Central Afternoon Adult Book Club: A Marriage at Sea

This month's selection is A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst.

Maurice and Maralyn make an odd couple. He’s a loner, awkward and obsessive; she’s charismatic and ambitious. But they share a horror of wasting their lives. And they dream – as we all dream – of running away from it all. What if they quit their jobs, sold their house, bought a boat, and sailed away? Most of us begin and end with the daydream. But in June 1972, Maurice and Maralyn set sail. For nearly a year all went well, until deep in the Pacific, a breaching whale knocked a hole in their boat and it sank beneath the waves.
What ensues is a jaw-dropping fight to survive in the wild ocean, with little hope of rescue. Alone together for months in a tiny rubber raft, starving and exhausted, Maurice and Maralyn have to find not only ways to stay alive but ways to get along, as their inner demons emerge and their marriage is put to the greatest of tests. Although they could run away from the world, they can’t run away from themselves.
Taut, propulsive, and dazzling, A Marriage at Sea pairs an adrenaline-fueled high seas adventure with a gutting love story that asks why we love difficult people, and who we become under the most extreme conditions imaginable.

This program will take place in-person. Virtual attendance is also offered on Microsoft Teams. Please specify your preference when registering. You must register to receive a link to this program.

Selections are available in alternate formats. For details ask staff or visit our catalogue.

Please make sure to review the Book Club Guidelines and Terms of Use before attending the program.

Register online, in person or by calling any location The first 12 people to register will receive a copy of the book to borrow. Waitlisted registrants who have read the book are also welcome to attend the meeting.

Registration for Fall Book Clubs begins Saturday, July 25 at 9:00 a.m.