Skeletons on the Sahara, Dean King

A ship from Connecticut

leaves port in 1815, the crew on a trading voyage. They get shipwrecked off the coast of Africa, and eventually get captured by desert nomads and sold into slavery. And then the real insanity begins.. murder, sandstorms, locusts, plagues, starvation…they were so dehydrated their circulatory systems siphoned their joint oil, causing them to move in stiff, jerky ways. Their mouths produced no saliva, their eyes no tears. Riley (the captain) was held captive for over 2 months… normally weighed 240… he was less than 90 when finally saved. Then the guy worked to liberate his crew by getting ransom paid. All suffered PTSD. 3 of his crew were lost to slavery. He became a outspoken advocate for abolition. His narrative was published, and was a best seller. Riley died 23 years later. This is about survival, courage, brotherhood.. qualities we should all long to have.