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Reviews
In the Heart of the Sea: The Incredible True Story that Inspired Moby-Dick by Nathaniel Philbrick
jtwindsor's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.0
jay_sy's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
4.0
 In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick is a history book about the whaling ship Essex.
Thoughts while reading:
-It’s quite interesting to hear about the different enclaves in the US during that time period, and now the lifestyle of the Quakers shaped life on Nantucket. I really liked hearing some of the first hand accounts and songs/poems written by the people
-It’s quite fascinating to hear of how independent the women were, since they had to manage the businesses while men were off for years at a time. They seem to have spent a great deal of time socializing and also regularly used opium.
-I felt bad for the cabin boy and greenhands. It must have been harsh going from a life of being under a mother’s care to then a harsh and merciless first mate
-it's hard reading about the treatment of animals such as the way the whales were killed or how the tortoises were gathered for food and then starved over a period of a year since the sailors assumed they didn't feel hunger. It's also absolutely horrifying how one of them burned down one of the Galapagos Islands and eradicated all the species there
-it was really interesting how the crew of the Essex could have been saved if they had gone to the Society Islands but they were afraid that the natives were cannibals even though at the time there were reports saying it was safe
-I really like hearing about the culture of how people organize themselves. For example the captain was expected to be authoritarian (or what they call ‘fishy’) while the first mate was supposed to be more personable. In the case of the Essex it was the other way around
-I liked how the book covered different shipwrecks and how the sailors survived with some of them resorting to cannibalism while others used the dead bodies of their peers to catch fish
-it was interesting how the survivors of the Essex were so keen to talk about their experience including the cannibalism which is apparently common among survivors. It was also interesting to learn how the Essex wasn't the only ship to have been sunk by a whale
-feel bad for what happened to the captain, for being considered bad luck for having captained two ships that sunk. He didn't seem like the best leader but he sounded like a very affable person. The movie really did him dirty.
Overall, I found it informative and quite fascinating. I always love historical tidbits that give you a sense of how people in the past lived. I'd give it a 4 out of 5Â
Thoughts while reading:
-It’s quite interesting to hear about the different enclaves in the US during that time period, and now the lifestyle of the Quakers shaped life on Nantucket. I really liked hearing some of the first hand accounts and songs/poems written by the people
-It’s quite fascinating to hear of how independent the women were, since they had to manage the businesses while men were off for years at a time. They seem to have spent a great deal of time socializing and also regularly used opium.
-I felt bad for the cabin boy and greenhands. It must have been harsh going from a life of being under a mother’s care to then a harsh and merciless first mate
-it's hard reading about the treatment of animals such as the way the whales were killed or how the tortoises were gathered for food and then starved over a period of a year since the sailors assumed they didn't feel hunger. It's also absolutely horrifying how one of them burned down one of the Galapagos Islands and eradicated all the species there
-it was really interesting how the crew of the Essex could have been saved if they had gone to the Society Islands but they were afraid that the natives were cannibals even though at the time there were reports saying it was safe
-I really like hearing about the culture of how people organize themselves. For example the captain was expected to be authoritarian (or what they call ‘fishy’) while the first mate was supposed to be more personable. In the case of the Essex it was the other way around
-I liked how the book covered different shipwrecks and how the sailors survived with some of them resorting to cannibalism while others used the dead bodies of their peers to catch fish
-it was interesting how the survivors of the Essex were so keen to talk about their experience including the cannibalism which is apparently common among survivors. It was also interesting to learn how the Essex wasn't the only ship to have been sunk by a whale
-feel bad for what happened to the captain, for being considered bad luck for having captained two ships that sunk. He didn't seem like the best leader but he sounded like a very affable person. The movie really did him dirty.
Overall, I found it informative and quite fascinating. I always love historical tidbits that give you a sense of how people in the past lived. I'd give it a 4 out of 5Â
liziev's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoy Philbrick's writing style. He has a way of conveying facts in a fluid and intriguing manner, so the story unfolds like a novel. One thing I appreciate is all of the research he's done. He tells the account of a shipwrecked whaleship crew and what they endure for survival. But he also weaves in details about the society, economy, and psychology which creates a rich picture of the times. A fascinating story of early 19th century American commerce and man's will to survive.
brenthildebrand's review against another edition
4.0
Major takeaway: Being a whaler would be not fun.
Enjoyed this. It was so interesting that I almost forgot it was nonfiction.
Enjoyed this. It was so interesting that I almost forgot it was nonfiction.
estrick's review against another edition
5.0
If you’ve read Moby Dick, you may feel that it provided you with more useless information about whaling that you ever wanted to know. But that should not be a reason to miss In the Heart of the Sea – the riveting non-fiction account of the whaling disaster that inspired the story of Moby Dick.
The tale is fast-paced and intense. It follows the Essex, a whaling ship that sets off from Nantucket in 1820 and runs into a series of misadventures, including the first recorded example of a seemingly purposeful attack of a whale on a whaling ship. The sailors who survive this attack enter into a period of desperation – they bob along on the Pacific in tiny whaling boats, facing storms, starvation, dehydration, insanity, and cannibalism.
