Synopses & Reviews
A gripping tale of shipwreck and survival that changed the fate of the colonies and enriched our literary legacyIn 1609, aspiring writer William Strachey set sail aboard the Sea Venture, bound for the New World. Caught in a hurricane, the ship separated from its fleet and wrecked on uninhabited Bermuda, a bountiful island paradise its passengers would inhabit for nearly a year before reaching their intended destination, the famine-stricken colony of Jamestown. Strachey's meticulous account of the wreck, the castaways' time on Bermuda, and their arrival in a devastated Jamestown was read by his contemporaries and remains among the most vivid writings of the early colonial period. Following the life of this ordinary man, Hobson Woodward tells one of the neglected but defining stories of America's founding.
Strachey had literary aspirations and sought to capitalize on his epic experience, but his writings did not bring him the acclaim he sought. Only in the hands of another William would his tale of the wreck and its aftermath make history as The Tempest. A Brave Vessel is the fascinating account of a near-miss in the settling of Virginia, the true story behind one of Shakespeare's great plays, and the tragedy of the man who failed as an author but who contributed to the creation of a masterpiece.
Review
"Hobson Woodward [writes] with admirable scholarship, wit, and cunning"
-Boston Globe
"Like Shakespeare before him, Hobson Woodward...excels at using his source materials to produce a richly textured adventure story...If you're interested in Jamestown, shipwrecks or Shakespeare, you'll want...this book"
-Minneapolis Star Tribune
"The exquisitely detailed story of the 17th-century ship that helped inspire Shakespeare's The Tempest...skillfully written history."
-Kirkus (starred review)
"[A] fruitful combination of literature and history."
-Booklist
"Anyone interested in either early America or Shakespeare will want [this book]"
-Library Journal
"On the 400th anniversary of the Sea Venture's wreck on Bermuda, Hobson Woodward recounts the events and personalities of the voyage, the island refuge, and the early Jamestown Colony. He tells the story with accuracy and verve, and makes a compelling case for Shakespeare's indebtedness to William Strachey when writing The Tempest. Woodward's Brave Vessel is learned, lucid, and engrossing."
-Alden Vaughan, Professor emeritus of History at Columbia University and coeditor of the Arden edition of The Tempest
"A Brave Vessel is a real-life story of heroism and human ambition as thrilling as any Hollywood fiction. Injecting popular history with a wealth of little-known detail, it traces a fascinating story of unlikely survival-and the impact a single, freak event in the mid-Atlantic had on the fortunes of America's birthplace and the world's greatest playwright. Woodward immerses us in the mindset of 17- century colonists and the immense challenges and tragedies of their endeavor. He entwines true events with their literary spin-offs, and in doing so, brings both to life."
-Rosemary Jones, author, Bermuda: Five Centuries
Synopsis
A gripping tale of shipwreck and survival, "A Brave Vessel" is the fascinating account of a near-miss in the settling of Virginia, the true story behind Shakespeare's "The Tempest," and the tragedy of the man who failed as an author but who contributed to the creation of a masterpiece.
Synopsis
A riveting historical narrative (Nathaniel Philbrick), "A Brave Vessel" tells the story of William Strachey, an aspiring poet whose chronicle of a disastrous sea voyage and its aftermath had a profound influence on Shakespeare's writing of "The Tempest."
Synopsis
"At once a penetrating work of literary analysis and a riveting historical narrative." -Nathaniel Philbrick Merging maritime adventure and early colonial history, A Brave Vessel charts a little-known chapter of the past that offers a window on the inspiration for one of Shakespeare's greatest works. In 1609, aspiring writer William Strachey set sail for the New World aboard the Sea Venture, only to wreck on the shores of Bermuda. Strachey's meticulous account of the tragedy, the castaways' time in Bermuda, and their arrival in a devastated Jamestown, remains among the most vivid writings of the early colonial period. Though Strachey had literary aspirations, only in the hands of another William would his tale make history as The Tempest-a fascinating connection across time and literature that Hobson Woodward brings vividly to life.
About the Author
Hobson Woodward is associate editor of the Adam Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society. He lives near Boston.