Maurice and Maralyn: An extraordinary true story of shipwreck,
An extraordinary true tale of love, shipwreck and survival, beautifully told -- Maurice and Maralyn's escape from 1970s England and its oil crisis, strikes and inflation is also a story for our times **THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER** **WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS GOLD PRIZE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024** **WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024** An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival and love 'An enthralling, engrossing story of survival' Bill Bryson 'An absolute jewel of a book' India Knight 'A gripping tale of adventure' Elizabeth Day 'An extraordinary survival story' Sunday Times Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maurice and Maralyn plan their escape- sell the house, build a boat, set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway around the world, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Alone on a tiny raft, their love is put to the test. This is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive - not just at sea, but in life. 'This skilful storytelling drew me in...very touching indeed' James Rebanks 'With the adrenaline kick of Jaws . . . A remarkable portrait of a marriage kept afloat against the odds' Financial Times 'This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told. I really could not put it down' Nina Stibbe A Guardian, Observer & Waterstones Non-fiction Book of the Year **READERS ADORE MAURICE & MARALYN** 'A riveting tale of survival . . . and of the power of love when all appears lost' 'A mind-blowing story of resilience and love in the face of adversity' 'The very best kind of true story, and beautifully written' 'I couldn't put this book down' 'I was absolutely hooked from the outset'
Sophie Elmhirst is a prizewinning writer for the Guardian Long Read and The Economist's 1843 magazine, and a contributing editor at the Gentlewoman and Harper's Bazaar. In 2020 she won the British Press Award for Feature Writer of the Year; she has also won a Foreign Press Award and been longlisted for the Orwell Prize. She first came across the story of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey researching a piece on our desire to escape. This is her first book. She lives in London.
Author: Sophie Elmhirst
Format: Paperback, 272 pages, 129mm x 197mm, 196 g
Published: 2025, Vintage Publishing, United Kingdom
Genre: True Stories
An extraordinary true tale of love, shipwreck and survival, beautifully told -- Maurice and Maralyn's escape from 1970s England and its oil crisis, strikes and inflation is also a story for our times **THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER** **WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS GOLD PRIZE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024** **WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024** An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival and love 'An enthralling, engrossing story of survival' Bill Bryson 'An absolute jewel of a book' India Knight 'A gripping tale of adventure' Elizabeth Day 'An extraordinary survival story' Sunday Times Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maurice and Maralyn plan their escape- sell the house, build a boat, set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway around the world, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Alone on a tiny raft, their love is put to the test. This is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive - not just at sea, but in life. 'This skilful storytelling drew me in...very touching indeed' James Rebanks 'With the adrenaline kick of Jaws . . . A remarkable portrait of a marriage kept afloat against the odds' Financial Times 'This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told. I really could not put it down' Nina Stibbe A Guardian, Observer & Waterstones Non-fiction Book of the Year **READERS ADORE MAURICE & MARALYN** 'A riveting tale of survival . . . and of the power of love when all appears lost' 'A mind-blowing story of resilience and love in the face of adversity' 'The very best kind of true story, and beautifully written' 'I couldn't put this book down' 'I was absolutely hooked from the outset'
Sophie Elmhirst is a prizewinning writer for the Guardian Long Read and The Economist's 1843 magazine, and a contributing editor at the Gentlewoman and Harper's Bazaar. In 2020 she won the British Press Award for Feature Writer of the Year; she has also won a Foreign Press Award and been longlisted for the Orwell Prize. She first came across the story of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey researching a piece on our desire to escape. This is her first book. She lives in London.