Play Book Tag discussion

Far Tortuga by Peter Matthiessen - 4 stars - My Review

Story of a sea turtle fishing voyage in the Caribbean from the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras to the Grand Caymans and Tortugas. The crewmen relate memories of past fishing adventures, ships, captains, storms, and catches. They occasionally encounter other ships and crews. The ship’s captain is set on maintaining traditions, though the industry is changing. His obsessions play a critical role in the outcome of the journey.

The structure of this book is pared down to the essentials. It is told in an unusual format – mostly dialogue, almost like a play, with no speaker’s name, no “he said,” and groupings of words with substantial white space in between. A limited amount of scenery is described in prose. The dialogue reflects the dialects of the multiple nationalities of the sailors. It is occasionally difficult to follow and to tell which sailor is speaking. A helpful map, ship’s manifest, and several drawings of the decks are included.

The narrative provides a sense of the sailing life, and how the sailors gossip and recall old sea stories. We only know the characters by what they say and do. The reader is never privy to their thoughts. I am not aware if this book has ever been adapted to a stage play or an operetta, but I think it would work well. This book definitely will not be everyone’s cup of tea. It will appeal to those that enjoy experimental literature and spare, directly told stories.