In the Heart of the Sea

The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

De: Nathaniel Philbrick

Narrado por: Edward Herrmann

National Book Award winner

The ordeal of the whaleship Essex was an event as mythic in the 19th century as the sinking of the Titanic was in the 20th. 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, 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

Reseñas de la Crítica

"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)

"[Told] with verve and authenticity...a classic tale of the sea." (San Francisco Chronicle)

Amazing telling of a fantastic story!

The happenings of this incredible story which inspired Herman Melville's great classic are wonderfully told in the voice of a great artist in this audiobook. A supreme listing experience, I wish every audiobook I listened to were this great!

Excellent

What made the experience of listening to In the Heart of the Sea the most enjoyable?

Well recorded. We listened to it while driving from Maryland to North Carolina. The story provoked much conversation.

Awestruck

As a child, we heard about a ships crew that were lost at sea & resorted to hideous cannibalism to survive.
In great detail, this is it. Great performance of difficult material.

unreal

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Great story of human spirit

What three words best describe Edward Herrmann’s performance?

Great voice

Any additional comments?

I did not care for music, Sometimes it played as story went on.

It was short and nice listen

I did not realize this was a abridged version. I listened to it and it was over quickly. A quick survival story that is not easily known, Philbrick uses rare journal to create a real vision of the Essex sinking. I wish it had been longer.

The Best

I have read this book many times, and recently listened to it to refresh my memory for a YouTube Channel I do reviewing sailing movies (Captain Pedantic). The book is exceptional, as is Richard Hermann's reading of it.

Great Historical Story and Narration

I started reading this book, and later saw I had audible credits and decided to listen to it. I am
So glad I did !! The story of the Essex and it’s crew inspired Melville to write Moby Dick.

Very Interesting

I bought this one on a whim not having much to do with or knowledge of Nantuckett or whaling. I found it very captivating and quite entertaining. The historical accounts of the surviving crew members and Nantuckett in general was a great touch to the main portion of the book. Made me want to visit the museum.

Riveting story that I just couldn't turn off

What made the experience of listening to In the Heart of the Sea the most enjoyable?

The reader was fantastic. He made you beleive that you were actually there seeing what he was reading to you about.

What did you like best about this story?

The believeablilty of the reader

Which character – as performed by Edward Herrmann – was your favorite?

Any of the boatmen. They all had a tale to tell that was just engulfing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I was just so involved in the story and the whalemen and the events that happened I could almost smell the salt sea air as Edward had us sailing along on the Essex. Fantastic!

Any additional comments?

This is a keeper that I will listen to again and again. I always learn more each time I re-listen to a book

Moby-Dick Without All That Riveting Whale Taxonomy

This book has it all: shipwrecks, sharks, and cannibalism. And it’s all true! The Essex is the whaleship that inspired Herman Melville’s classic (and one of my favorite books), Moby-Dick, and its real-life tale is stranger than fiction. After an 80 ton sperm whale repeatedly rammed and sank their ship, 20 crew members were left stranded in three tiny boats in the middle of the ocean. Spoiler: not everyone makes it.

This book is a doozy of a page-turner, and Philbrick does an incredible job digging into all of the nuances of life before, during, and after surviving such a mind-boggling tragedy. In the Heart of the Sea is a perfect companion piece to Moby-Dick, or a great stand-alone read for anyone who’s ever wanted to read Moby-Dick but can do without all that riveting whale taxonomy.