The Death Ship

by B. Traven

Book Overview

The Death Ship tells the story of an American sailor, stateless and penniless because he has lost his passport, who is harassed by police and hounded across Europe until he finds an 'illegal' job... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1556521103
• ISBN13: 9781556521102
• Release Date: September 1991
• Publisher: Lawrence Hill Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Definite must read for all seekers of truth and power!

I bought this book by the table area in the back where the music was on. I thought it was gonna be boring but i spent my last moneys on it. I read the first page and busted two nuts all over my self. It's about a guy who has to take this thing to romania and kill a guy with himself air point. After he gets on a plane he ends up falling. Can it see them there? How could he know that it was ended up in that patio? Good thing gotta read it there, too.

A definitive narrative of the triumph of human will

Manual labor. That's what I think of most of all when I think of B. Traven's The Death Ship. I actually read the majority of this book during break periods while working a manual labor job. Every time that my bones ached, I thought about the horrors of the Death Ship and the determinism in the face of certain doom; a real man is measured by his will and his strength.B. Traven's prose is terrific, unpretensious, and profound. The Death ship tells the story of an American salior who becomes an outcast in a world indifferent to the circumstances of the little people. The crew of the ship, facing the possibility of death, starvation, and reside in squalid living conditions, show more humanity and honor than any pencil pusher behind a desk whose power and influences have condemned the honest man to a life of torture; they no longer fear hell, but at the same time, they embrace their situations with a fortitude that expresses a savage peotry. This novel is not to be missed by anyone that considers themselves serious about literature.

The Mysterious B. Traven's Best Work!

I first read "Government" by B. Traven and was very impressed. Then the same friend that gave me that book said to buy this one. I didn't think Traven could do better but this book was it. His storytelling is some of the best ever. From the descriptions of border crossing tribulations to the weird snake dance to get past a steaming pipe and to eating the rations off a marooned ship Traven does well. Unfortunately, but amazingly you can almost smell the disgusting bowels of the death ship because it is so well written. No movie could even do justice to this book as Traven helps you see, feel, smell and taste the experience. Supremo!

Fantastic -- one of a kind!

Just finished reading this book for the third time. Traven's writing style is clear, harsh and as vivid as fireworks. You can feel sparks fly off every page. Man, I wish I could write even half as well as he does. If you ever want to feel as angry as an anarchist over the human injustice in this world, read this book. Plus it's a great story. I can't do it justice.

Traven's best work

Forget "Treasure of the Sierra Madre." "The Death Ship" is B. Traven's best work. The conversational first person narrative draws the reader in immediately, and doesn't let go until the end. It reminds me of the writing style of "Papillon."