In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

I don't listen to much non-fiction, preferring to lose myself in someone else's world. This book was recommended by a colleague and it sounded interesting so I got it. WOW - I couldn't stop listening to it. This is real life better than any fiction. An amazing story, set in the history of whaling, and Scott Brick was the perfect narrator for this book.

The editing was inconsistent. The story would stop randomly, not even at the end of chapters (cutting in the middle of a sentence). Then start again with a different sound and tone. Sometimes I wondered if it was the same narrator, the sound was so different.

Moved quickly, gave good context to the story and was intriguing.

This is a fascinating book about an ill-fated whaling voyage that was the basis for Moby Dick. THe author does a masterful job of winding the history of the whaling industry in the first half of the 19th Century with the amazing story of the sailors and how they suvived an amazing journey through the Pacific. A testimony to both people's stubborn idocy as well as to our ability to survive. I found this story much more interesting than I thought it might be and would recommend it to other that like historical fiction. This is not fiction, but the story is compelling enough that you will think it is. Once you read it, you will feel compelled to visit Nantucket.

I thoroughly enjoyed this audio book. A great, true story full of interesting historical detail (such as the drug habits of Nantucket Quaker wives, racial relations of the time, etc.) and information about navigation by dead reckoning, the physical and psychological effects of dehydration and starvation, cannabalism, whaling and much more.

It's amazing to think that the events recounted in this book happened less than 200 years ago.

Slow to start, this is a fascinating read. Scott Brick is an excellent narrator and the story made me want to glue my headphones to my ear until the story was over. HIGHLY recommended.

While this is a historical work, the author made relating the story interesting. He did a great job explaining the good and mostly bad decesions made by the characters. The sinking of the Essex was a tradegy, there were not heroes but I felt I understood their motivatiions in most cases.

The facts were obviously researched. However, sometimes the story became a bit dry when the background facts were outlined.

The trials the men went through to survive their time at sea were fascinating. The details of life on Nantucket and the Quaker church were quite boring.

Definitely not. This is a historical book. Any further books based off of it would be pure fiction.

This tale, ultimately of survival, is fascinating. Philbrick does a great job educating us at to the financial driver of 1820s Nantucket - the whaling industry - and interweaving a fascinating story of a hellbent whale, unlucky decisions and what people will do to survive. Not to be missed.

Fascinating book on many levels. 19th century sailing, whaling, survival, endurance, etc….. I loved it. And like always, Scott Brick is the master of narration. If I were a history teacher this book would be required reading! Five big stars on this one!

This is a fantastic, true tale of the Whaler Essex, its fate against an angry whale and the challenges facing the survivors. Amazing story. Well read by the narrator.

The biggest flaw is the mechanical editing. Horribly spliced. Sections seem to run into each other, and volume levels are confusion. For such a fantastic story, carefully read, this is a sad and sloppy treatment of the story.

Other than that, a great listen.