cover image Naked and Marooned: One Man. One Island.

Naked and Marooned: One Man. One Island.

Ed Stafford. Plume, $16 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-0-14-218096-9

After setting a world record by walking the length of the Amazon River, adventurer Stafford's (Walking the Amazon) next challenge strands him on Olorua, a remote Fiji island, for 60 days armed with only cameras to document his stay for the Discovery Channel. Naked, and without tools and weapons, he recounts his epic feat. What could come off as a droning procedural (woke up sore, ate some snails, dislodged a coconut, rinse, repeat) is anything but%E2%80%94Stafford shares his immediate regret once he arrives on the island and the gravity of his situation fully sinks in and he realizes that food, shelter, and hydration will be constant worries. He artfully engages and draws in the reader as he battles the elements and struggles to secure a reliable source of fresh water and rejoices when he's finally able to start and sustain a fire. The author's humility and gratitude are truly inspiring. Readers will not only come away with an admiration for Stafford's will to survive, but also a greater appreciation for everyday comforts easily taken for granted. (Sept.)