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9781784744922

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The most extraordinary book about facing challenges, holding onto hope in dark times and how easy it is to become lost even when you’re surrounded by others. It’s beautiful, moving and genuinely unputdownable . . . utterly captivating and so special -- JOANNA CANNON, author of A Tidy Ending I loved everything about this inspirational, funny, painful, jaw-dropping and moving celebration of an ordinary couple caught in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable. A poignant reminder that in facing catastrophe, we often discover who we really are -- RACHEL JOYCE, author of Maureen Fry & the Angel of the North This is a survival story of relentless power, an epic of human resourcefulness, and of the emotional toll taken at last by suffering’s extremity -- COLIN THUBRON, author of The Amur River Easily one of the most captivating works of narrative nonfiction I’ve ever read, Maurice and Maralyn is at once a gripping story of survival at sea and a haunting account of the yearning to escape the ordinary, the mysteries of marriage, and the fleeting nature of fame. It hasn’t left my mind since I finished it -- OLIVER BURKEMAN, author of Four Thousand Weeks Maurice and Maralyn is a beautiful, searing book -- a miniature epic of seafaring and survival with an unbreakable, unusual love story at its heart. Elmhirst casts you hundreds of miles adrift in the Pacific, on a four-foot life raft, with nothing for company but turtles, whales and eternal questions: Who do we love? Why do we love them? Can we survive? -- SAM KNIGHT, author of The Premonitions Bureau

One of those very special books that makes you put everything on hold so you can get back to it. I loved everything about this inspirational, funny, painful, jaw-dropping and moving celebration of an ordinary couple caught in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable. A poignant reminder that in facing catastrophe, we often discover who we really are -- RACHEL JOYCE

An electrifying narrative full of atmosphere and humanity and with the lightest dusting of romance -- Fiona Sturges * Guardian * An extraordinary account * Guardian, *Books to Look Out For 2024* * I loved everything about this inspirational, funny, painful, jaw-dropping and moving celebration of an ordinary couple caught in the most dramatic circumstances imaginable. A poignant reminder that in facing catastrophe, we often discover who we really are -- RACHEL JOYCE, author of Maureen Fry & the Angel of the North This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told in calm, thoughtful, perfectly judged prose. I really could not put it down -- NINA STIBBE, author of Love, Nina An extraordinary story of an even more extraordinary marriage. Sophie Elmhirst's prose is spare and elegant, and in her hands Maurice and Maralyn come vividly to life, characters who will remain with the reader long after they finish this compelling book. I turned each page with my heart in my mouth -- FRANCESCA SEGAL, author of Mother Ship A beautiful, searing book -- a miniature epic of seafaring and survival with an unbreakable, unusual love story at its heart -- SAM KNIGHT, author of The Premonitions Bureau An exciting, fast-paced, terrifying adventure story, and at the same time a slow, gentle commentary on love -- ALEXANDER MASTERS, author of Stuart: a Life Backwards No one finds the wit, warmth and mischief in a story quite like Sophie Elmhirst. I will read anything she writes -- HELEN LEWIS, author of Difficult Women Much of human life is contained in this beautiful, moving book about two people cut off from everything but each other -- LARISSA MACFARQUHAR, author of Strangers Drowning [A] tender, truthful adventure story * Simple Things *

Electrifying . . . a tender portrait of two unconventional souls blithely defying the conventions of their era and making a break for freedom -- Fiona Sturges * Guardian * An extraordinary survival story… Elmhirst’s reconstruction of their ordeal is riveting, told in illuminating detail * Sunday Times * A compelling book about a shipwreck, but also as thoughtful a tale about marriage, for better and worse, as you are likely to read * Observer * An amazing tale of survival . . . reminds me how incredibly hard it is to find love out there in the world -- Tracey Thorn * New Statesman * A gripping tale of maritime catastrophe but also of marriage -- India Knight * Sunday Times * An epic story of adventure and survival * Daily Express * Superb… Elmhirst is good at evoking an era that feels both familiar and like deep history… you really do hang on to her every word -- Maggie Fergusson * Spectator * With its period detail and softly poetic prose, the book melds together the sweet conjugal bonds of a quirky pair with the adrenaline kick of Jaws… It is a remarkable portrait of a marriage kept afloat against the odds * Financial Times * Never sentimental and perfectly paced, this is the best sort of story: a true one * Economist * A quirky, thrilling and moving tale of a love which proved stronger than starvation, dehydration and the mighty Pacific -- Peter Carty * i * Extraordinary . . . Elmhirst is a terrific writer -- ELIZABETH DAY Maurice and Maralyn somehow contrives to be both gripping and elegiac. Sophie Elmhirst's graceful, confident prose is novelistic in its pleasures and profoundly moving in its impact -- KALIANE BRADLEY, author of The Ministry of Time This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told in calm, thoughtful, perfectly judged prose. I really could not put it down -- NINA STIBBE, author of Love, Nina A beautiful meditation on endurance, codependence, and the power of love. A dazzling book -- PATRICK RADDEN KEEFE, author of Empire of Pain A beautiful, brilliant book, an exquisitely written piece of non-fiction that reads like a great novel An exciting, fast-paced, terrifying adventure story, and at the same time a slow, gentle commentary on love -- ALEXANDER MASTERS, author of Stuart: a Life Backwards A beautiful, searing book -- a miniature epic of seafaring and survival with an unbreakable, unusual love story at its heart -- SAM KNIGHT, author of The Premonitions Bureau What an astonishing story. And what a sublime piece of writing -- JULIET NICOLSON, author of A House Full of Daughters An unlikely love story wrapped in a dramatic adventure * Waitrose * An extraordinary account * Guardian, *Books to Look Out For 2024* *

Easily one of the most captivating works of narrative nonfiction I’ve ever read, Maurice and Maralyn is at once a gripping story of survival at sea and a haunting account of the yearning to escape the ordinary, the mysteries of marriage, and the fleeting nature of fame. It hasn’t left my mind since I finished it -- OLIVER BURKEMAN, author of Four Thousand Weeks No one finds the wit, warmth and mischief in a story quite like Sophie Elmhirst. I will read anything she writes -- HELEN LEWIS, author of Difficult Women Maurice and Maralyn is a beautiful, searing book -- a miniature epic of seafaring and survival with an unbreakable, unusual love story at its heart. Elmhirst casts you hundreds of miles adrift in the Pacific, on a four-foot life raft, with nothing for company but turtles, whales and eternal questions: Who do we love? Why do we love them? Can we survive? -- SAM KNIGHT, author of The Premonitions Bureau

Author Information

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.

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