This is such a fascinating book. I’ve never really lived close to a coastline in which the ocean itself is the source of income and sustenance, and have only visited New England once, but this book makes me want to take a trip to Nantucket Island right now to see and experience at least some of the history of this harsh lifestyle.

We are all probably at least somewhat familiar with the story of the Essex, especially with the movie being released just a few weeks ago. Most of us know that it was the basis of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. Some of us may have even read one of the myriad of children’s and young readers’ books in school about this epic tale of survival. Philbrick has taken one of the most tragic events in nautical history and written a gripping, informative book about whaling, Nantucket Island, desperation, courage, weakness, redemption, survival and shame.

Of course, this is a story about shipwreck and survival, and has some fascinating subplots. Captain Pollard, whose voyage with the Essex as his first as captain, faced many personal crises as he was forced to make difficult choices, even jeopardizing the life of his own nephew, crewman Owen Coffin. Philbrick explores the fear of cannibalism that drove the Essex sailors to avoid relatively close South Pacific islands after the wreck (about a thousand miles away), in favor of a very risky and lengthy trip to South America (almost four thousand miles). The harrowing situation only seems to get worse as time goes on (93 days!), as the trade winds push them away from their intended destination, the hunger and thirst which drove the survivors to near-insanity, and the drastic measures taken for their survival.

Along with telling the story of the wreck and the crew’s struggles for survival, Philbrick provides an in-depth background of Nantucket in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, digging into the small island's religious customs (the Quakers dominated life on the Island), and describes what life was like for a sailor on the whaling vessels: where they slept on board, what they ate, how they were disciplined, how they killed and processed whales (while still at sea), and how much money the captain and crew stood to earn from a typical voyage. Philbrick also reveals the class system of life on a whaling vessel: Nantucketers at the top, non-islanders next, then mainlanders. It is interesting to note that there was very little racism (Quakers were among the first abolitionists); the ships’ captains didn’t care what color your skin was, as long as you could work hard and take orders.

All in all, a gripping read. It is written with great compassion and strict attention to detail. The author has obviously done his research. I was particularly impressed with the end of the book, as he followed the careers and lives of the survivors; one crew member even sailed with Captain Pollard again (he lost this ship to disaster, as well). Drawing from the journals of two survivors, the first mate and a cabin boy, whose accounts of the disaster sometimes digress, Philbrick was able to paint a near-complete picture of the entire event and its aftermath. He also drew striking parallels with the actions of Captain Bligh (Mutiny on the Bounty) as he survived himself on the open sea, as well as modern-day medical and scientific studies on the effects of starvation on the human body as well as the psychological effects of cannibalism.

The narrator for the Audible version, Scott Brick, was outstanding. Like a great history professor lecturing on a much-researched topic, he was able to recount the history of Nantucket and the tension of the tragedy perfectly.

Pick up this book! Even if you are not at all interested in sailing, whaling, nautical history, or true-life survival stories under the harshest of conditions, you will not be disappointed.

Sometimes speculative non-fiction that is often exciting, though there are enough "perhaps" and "may haves" to remind you that this is a secondhand tale, twice removed from primary sources and reconstructed a while after these events. The book covers the social and natural history of whaling, as expected, but also is shot through with smatterings of psychology, zoology, carpentry, and literary criticism. These varied asides, coupled with scenes of high-energy action, make for an eminently readable narrative.

4 stars out of 5. Sensitive souls need to prepare to hear of some disturbing and senseless cruelty. Whalers of the 1800s were not eco-friendly conservationists!

Book number eight in Non Fiction November,
Before the Titanic capturing the scene as the most known ship disaster there was the story of the Whaleship Essex, if Titanic is the sea story of the 20th century, rhen the Essex was definitely the story of the 19th. It is the inspiration behind the novel 'Moby Dick'
Whales are now an endangered species, after years upon years of endless hunting, and our story happens at the peak of Sperm Whale hunting. These 60 ton creatures were used to provide the necessary oil for lighting and lubricating the machines of 19th century industrial america.
The book tells us the battle between man vs. Whale, when a single whale has had enough, and instead of succumbing to the hunters decided to make them the hunted.

