Maurice and Maralyn

Maurice and Maralyn: An Extraordinary True Story of Shipwreck, Survival and Love by Sophie Elmhirst recounts the gripping tale of Maurice and Maralyn Bailey, a British couple who, disenchanted with 1970s suburban life, sold their home to build a boat and embark on a voyage to New Zealand. Midway through their journey, their boat was struck by a whale, leaving them adrift in the Pacific Ocean. This narrative delves into their harrowing survival and the resilience of their relationship during the ordeal.

About the Author

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. This is her first book.

Praise for Maurice and Maralyn

"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

"This dramatic, profound human story is so beautifully told. I really could not put it down." – Nina Stibbe