In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
With a subtitle like: “The epic true story that inspired Moby Dick” and the gorgeous design of the cover I was rendered helpless. The book came home with me. And that was two years ago, before I even read MD. So of course, it was the first thing I picked up after finishing same.
To be honest, I was expecting something a little on the dry side. Despite my love for MD, I find that sea stories don’t usually do much for me. (They’re ofter these strapping adventures with brave lads and dashing officers and everyone is exceedly brave save for those dastardly cowards who get their comeuppance in the end.) What a surprise! Who’d have thought the story of the last voyage of a ship that sunk two hundred years ago would have me holding my breath at one in the morning, as I read, huddled under my covers. My god it was intense: agonizing and unbearable. And so immediate. I felt like I was right there with them.
The details are well chosen and from all manner of sources: from first-hand accounts of the event written by survivors to a study done with volunteers in the US during the Second World War to study the effects of starvation.
Made me think again how vulnerable we puny humans are on this earth. At the same time, it’s astonishing how much punishment the human body and mind can take. (Of course, not without a price.)
Mr. Philbrick is a fabulous writer of non-fiction–no easy thing. He turns what could have been a dull recounting of facts into a thoughtful, insightful account of men in an utterly hostile environment, with interesting observations on how variously people respond to psychological and physiological pressures.
Highly recommended!
No tag for this post.