Maurice and Maralyn

Get in the xigxag app
Already purchased

Click to open directly in the xigxag app.

This book is not purchasable in your country. Please select another book. Pre-order Buy Now €{{ price }} Send as a gift
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

**WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS GOLD PRIZE BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024**
**WINNER OF THE NERO AWARDS NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024**

An extraordinary true story of shipwreck, survival and love

Bored of 1970s suburban life, Maurice and Maralyn plan their escape: sell the house, build a boat, set sail for New Zealand. Then, halfway around the world, their beloved boat is struck by a whale and the pair are cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Alone on a tiny raft, their love is put to the test. This is a book about human connection and the human condition; about how we survive – not just at sea, but in life.

'An enthralling, engrossing story of survival' Bill Bryson
‘An absolute jewel of a book’ India Knight
‘A gripping tale of adventure’ Elizabeth Day
‘An extraordinary survival story’ Sunday Times

A Guardian, Observer & Waterstones Non-fiction Book of the Year

©2024 Sophie Elmhirst (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critics Review

An enthralling, engrossing story of survival and the resilience of the human spirit
BILL BRYSON
Electrifying . . . a tender portrait of two unconventional souls blithely defying the conventions of their era and making a break for freedom
Guardian
Extraordinary . . . Elmhirst is a terrific writer
ELIZABETH DAY
An extraordinary survival story… Elmhirst’s reconstruction of their ordeal is riveting, told in illuminating detail
Sunday Times
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
Amazing
BARACK OBAMA
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
Thought-provoking…compelling…tender… An ideal gift for a friend or family who likes incredible true stories of survival. But it’s also a book about love and hubris. And in that sense, it’s a book for us all.
PANDORA SYKES
An amazing tale of survival . . . reminds me how incredibly hard it is to find love out there in the world
New Statesman
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

More from the same

Narrator

About xigxag

Experience the best audiobooks with xigxag, an innovative and user-friendly audiobook platform designed for seamless discovery, purchase, and enjoyment of your favorite titles. Our flexible pricing model offers bestselling audiobooks for less, providing affordable prices and the best audiobook deals without requiring a subscription. Perfect for gifting, xigxag also features convenient audiobook gift cards and in-app audiobook gifting options.

 

Beyond the listening experience, xigxag stands as an exciting alternative to big tech, embodying a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices. As the only B Corp certified UK audiobook service, we ensure a guilt-free listening experience from a leader in audiobook innovation.

 

Effortlessly search audiobooks, access honest audiobook reviews that evaluate both the content and narration, and easily discover hidden gems. Whether you prefer to download or stream top audiobook titles, xigxag provides the best possible listening experience anytime, anywhere, on the UK’s best independent audiobook app. Discover the future of audiobooks today.