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In the Heart of the Sea tells a story of courage, luck, and misfortune that rivals any similar story that could possibly happen in our present age. The account of the sinking of the whaleship Essex was first written by the ship’s first mate, Owen Chase, soon after his salvation from the horrific experience of being lost at sea for three months in a small open whaleboat; and upon his deliverance to his Nantucket home. The author tells this story with skill. He seamlessly combines known facts with the more famous account written by Owen Chase and a lesser known, relatively new account that was recorded by the fourteen-year-old cabin boy, Thomas Nickerson. Nickerson’s account was written about 50 years after the sinking of the Essex and remained undiscovered until 1960. While the events and the various narratives that are combined in In the Heart of the Sea result in a good yarn, the influences of the tragedy of the Essex on the writing of Moby-Dick is what made this book completely intriguing. The author provides references to the events and the mentalities of the survivors that were ultimately used by Melville. He also describes Melville’s introduction to Chase’s account while on his first whaling voyage 1840 and mentions Melville’s 1852 meeting with the Captain of the Essex in Nantucket, the year after Moby-Dick was published. Overall, In the Heart of the Sea, provides a very enjoyable prequel to Melville’s Moby-Dick, which will forever keep the stories of human fortitude, bravery, and desperation that are associated with the Essex disaster alive. And, if one wishes to “enhance” the experience of Moby-Dick with actual history, then this book is a highly recommended means to fulfill that desire.

2022-11-14 18:38