The Outlaw Ocean: Crime and Survival in the Last Untamed Frontier

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A riveting, adrenalin-fuelled tour of the unbridled extremes of human behaviour and activity in that vast, lawless and rampantly criminal world that few have ever seen- the high seas. 'Just incredible' Naomi Klein 'Gripping and shocking...with the pace of a thriller' The Times A New York Times bestseller, The Outlaw Ocean is a riveting, adrenalin-fuelled tour of a vast, lawless and rampantly criminal world that few have ever seen- the high seas. The oceans are some of the last untamed frontiers on our planet. Too big to police, and under no clear international authority, these treacherous waters play host to the extremes of human behaviour and activity. From traffickers, smugglers and pirates to vigilante conservationists, stowaways and seabound abortion-providers, Ian Urbina introduces us to the inhabitants of this hidden world and their risk-fraught lives. Through their extraordinary stories, he uncovers a globe-spanning network of crime and exploitation that emanates from the fishing, oil and shipping industries - but to which all of us are connected. LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE 2019 'An astonishing book about a world most of us don't even know exists' Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland 'An outstanding investigation of a global criminal culture on the high seas' Guardian 'Truly important... A complex portrait of an unseen and disturbing world' New York Times

Reviews

Gripping and shocking by turns Most of the book clips along with the pace of a thriller stomach-churningly tense as outlandish and as thrilling as a heist film * The Times *
Just incredible -- Naomi Klein
Urbina has written an astonishing book about a world most of us don't even know exists. These are dispatches from the lawless ocean - of traffickers, slaves, heroes, gangsters, crooks and scoundrels - which will amaze, enthral and appal you -- Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland
A riveting, terrifying, thrilling story of a netherworld that few people know about, and fewer will ever see. As Ian Urbina ventures into the darkest folds of the high seas, his courageand his proseare breathtaking' SUSAN CASEY, author of The Wave -- Susan Casey, author of The Wave
An outstanding investigation of a global criminal culture on the high seas His rendezvous with contacts on at least one occasion was arranged for 100 miles offshore through mountainous waves Little wonder the stories he tells have not been told before * Guardian *
Not just a stunning read, this book is a gripping chronicle of the watery wild west and it shows usfrankly unlike anything I've read beforehow the vast ocean has become a danger zone, and ultimately how we all pay a price for this mayhem and mistreatment' JOHN KERRY, former Secretary of State and founder of the Our Ocean Conference -- John Kerry, former Secretary of State and founder of the Our Ocean Conference
Transcendent, rendering a complex portrait of an unseen and disturbing world. Urbina pursues a depth of reportage thats rare because of the guts and diligence it requires ... The result is not just a fascinating read, but a truly important document. It is also a master class in journalism" New York Times * New York Times *
Revelatory there is no lack of danger in Urbinas travels; impressively, he never shies away from it gripping this drama is riveting, but so is the endemic abuse Urbina finds if you want to be a crook, there is no better place to do it than at sea the laxness of enforcement makes Urbinas investigations essential -- Rose George * New Statesman *
Incredible, readable, riveting -- Sam Walker * Wall Street Journal *
Its this kind of hard-assed reporting that can ultimately change the world for the better -- Chris Dixon * Scuttlefish *
You simply have to read this -- Karen Tumulty * Washington Post *
Staggering -- Oliver Franklin-Walles * Wired *

Author Bio

Ian Urbina spent five years, more than three of them at sea, uncovering the stories in The Outlaw Ocean, which began life as a series of articles for The New York Times that won seven major awards. He is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times where his investigations have covered oil and mining disasters, sex trafficking, high-school shooting, criminal justice, worker safety and the environment. Several have been made into films, and he has been nominated for an Emmy. Urbina has degrees in history from Georgetown and the University of Chicago, and lives in Washington, D.C., with his family.