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Reviews tagging 'Death'
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick
26 reviews
rmperash's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
tense
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gore, Grief, and Cannibalism
cjt_15's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Cannibalism
zakcebulski's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.5
This book was exemplary. It was absolutely fascinating to learn of the story of the Whaleship Essex and the fate of the crew.
Now, I knew that Moby Dick by Herman Melville was based off of a true story, but, to have read the account of the true story it is absolutely fucking horrifying- full stop.
I was ignorant to this story, but, I found that the ship was sunk in the early part of a two year voyage by an enraged 80+ foot sperm whale. This is, as we all know, where Moby Dick ends. This is, however, not where the story of the crew of the Essex ends. Instead, they are forced to survive in three small whaling boats which they have converted in to schooners.
As someone who suffers from a deep fear of the open ocean, I want no fucking part of the raging waves and the unknown in the depths.
I found this book to be very informative- it tackles subject matter that could be very dry and tepid, but, it is handled in a way that it is very enticing. I think Philbrick's writing is absolutely to be praised. He writes the subject matter in a way to be very near movie like.
I did not have a great deal of interest in whaling or about whales in general, or, shipping for that matter, but, after finishing this book I absolutely have a newfound respect and understanding for something that I was ignorant to previously. I mean, the nautical terms alone are enough to warrant a read through of this book wherein you are able to grasp more and more. I think that Philbrick does a great job of writing this book in a way where he is educating through story context rather than saying "here is this and this means this!". It is a perfect way to understand and learn, in my opinion.
The way in which the crew is forced to survive on rations of a few ounces of hardtack (water and flour bread) and less than a half pint of water daily forced a feeling of abject discomfort on me.
I was able to empathize with the survival situation here even though I have not ever been in a situation like this.
Whenever there were moments of relief or solace, there was a tangible feeling of relief in my chest wherein I felt happy for the crew.
There were, conversely, horrific moments where I felt a sickness in my stomach when I realized the implications the crew were dancing around- specifically regarding cannibalism. This is "the greatest taboo" in human society- eating another person. And good fucking god, the descriptors of the butchering of one man by another were stomach churningly vivid.
When one crew mate draws a lot to be killed and eaten so that others may survive it is a true level of heart breaking despondence.
This is the type of book that truly gives me such an appreciation that I am living in the time and place where I don't need to do this sort of work where I could be on a boat which is fucked up by a goddamn sperm whale.
Philbrick wrote a book which makes me truly happy that I am able to read.
This book was enlightening and educational, and is one that I think that I could return to in the future to learn more from.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, and Cannibalism
jhbandcats's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
This is such a powerful book. I have learned so much more history since graduating from high school and college than I ever did when I was taking classes. I love history, I love sea stories, I love adventure / disaster stories. And this is a great one.
Philbrick gives a brief history of Nantucket and the whaling business that dominated the island in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He gives background on the family and island ties, people bound together by their being Quakers in a town with a singular focus on building wealth. He shows how outsiders - either mainlanders or non-Quakers - were ostracized. And he shows the compulsion to be better, faster, more successful than friends and neighbors.
All that came to bear in the disastrous voyage of the whaleship Essex, the ship whose destruction by an angry whale inspired Melville to write Moby Dick. The privations of the men were terrible - I think the worst is having to kill one another to survive. I can see how desperate people would be forced to eat anything they could, even if it were other people, but to eat people who have died is very different from drawing lots to determine who's going to be the next meal. How do you live with that?
Philbrick gives a brief history of Nantucket and the whaling business that dominated the island in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He gives background on the family and island ties, people bound together by their being Quakers in a town with a singular focus on building wealth. He shows how outsiders - either mainlanders or non-Quakers - were ostracized. And he shows the compulsion to be better, faster, more successful than friends and neighbors.
All that came to bear in the disastrous voyage of the whaleship Essex, the ship whose destruction by an angry whale inspired Melville to write Moby Dick. The privations of the men were terrible - I think the worst is having to kill one another to survive. I can see how desperate people would be forced to eat anything they could, even if it were other people, but to eat people who have died is very different from drawing lots to determine who's going to be the next meal. How do you live with that?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
pubis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Cannibalism
bronzemist's review against another edition
dark
informative
slow-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Racism, Violence, Blood, and Cannibalism