's orders to go to Tahiti and a description of the breadfruit he was to bring to Jamaica.
The editor goes on to present in the Appendixes documents that tell the story of those men who followed Fletcher Christian to Tahiti or Pitcairn Island. It tells of the harsh treatment these 14 received aboard this ship and how four died when the ship sank. The next two Appendixes are accounts written by crew members of a ship that visited Pitcairn Island 19 years after the mutiny in 1808. Altogether these various documents pieced together tell what we can know of the Bounty mutiny.
These four sections are followed by six Appendixes. By this time only one of the nine members of the original Bounty crew that landed on the island remained alive. The second section of the book is the proceedings of the court martial of those brought back to face charges of mutiny, published in 1794 by Edward Christian in an attempt to exonerate his brother. It is 86 pages long and somewhat repetitive, but still an interesting document to read.
They tell the story of the crew that landed there with Fletcher Christian and their history and families. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in tales of the sea.
Since the record is contradictory and nobody is unbiased, the effect, in cinematic terms, is more like "Roshomon" than either of the two Bounty movies. Using the original source materials--Bligh's diary, the transcript of the Bounty Court Martial, Fletcher Christian's brother's defense of the mutineers, and other materials--the Editor R.D. Clark Gable, he clearly ain't. Indeed, the book leaves the reader wishing it were twice as long.
Adams described a harrowing descent into mayhem and murder by the mutineers who made it to Pitcairn's Island along with their native friends. Madison refuses to take sides in the Bligh v. Christian debate, and lets the record speak for itself. What an amazing book. In the end, John Adams sets up a harmonious society based on Biblical principles. Christian petulantly refuses to have dinner with the Captain on the eve of the mutiny.
The moral world of the Bounty is painted entirely in shades of gray; the men of the Bounty are imperfect and all too human.Not only is the reader treated to a great detective story, but it is a story with an absorbing and instructive sequel. The book ends with a contemporary account, first published in the 1830's, of the subsequent history of Pitcairn's Island as told by the last survivor of the Bounty, "John Adams" (an alias).
I have been scratching my head for two whole weeks since finishing this book, pondering its meaning. Madison has put together a book which is impossible to put down.
The disputes began with a dispute over--you guessed it--who would possess a native woman. William Bligh comes across as an incredibly brave man with an indomitable will--yet he has a tendency to whine, and worse, he stoops to securing affidavits which do not even pass the smell test.
Fletcher Christian comes across as a 23-year old hothead who lets the men talk him into leading a mutiny--and can't control the situation after the mutiny. Except for Adams, Fletcher Christian his gang were all killed, along with the native men.
And that is a high recommendation, indeed.
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