Leviathan Audiobook By Eric Jay Dolin cover art

Leviathan

The History of Whaling in America

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Leviathan

By: Eric Jay Dolin
Narrated by: James Boles
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This is the epic history of the "iron men in wooden boats" who built an industrial empire through the pursuit of whales.

"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme," Herman Melville proclaimed, and this absorbing history demonstrates that few things can capture the sheer danger and desperation of men on the deep sea as dramatically as whaling.

Eric Jay Dolin begins his vivid narrative with Captain John Smith's botched whaling expedition to the New World in 1614. He then chronicles the rise of a burgeoning industry, from its brutal struggles during the Revolutionary period to its golden age in the mid-1800s, when a fleet of more than 700 ships hunted the seas and American whale oil lit the world, to its decline as the 20th century dawned. This sweeping social and economic history provides rich and often fantastic accounts of the men themselves, who mutinied, murdered, rioted, deserted, drank, scrimshawed, and recorded their experiences in journals and memoirs. Containing a wealth of naturalistic detail on whales, Leviathan is the most original and stirring history of American whaling in many decades.

©2007 Eric Jay Dolin (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc. Americas Animals Biological Sciences Economic History Economics Outdoors & Nature Science United States War Africa

Critic reviews

"Engrossing....This account is at once grand and quirky, entertaining and informative." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Eric Jay Dolin's Leviathan is the best history of American whaling to come along in a generation." (Nathaniel Philbrick, author of In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex)
Well-researched History • Comprehensive Coverage • Beautiful Narration • Entertaining Information • Educational Content

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well written and read, covers the history of whaling from the earliest Basque onshore whalers to the ultimate decline. Some distracting editing if you are listening closely

Informative history of worldwide whaling industry

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This is an concise history of one of the most important industries in our brief history as a nation. The author does a great job of staying on track. He does NOT chase rabbits during the telling which makes it easier to keep in mind the theme of the book. The telling of it also illustrates the transcient nature of things we consider essential to our lives. A story repeated over and over in the advancement of our scientific and technological times. The story successfully weaves history, invention and human desires into a story easy to follow and enjoy. A once important part of our nations' backbone has become irrelevant and its era has gradually dropped out of our history books. It is a good length and leaves the listener wanting more...but then again, the whaling industry is gone forever so there is not more to tell.

Imapct of American Whaling on the Global Economy

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This author has the ability to history flow together, and I feel like am watching it with a bird eye view

loved it

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a thorough and well written history of whaling. i appreciate the Colonial historical perspective of the United states

good read

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I have had a fascination with whales and those who have hunted them since my youth. This book has been such a treasure trove of good information. It kept me comeing back better than alot of fiction books have.

Riveting and informative

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