I’m fascinated by survival stories. Extreme circumstances and life-and-death situations reveal hidden depths in people. The various characters who are highlighted in this account – the captain George Pollard, the first mate Owen Chase, and even the cabin boy Thomas Nickerson – all have different responses to this disaster, and it’s intriguing to wonder whether things would have been different if their responses had been different. Seeing the ways that different people respond to the physical and psychological stress of survival situations challenges us as readers to examine the depths of our own humanity.
The author draws on several written accounts by survivors, and it’s intriguing to find out the aspects of the story that each person highlighted, as well as the aspects that were suppressed. It was no secret, even while the survivors were still alive, that the sailors resorted to cannibalism to survive. Yet the aspect of the story that hasn’t faced much discussion until now is the fact that the first sailors to die and be eaten were African-American. Nantucket was known as a haven of abolition, and the black men who sailed aboard the Essex were all free men. Yet they were still the first to die. Philbrick discusses several theories as to why this may have been, including the fact that they likely had a worse diet than the white men before the event, as well as the genetic differences in body fat levels. Yet this fact is still a very problematic aspect of the tale, and one that I’m glad Philbrick brought to light.
The last few chapters of the book, which highlight the subsequent lives of the survivors, was quite interesting to me. It was the son of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, who ended up being a berth mate of the young Herman Melville. Melville had heard stories and rumors about the misfortunes of the Essex and her crew, but Chase’s son lent Melville his copy of his father’s written account, inspiring Melville to incorporate the tale into his classic tome. This book also brought to light several other authors of the time, including Edgar Allen Poe, who also made use of aspects of this tale in their work, making this tale an important one for literary history as well.
The tale is fast-paced and intense. It follows the Essex, a whaling ship that sets off from Nantucket in 1820 and runs into a series of misadventures, including the first recorded example of a seemingly purposeful attack of a whale on a whaling ship. The sailors who survive this attack enter into a period of desperation – they bob along on the Pacific in tiny whaling boats, facing storms, starvation, dehydration, insanity, and cannibalism.
I’m fascinated by survival stories. Extreme circumstances and life-and-death situations reveal hidden depths in people. The various characters who are highlighted in this account – the captain George Pollard, the first mate Owen Chase, and even the cabin boy Thomas Nickerson – all have different responses to this disaster, and it’s intriguing to wonder whether things would have been different if their responses had been different. Seeing the ways that different people respond to the physical and psychological stress of survival situations challenges us as readers to examine the depths of our own humanity.
The author draws on several written accounts by survivors, and it’s intriguing to find out the aspects of the story that each person highlighted, as well as the aspects that were suppressed. It was no secret, even while the survivors were still alive, that the sailors resorted to cannibalism to survive. Yet the aspect of the story that hasn’t faced much discussion until now is the fact that the first sailors to die and be eaten were African-American. Nantucket was known as a haven of abolition, and the black men who sailed aboard the Essex were all free men. Yet they were still the first to die. Philbrick discusses several theories as to why this may have been, including the fact that they likely had a worse diet than the white men before the event, as well as the genetic differences in body fat levels. Yet this fact is still a very problematic aspect of the tale, and one that I’m glad Philbrick brought to light.
The last few chapters of the book, which highlight the subsequent lives of the survivors, was quite interesting to me. It was the son of the Essex’s first mate, Owen Chase, who ended up being a berth mate of the young Herman Melville. Melville had heard stories and rumors about the misfortunes of the Essex and her crew, but Chase’s son lent Melville his copy of his father’s written account, inspiring Melville to incorporate the tale into his classic tome. This book also brought to light several other authors of the time, including Edgar Allen Poe, who also made use of aspects of this tale in their work, making this tale an important one for literary history as well.
slurpy_mcgee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
5.0
One of the best historical examples of, "f*ck around n' find out."
happytreereads's review against another edition
5.0
"The Essex disaster is not a tale of adventure. It is a tragedy that happens to be one of the greatest true stories ever told."
This was a hard book to read.
Gripping, powerful, and heartbreaking, the story of the ill-fated Essex stays with you long after you've reached the final page. Philbrick has written a masterpiece; he knows how to use his words to create a riveting, engaging story. Skillfully, he leads you into the story, immersing you in the lives and stories of the 20 men aboard the Essex, causing you to feel as though you are experiencing the amazement and horror of this tale firsthand.
jenleah's review against another edition
3.0
Really well written account of the actual events that inspired the book, Moby Dick. I couldn't believe how grueling the life of a whaler was, nor could I fathom how these men were able to survive after the Essex was sunk after a whale attack. The starvation, thirst, sun, and other horrors that I won't mention are things that I know I'd never personally be able to overcome. Compelling story.
britbook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
A good writer can make you interested in any subject. I have no interest in the history of whaling so not sure why a non fiction book on some random ship sinking interested me... But Nathaniel Philbrick's writing is so good it reels you in easily and brings this old story to life. It feels more like a cross between fiction writing that is actually factual.