A Sea of Misadventures: Shipwreck and Survival in Early America

This book examines over a hundred documented shipwreck narratives from the 17th to 19th centuries to understand gender, status, and religion in early America. While the book includes maritime disaster drama, its significance lies in investigating how shipwreck trauma affected American values and behavior. Through stories of death and devastation, author Amy Mitchell-Cook examines hierarchy, race, and gender in confined social spaces like lifeboats or deserted shores.

Rather than debating shipwreck tales, Mitchell-Cook provides a cultural and social analysis, placing maritime disasters in North American society. She answers questions like who survived and why, how gender or status affected survival rates, and how survivors related their stories to audiences. Mitchell-Cook compares American narratives with Portuguese narratives to reveal how cultural norms shaped a basic event like a shipwreck

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)