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Batavia's Graveyard
- The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History's Bloodiest Mutiny
- Narrated by: Guy Bethell
- Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins
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Publisher's Summary
It was the autumn of 1628, and the Batavia, the Dutch East India Company's flagship, was loaded with a king's ransom in gold, silver, and gems for her maiden voyage to Java. The Batavia was the pride of the company's fleet, a tangible symbol of the world's richest and most powerful commercial monopoly. She set sail with great fanfare, but the Batavia and her gold would never reach Java, for the company had also sent along a new employee, Jeronimus Corneliszoon, a bankrupt and disgraced man who possessed disarming charisma and dangerously heretical ideas.
With the help of a few disgruntled sailors, Jeronimus soon sparked a mutiny that seemed certain to succeed - but for one unplanned event: In the dark morning hours of June 3, the Batavia smashed through a coral reef and ran aground on a small chain of islands near Australia. The commander of the ship and the skipper evaded the mutineers by escaping in a tiny lifeboat and setting a course for Java to summon help. Nearly all of the passengers survived the wreck and found themselves trapped on a bleak coral island without water, food, or shelter. Leaderless, unarmed, and unaware of Jeronimus' treachery, they were at the mercy of the mutineers.
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Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ray928
- 03-12-19
Perhaps the best book ever
This is definitely among the best books I have ever listened to. It is true, but is much like a novel.; almost unbelievable, but at the same time rich in history and educational. Mike Dash is brilliant; check out his other books too, especially the one about the history of the mafia in the USA.
2 people found this helpful
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- nichole r perkins
- 10-04-17
Mesmerizing and horrific
I couldn't stop listening to this book once I started, and it has changed my opinion on Historical non-fiction books. time we'll spent.
2 people found this helpful
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- Nick H.
- 02-21-19
Absolutely Horrifying....in a good way
Please note that I will not be going back in time anytime soon to visit and or experience the 17th century Dutch East India Co fleet. These people endured so much without even having to go through what they did in this specific situation. An amazingly horrifying read, highly recommended
1 person found this helpful
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- Than
- 11-25-18
The horror... the horror...
This book is like a Saw film, a sick social experiment playing out in a history book. The book starts off pretty slow, explaining all the intricacies of the Dutch East India company the Batavia ship itself. It was slow enough I almost stopped listening. When this book gets going it's like if Charles Manson had a hundred followers all looking for new ways to kill people. It's sickening to know these people are from the same species. It's a good book, but you can't unhear this story once you've heard it.
My thought when I got this book was more along the lines of Mutiny on the Bounty. From the title I thought: oh it must have been a more chaotic mutiny than just putting people into a lifeboat and sailing away. No, this is more like Breaking Bad or watching a cat play with a mouse before eating it. Less about simple 'murders' and more along the lines of 'atrocities'. So... have fun with all that.
1 person found this helpful
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- BG
- 04-30-18
Too much filler
I knew the basics of the Batavia story and was excited to read this because I didn't think enough information was known to fill out a long book. I was right. Much of the book has nothing to do with the actual shipwreck and aftermath.
1 person found this helpful
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- Martin See
- 06-05-22
Truth Stranger than Fiction!
This is the factual account of a fifteenth century sea journey that reads like a novel. It's full of colorful historic facts and characters that form the background for one of the most amazing stories ever told. It gives the real feel and flavor of an age of enlightenment and ignorance. It's also an exciting tale of high adventure, an edge of your seat crime thriller, and a psychological profile, that make it hard to put down.
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- Lawrence
- 03-22-22
An historical winner
Amazing story - which was incredibly detailed and researched.
Hard to imagine so many specifics (names, dates, actions, etc) could be brought to light after four hundred years.
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- C. Carter
- 01-26-20
Truth can be stranger than fiction
Love the story and learning about the mindset during this period, regarding punishment both on and off the high seas. The only thing I did not care for was the narration. Mr. Bethell's voice droned on to the point it was difficult to keep my mind from wandering, even during some of the most gruesome portions.
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- Marcy Jess
- 08-23-19
Hard to Finish
I struggled to finish this book. In fact I started a new audible story with my husband while on vacation and nearly forgot I hadn't finished this book. I usually love books about shipwrecks and murder but I found it hard to keep all of the characters straight and to remain focused on the book. I liked the narrator but felt the subject was presented in such a dry manner it took all of my interest away.