The book in addition to narrating the shocking story of the survivors, tells of the harrowing details of whaling in the 19th century, how far we can go, destroying and burning through nature for material gains, I couldn't believe that the whalers kept going after sperm whales to the waters of Australia after they exterminated them in their territories, humanity can sometimes be the most destructive thing that happened to this planet...

MiM

3.5 stars. Well-written in a semi-narrative fashion, but not quite as interesting as I hoped. The whole story was very...expected.

Even though I was a little disappointed with the movie that this book is based on, I was still curious to find out more on this true story.
I’m so glad that I did as it gives a far more in-depth account of the real life events.

Philbrick recounts Thomas Nickerson experiences as a cabin boy on the Whaleship Essex which sunk after a sperm whale attack in the Pacific Ocean during November 1820.
The fact that Thomas was only 14 is even more incredible!

I really appreciated that Philbrick also included current scientific knowledge to help explain exactly what the survivors would have experienced at the time.
A fascinating tale that has helped inspire other stories including most notably Moby Dick.

The best thing about the movie? It brought this book to my attention!

Philbrick has made the story of the whaleship Essex very well known, taking the explanation of their fates and incorporating it into a wider study of Nantucket Island, whaling in the early 19th Century and many other comparative stories of shipwrecks and whaling into a comprehensive book in less than 250 pages (not including notes, bibliography, acknowledgements and index).

Not only does he cover all of this, but he does it in a comprehensive way, but a way that remains sensitive to the tragedy and circumstances, yet is graphic and detailed. He quotes from scientific studies (on such topics as dehydration, starvation and psychology), from the writing of many authors on whaling, and detailed history of commerce, trade and technology.

Details of the ships history, to the crewing, provisioning and departure from Nantucket, their voyage around the Cape to the newly discovered whaling grounds - known as the Offshore Grounds - as remote as they sound, some thousand miles west of the Galapagos Islands. Here the Essex is rammed by a massive Sperm Whale bull, and it founders, the men in their small whaleboats taking shelter in the lee. From here the three whaleboats led by the Captain (George Pollard), the First Mate (Owen Chase) and the Second Mate (Matthew Joy), are to try and make their return to land.

Philbrick examines the decisions made, the journey(s) and the survival methods. He discusses the cannibalism, the mental anguish. He describes in detail what starvation and dehydration are doing the the bodies and minds of the men (see quote below). He explains the circumstances of their rescue(s). There follow details of their lives after the Essex. From the twenty one strong crew (there is a deserter prior to departing Chile) twelve die and eight men survive, in three different rescues.

Well known as the source material for Melville's Moby Dick, First Mate Owen Chase's publication telling his story of the events Narrative of the Wreck of the Whaleship Essex is one of the primary sources for Philbrick's book. Published some 150 years later, the writing of Thomas Nickerson, who was the cabin boy on board provides some alternative information. Woven with these is other source material from Nantucket sources and others.

Philbrick has done a great job of bringing all the stands together in what is a detailed book, yet a very quick read. I was particularly impressed with the way he handled the transitions from the Essex narrative to the background It has inspired me to read (again? I am not sure I finished it first time around) Moby Dick, so will add that to my 2024 target and tackle that soon.

P127

The Essex survivors had entered... the 'cotton-mouth' phase of thirst. Saliva becomes thick and foul-tasting; the tongue clings irritatingly to the teeth and the roof of the mouth. Even though speech is difficult sufferers are often moved to complain ceaselessly about their thirst until their voices become so cracked and hoarse they can speak no more. A lump seems to form in the throat, causing the sufferer to swallow repeatedly in a vain attempt to dislodge it. Severe pain is felt in the head and neck. The face feels full due to the shrinking of the skin. Hearing is affected, and many people hallucinate.
Still to come for the Essex crew were the agonies of a mouth that has ceased to produce saliva. The tongue hardens into... 'a senseless weight, swinging on the still-soft root and striking foreignly against the teeth'. Speech becomes impossible, although the sufferers are known to moan and bellow. Next is the 'blood sweats' phase involving ' a progressive mummification of the initially living body'. The tongue swells to such proportion that it squeezes past the jaws. The eyelids crack and the eyeballs begin to weep tears of blood. The throat is so swollen that breathing becomes difficult, creating an incongruous yet terrifying sensation of drowning. Finally, as the power of the sun inexorably draws the remaining moisture from the body, there is 'living death'.

