Castaway 2000: The Full, Inside Story of the Major BBC TV Series

by Mark McCrum

The book of the televisual experiment "Castaway 2000", a 14-part documentary in which 36 people of all ages and backgrounds were sent to live off their wits and the land on the isolated Scottish island of Taransay.

Genres: Nonfiction, Adventure

382 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Kate]

This was a second attempt after I DNFed it the first time round. I should have stuck to my first decision. I desperately wanted to enjoy this book after I followed the series in 2000. However, I feel it was a real missed opportunity. Instead of focussing on the community development, the experience and what they gained from it, the book was one long account of feuds, arguments, gripes and whinges. Nice photos and Art though.

[Alison]

Enjoyed reading this book having watched the original tv series and been fascinated by it. This summer we visited Harris and saw Taransay across the water. Couldn’t help imagining what it would have been like living there for a year. Felt sad on exploring how 2 of the castaways were no longer with us. It would be interesting to know how those who participated would reflect on their experiences now.
Worth a read but knowledge of the history would be beneficial.

[Libbeth]

I think that if "Big Brother" hadn't captivated the reality TV audience in the same year, this sort of "experiment" would have happened more often, and, indeed, would have drawn a larger audience than it did that year. Once Big Brother came on the scene it was somewhat overshadowed.