Bookmarks Subscribers discussion

I have only read one chapter of this book so far, but I can only imagine the horror in store for me as I read the tale (that inspired the end scene of Moby Dick) about the whale ship Essex and how only a few crew members survived the revenge of a whale and a 4,500 mile ocean drift. The opening description of the survivors will haunt me forever - two men, shriveled and shrunken, sucking on the bone marrow of their crew members who had already passed away...I am just now getting into the story itself.

I am also enjoying learning about the culture of Nantucket during whaling prime, particularly the roles of the women who had husbands away for 2-3 years at a time and then home for 3-4 months. Incredible.

I can tell already that this will be a powerful read. Has anyone else read this one? I know the issue contained a section on best books about the sea.

When most people think of reading horror books, John Saul, Stephen King and the like come to mind. Philbrick's description of the 1816 sinking of the whale ship Essex (from Nantucket) and its men drifting in the Pacific for 4,500 miles/93 days, drawing lots and deciding who to kill and eat next, and having no land in sight is what TRUE horror really is.

I really enjoyed learning about the history of Nantucket, the whaling business, and was enthralled by the horrific tale of the men drifting about the most massive of oceans after their ship was attacked by an 85-ft sperm whale. A great deal of research obviously went into the writing of this book, including the use of the recounts of the few survivors, references to experimentation conducted in the US to learn more about starvation, and the nature of sperm whales and the business of whaling in the 19th century.

This was a fantastic non-fiction read. I actually dreamed last night that I was in a boat that was capsized by a whale. No joke.

That sounds fantastic! I just ordered it on my Kindle! I am reading Philbrick's other non-fiction book right now. It is called Mayflower and it is about the Pilgrim settlement of New England. It is very interesting.

Nice! Let me know what you think!

I'm almost done with this one. I really enjoyed learning about the history of the whaling business in Nantucket. The story of the men drifting about the ocean after their ship was attacked by a massive sperm whale was fascinating in a can't-take-your-eyes-from-the-scene-of-the-crime sort of way.

Lynn wrote: "I'm almost done with this one. I really enjoyed learning about the history of the whaling business in Nantucket. The story of the men drifting about the ocean after their ship was attacked by a ma..."
I read this a few years back (I think), when it first came out, and it was one of those books that I found at an airport table when I hadn't taken enough to read on a trip. I read it all the way home, then couldn't put it down after I got home. I'd love to go to the village shown in the pictures and see the places mentioned.

I finished the story. It was extremely interesting but horrifying. When I was about 12 and out fishing with my dad in a small skiff in northern Puget Sound, we had an orca swim close along-side us and I thought it was wonderful -- different kind of whale, but I'm glad I didn't know about this story at that time!!

You have all made this book sound very intriguing. I'll have to add it to my TBR.

You all made this one sound so interesting - I added it to my TBR list, too. I checked into the author and have added his Mayflower book also. Thanks for the great tip!

P.S. Since the whaling story in The Heart of the Sea is an actual part of history, did it serve as an inspiration for Melville's Moby Dick?

Yes, it was the inspiration for Moby Dick. They talk about that a bit in the book.

Read this quite a few years ago and it is one of my constant non-fiction recommendations. I don't normally take to non-fiction (often they have a textbook feel) but this one kept me riveted. I have Philbrick's Mayflower A Story of Courage, Community, and War but haven't read it yet. Who knew I could be mesmerized by whaling.

I found this at GW near the end of September and I'm looking forward to reading it.