5 stars.

My review of Moby Dick

This is a middle-school book but I started reading it at the bookstore and got sucked in. The true story that inspired Moby Dick.

This book has it all: shipwrecks, sharks, and cannibalism. And it’s all true! The Essex is the whaleship that inspired Herman Melville’s classic (and one of my favorite books), Moby-Dick, and its real-life tale is stranger than fiction. After an 80 ton sperm whale repeatedly rammed and sank their ship, 20 crew members were left stranded in three tiny boats in the middle of the ocean. Spoiler: not everyone makes it. This book is a doozy of a page-turner, and Philbrick does an incredible job digging into all of the nuances of life before, during, and after surviving such a mind-boggling tragedy. In the Heart of the Sea is a perfect companion piece to Moby-Dick, or a great stand-alone read for anyone who’s ever wanted to read Moby-Dick but can do without all that riveting whale taxonomy. — Rachel Smalter Hall



from The Best Books We Read In August: http://bookriot.com/2015/08/31/riot-r...

What a really powerful book. A tragedy told in immense historical detail. From the crew backgrounds to the actual Whale attack. On to the record of the days at sea in boats waiting to die. Graphic account of the cannibalism and heroism. Last chapters focus on an epilogue and consequences. Even the notes pages and bibliographies are fascinating. Every page is rich in story and prose. Really enjoyed.

I'm not a vegetarian by any means, in fact I'm probably a carbivore (I love my carbs, and most meals include meat). However - I hate eating all fish and any meat with a bone still in it or any other indication that it came from an actual animal. I like to pretend my meat magically grows from a tree where it's picked and delivered to my local Publix or restaurant LOL! Why do I mention all of that? Because I feel it's necessary background info to show I am not a person who would typically seek out a book about whaling/fishing/hunting etc even if it's not really the focus of the book (like this one). But when Trish told me this was about the whale getting the upper hand, well, then I had to read it. I wasn't disappointed!

I don't think you can "spoil" a non-fiction book because it's history and it already really happened, but if you want to go into this book knowing almost nothing, like I did, perhaps stop reading this review here.

So normally if someone told you that several people survived a boat wreck and were out to sea for 93 days, dehydrated and practically starving to death you'd probably have sympathy for them. You might even be a bit amazed at their fortitude to withstand such a trial. So, I do feel a little bit that way towards the survivors of the Essex. But what if I then told you that these same people were also animal murders who killed majestic whales just to get their oil, sell it, and make themselves rich? And that as a joke one of the crew members set a small fire which killed almost an entire island's ecosystem permanently. And that the crew captured huge tortoises and purposely let them slowly starve to death, only killing a few at a time, to keep their meat "fresh". And that the reason why their ship wrecked was because a whale they were trying to kill got away and stove their ship in retaliation. And that they would not have been out to sea for so long in the first place if they had only listened to their weak, but intelligent, Captain and sailed in another direction. Then you might not be so sympathetic!

So that's where I landed with this book - I kind of hated these fools on the Essex, but I did feel a little bit of sympathy. If you ignore the fact that there also might have been intentional racist cannibalism/murder going on. But I'll let you read and decide for yourself on that account. But as the saying goes, dead men tell no tales, so we'll never know for sure.

This is definitely an interesting real-life tale, that I'd recommend. Just don't read it before you're about to eat. No, seriously.

Fantastic buddy read with Jeff and Trish

So much more than I expected! I anticipated this book may be a bit boring since it was about a whale ship and a true story. Not the case! An informative history lesson that caused me to experience so many different emotions. The book was well researched, it moved at a nice pace and held my interest from beginning to end. Great read!

The mesmerizing story of the 19th century Nantucket whaleboat Essex, sunk after being rammed by a giant sperm whale, its crew afloat in whaleboats in the Pacific for weeks as their limited provisions eventually expire. Philbrick's well-researched account not only synchronizes multiple witness recollections, but provides historical context with regards to the Nantucket community and the 19th century American whaling industry, all in 238 unputdownable pages. And this real-life story was also the inspiration for the ultimate whale tale: Moby-Dick. High time to get to sea as soon as you can indeed.