In the Heart of the Sea

The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

By: Nathaniel Philbrick

Narrated by: Scott Brick

Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

National Book Award, Nonfiction, 2000

The ordeal of the whaleship Essex was an event as mythic in the nineteenth century as the sinking of the Titanic was in the twentieth. In 1819 the Essex left Nantucket for the South Pacific with 20 crew members aboard. In the middle of the South Pacific, the ship was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale. The crew drifted for more than 90 days in three tiny whaleboats, succumbing to weather, hunger, and disease and ultimately turning to drastic measures in the fight for survival.

Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents, including a long-lost account written by the ship's cabin boy, and penetrating details about whaling and the Nantucket community to reveal the chilling events surrounding this epic maritime disaster. An intense and mesmerizing read, In the Heart of the Sea is a monumental work of history forever placing the Essex tragedy in the American historical canon.

©2000 Nathaniel Philbrick (P)2000 Penguin Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Fascinating...One of our country's great adventure stories...when it comes to extremes, In the Heart of the Sea is right there." (The Wall Street Journal)

"A book that gets in your bones...Philbrick has created an eerie thriller from a centuries old tale....Scrupulously researched and eloquently written...it would have earned Melville's admiration." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Spellbinding." (Time)

An Informative and dramatic read

If you could sum up In the Heart of the Sea in three words, what would they be?

engrossinginformativeabsorbing

What did you like best about this story?

The historical perspective and the ties to Moby Dick made it a read that is relatable. Of course, I was a Melville fan in college, but knowing that the basis of the Moby Dick was based on this story captured me.

Which character – as performed by Scott Brick – was your favorite?

Probably the captain Pollard, but others were equally brillinat

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

Any additional comments?

It went so fast. Never thought I would like this read, but I loved it. One of my best reads this year.

Great story, choppy playback

I loved the story and the historical facts in the book. However there are times when it feels like the playback ends mid sentence and starts on the next chapter. Doesn't ruin the book, just annoying.

Gripping from beginning to end

loved this book. it was gripping from beginning to end. The listener is taken on a sea voyage and was made to experience the journey as if you yourself was in the whale boat. Scary and frightful. The history of whaling on the island of Nantucket by Quakers is seldom known. This book brought history to life without excuses for what occurred to blacks and those who were not considered true "Nantucketers". Highly recommend

Over 90 Days At Sea

Very gripping story of the Tragedy of the Essex. Author really researched for information for this book. I liked the audio book very much.

great book, flat ending

great book, second only to "endurance", i just wish they hadn't spent the last 2 hours reading the bibliography. it made the book end on a flat note.
i understand this is an "unabridged" performance, but let's be reasonable.

One of the best I’ve ever heard

I had never cared about moby dick and then adding the Ken burns doc channel and watching the accompanying documentary they made for this book led me to listening. So compelling. Movie was good too.

Pretty Good

Very interesting story, learning about the culture of the island and the whaling vessels was very interesting. The Essex crew's story is so sad, but quite intriguing. Some topics felt like they were repeated a bit too frequently. and as just a personal note, the audiobook did not need the notes section. But a good read overall.

Riveting!

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.

Interesting, but dry

What did you like best about In the Heart of the Sea? What did you like least?

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

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

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.

Do you think In the Heart of the Sea needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

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

Whale boat books just arent for me..

I listened to Moby Dick years ago, and found it rather slow going. So many details, about the wood on the ship and the knots in the rope, that things never got off the ground for me. And the' Heart of the Sea' felt very similar. Yes, both have similar source material, and both are written by very talented authors. I thought the quality of the dense commentary was certainly convincing. But I just did not get lost in the story, but felt stuck adrift in it. Maybe that is the whole idea, I don't know. Odd thing is, I LOVE Steinbeck. And he likes to slow cook a moment , and talk about a lizard crossing a road for pages. Im perfectly fine with his work, I really enjoy the pacing, but when it comes to Whale Hunters, it hasn't clicked. I assume because they are so destructive and hard and violent,that I don't really care when the tables get turned. Well, that was my two cents. I thought between the two, this book might be my choice over Moby Dick, as its a bit shorter and also sprinkles in some modern anecdotes.