Nathaniel Philbrick

Recounts the story of the 1820 wreck of the whaleship Essex—which inspired Melville's classic Moby Dick—and its doomed crew's 90-day attempt to survive whale attacks and the elements on three tiny lifeboats, in a book that is the basis of the forthcoming film directed by Ron Howard. Reissue.

The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

In the Heart of the Sea

In 1819, the 238-ton Essex set sail from Nantucket on a routine voyage to hunt whales. Fifteen months later the Essex was rammed and sunk by an enraged sperm whale. Fearing cannibals on the islands to the west, the 20-man crew set out in three small boats for South America, almost 3,000 miles away. Three months later, only eight were left alive. This book shares a fantastic saga of survival and adventure, steeped in the lore of the whaling tradition, with deep resonance in literature and American history, and in the life of the Nantucket community. - Back cover.

the tragedy of the whaleship Essex

In the heart of the sea

Brooke Lonegan

Weirdly slow read for such a captivating tale. Still incredibly interesting, if not morbid.

Andrew John Kinney

3.7 stars. Interesting to me because it was the story that inspired Moby-Dick.

Wynter

An interesting and horrifying account of survival at sea that is not overly bogged down by unnecessary background information. Includes extensive author notes for anyone interested in researching the subject further. If I find a copy at a library sale, I would definitely pick it up for my own collection.

This was thoroughly researched. The problem is that none of the research seemed to be left out to make the book flow better. It took a long time to wind up the crew and the setting until we finally got on the ship, and it took time to really give us an idea of how horrible these people were.

I know people have posited that the whale attacked unprovoked. I don't believe it. I think it hit the boat mid hunt. The crew literally burned an island down in the Galapagos and might have wiped two species off the face of the Earth for a joke. Karma came in the shape of a whale.

Glad to see this practice be finished in that scope, and I hope it only continues to decline until it is a memory.

Amber Laha

Dull, dry, and slow. I am not that interested in the minute details of whaling, which was disgusting. His writing started with brilliant sentence and turned into a dry, text-book like style. Not what I wanted, especially since I am trying to get through a massive book that although much more interesting, reads the same way. So just not my thing now, nor ever.

Carla Aquino

Wow!!! I never knew the Moby-Dick was based on the accounts of this whaling ship The Essex!!! So many sides to the events that occurred! The poor whales that were hunted for their oil, the poor crew of the Essex that had to endure months at sea after the wreck and resorted to cannibalism for survival towards the end, the town that was once known for their expertise in the whaling industry that diminished over the years...the list goes on. 

For the record I will never set foot aboard any kind of ship whatsoever!!! Not even a cruise ship! Shit...not even a canoe...Okay maybe a canoe if I had to cross a little river with no creatures that have the potential to capsize it. Other than than no ships or boats ever!!!!!!

Rebecca Light

If I'm being neutral I'd give it three stars. It portends to be one of the most incredible stories in American history, but I didn't feel that way. It's a tragedy about a bunch of dudes in a risky line of work whose luck runs out, and the logical progression of misfortunes happen. If you want a captivating survival story read Touching the Void or Into Thin Air. However, this wasn't a bad book. It's a well-written and well-researched historical account. It moves quickly. The extra star is from me, with love, for my deep fascination with Moby-Dick. Fans of Melville will find the last few chapters rewarding.

In the Heart of the Sea The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

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