In the heart of the sea

the tragedy of the whaleship Essex

by

301 pages

English language

Published Nov. 20, 2015

ISBN:
978-0-14-312681-2
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OCLC Number:
927311158

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5 stars (1 review)

"The true events behind Moby Dick ... In 1820, the whaleship Essex was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale, leaving the desperate crew to drift for more than ninety days in three tiny boats. Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents and vivid details about the Nantucket whaling tradition to reveal the chilling facts of this infamous maritime disaster. In the Heart of the Sea, and now, its epic adaptation for the screen will forever place the Essex tragedy in the American historical canon." --Amazon.com.

29 editions

reviewed In the heart of the sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

Review of 'In the heart of the sea' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Did you know that Melville's Moby Dick was inspired by a true story? In the Heart of the Sea recounts the harrowing experiences of the crew of the Essex, a 238-ton Nantucket whaling ship which was attacked and sunk by a lone, angry sperm whale in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in November, 1820. The survivors went on to sail thousands of miles in the open water for months in search of land or rescue as their starved companions died around them. A truly fascinating story of survival and difficult decisions. Winner of the 2000 National Book Award for non-fiction.

Subjects

  • Shipwreck survival
  • Shipwrecks
  • Essex (Whaleship)

Places

  • Pacific Ocean