The Wager by David Grann

Charles Brooking's 1744 painting of HMS Wager in extremis

The Wager by David Grann*. I just started reading it. The first few pages were kind of dull, but it has picked up the pace. He starts talking about how nautical expressions become common language and on page 50 we find this great line:

To "turn a blind eye" became a popular expression after Vice-Admiranl Nelson deliberately placed his telescope against his blind eye to ignore his superior's signal to retreat.

I pretty sure I have heard this story before, but this time it got a chuckle out of me. Perhaps it was the way it was said or maybe the context. Anyway, that's your bit of historical trivia for moment.

* when I searched for this book on goodreads I got like two dozen different study guides to this book. I dunno, maybe they were all the same, just with different . . . I dunno, numbers? hubcaps? I smell somethin' stinky.