
The Far Land
200 Years of Murder, Mania, and Mutiny in the South Pacific
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Narrated by:
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Steve Quinn
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By:
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Brandon Presser
A thrilling true tale of power, obsession, and betrayal at the edge of the world.
In 1808, an American merchant ship happened upon an uncharted island in the South Pacific and unwittingly solved the biggest nautical mystery of the era: the whereabouts of a band of fugitives who, after seizing their vessel, had disappeared into the night with their Tahitian companions.
Pitcairn Island was the perfect hideaway from British authorities, but after nearly two decades of isolation, its secret society had devolved into a tribalistic hellscape; a real-life Lord of the Flies, rife with depravity and deception.
Seven generations later, the island’s diabolical past still looms over its 48 residents; descendants of the original mutineers, marooned like modern castaways. Only a rusty cargo ship connects Pitcairn with the rest of the world, just four times a year.
In 2018, Brandon Presser rode the freighter to live among its present-day families; two clans bound by circumstance and secrets. While on the island, he pieced together Pitcairn’s full story: an operatic saga that holds all who have visited in its mortal clutch - even the author.
Told through vivid historical and personal narrative, The Far Land goes beyond the infamous mutiny on the Bounty, offering an unprecedented glimpse at life on the fringes of civilization, and how, perhaps, it’s not so different from our own.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2022 Brandon Presser (P)2022 PublicAffairsListeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
“The Far Land swells in the cause and effect of actions of passion. Brandon Presser's fascinating narrative of the relentless consequences of the Bounty mutineers asks: were they brave or damned? They lived so very troubled ever after. You can’t make this stuff up!” (Tom Hanks)
"Meticulously researched…. Armchair adventurers will appreciate the author’s sharp and sympathetic eye, showing us the mechanics of a truly remote civilization. Presser’s detailed account provides a sense of authority to a story too bizarre to be anything but true.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“A highly accomplished travel writer, Brandon Presser's The Far Land hits a lot of my pleasure centers: remote islands, then-and-now non-fiction, historical mysteries and forthright travelogues. The first night I started reading, I dreamed about Pitcairn Island.” (Maggie Shipstead, New York Times best-selling author of Great Circle)
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Well, it seemed like a good idea, but. . .
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The overarching themes that emerge are that you can't escape modern society, and that if you try, the grass will very likely not be greener. What starts as the romantic pursuit of freedom and escape, rapidly descends into petty violence, and anguish. Not only did the mutuneers end their days in squalor and violence, but their efforts cursed multiple future generations to the same fate. Hundreds of lives squandered by the unwise aspirations of a handful.
Great encapsulation of the entire story.
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it's kinda interesting
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Good writing and a captivating narrative.
If you like the history of the mutiny on the Bounty than you shall enjoy the book
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As an amateur, I know a bit about the history from a few different angles and sources. This book is so well done that I still got lost in the story numerous times. A credit to both author and reader. In most things unless there is evidence against I take the story at face value. So I accept that Fletcher Christian probably died near the time of the massacre. My wife asked me who I was in the story, because I couldn’t stop talking about it. Without thinking I realized I always thought I would be Fletcher Christian. Going to Pitcairn has been on my radar for some time. After hearing this book and all the aspects that have happened since, I have almost no desire to go to Pitcairn. I’d rather keep it as an imagination. I now think I could almost identify more with Bligh because he’s the one guy who did what he said he would do and carried out his mission. Other new ground is that when Fletcher breathed his last, whenever that was, he left his sons and daughters unprotected. Powerful consequences. As a believer in the scripture of the Bible and Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, I have my own realization of what missionaries have done around the world and how it could’ve been done differently. The best works are always the ones that we continue pondering for days weeks months or even years. The last time I remember such an empath was upon finishing Dickens’ David Copperfield. Great job!
I’m not the only one.
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Sorry but this didn't work for me.
Hugely disappointing
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I wish the author didn’t hate and misunderstand Christianity
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