Thomas'Buck'WhaleywasoneofthegreatestadventurersinIrishhistory.In1788hemadeanextraordinary10-monthjourneyfromDublintoJerusalemforawagerof15,000,equivalenttoseveralmilliontoday.NearlyshipwreckedintheSeaofCrete,healmostdiedofplagueinConstantinople,narrowlyavoidedapirateattack,waswaylaidbybandits,andmetaninfamousOttomangovernorknownas'theButcher'.Onhisreturn,hebecameanovernightcelebritybeforesufferingacatastrophicseriesofgamblinglossesthatexiledhimfirsttocontinentalEurope(whereheattemptedtorescueLouisXVIfromtheguillotine)andthentotheIsleofMan.Whenhediedaged34in1800hehadsquanderedanastronomical400,000(around100million)'withouteverpurchasingoracquiringcontentmentoronehour'struehappiness'.Inhislifetime,Irelandwasabouttoeruptinrebellion;Francewasonthebrinkofbloodyrevolution;andtheOttomanEmpirewascreakingattheseams.Whaleylitupthisvolatileworldlikeafast-burningcandlebutretainedhisabilitytorecognisetheabsurdityofhisownactionsandtheworldaroundhim.BuckWhaleytellsthefullstoryofhisremarkablelifeandadventuresforthefirsttime.