Jeff S. reviewed on 11/2/2009 + 6 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME THIS BOOK IS SO FASCINATING!!! READ IT! Just for the history of Nantucket and the whaling industry of the 19th century alone are worth the read, but the main story of insane, angry sperm whale, cannibalistic cousins, sea survival 90+ days in tiny uncovered whaleboats, lost lost lost lost lost lost, makes this one of my very favorite new reads. This is the story that inspired Moby-Dick. This is the story that inspired me. This is the story that will probably, unless you are lame (!!) will probably inspire you. Inspire to do what you may ask?! I don't know!!! Inspire you to never do drugs? No, not really. Inspire you to stop littering? Perhaps. Inspire you to read Moby-Dick if you haven't yet? Yes! Inspire you to never eat at Arby's or Wendy's again!? A THOUSAND TIMES YES!!.
All jokes aside. Nathaniel Philbrick has done and amazing job of writing/researching this story and his reference notes are outstanding. He gives you so so many more avenues to explore. If this book has any kind of a similar effect on you as it did on me then you are opening a Pandora's Box of Adventure, Survival and Out of this World Explorations on the High Seas!

"A boy has to make a decision about what he's a-gonna do with his life. Some boys gotta make that decision sooner then others, but you, your mammy done made that decision for you." -A. Wynrentin, future author of the book, Size Says It All: America and the War on Size.

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