★★★★☆ In the Heart of the Sea, by Nathaniel Philbrick
The nonfictional Moby Dick
In the Heart of the Sea
Nathaniel Philbrick
The nonfictional Moby Dick
I read this book eleven years ago (28-Aug-2011), and I still remember it vividly. It tells the story of the Essex -- a whaling ship that was destroyed by an attacking sperm whale. This has only ever happened once that we know of. The Essex was the basis of Melville's novel Moby-Dick or, the Whale.
Beyond the vivid account of the whale attack, Nathaniel Philbrick paints a detailed picture of the whaling industry in the early 19th century.
Dramatic and informative.