IN THE HEART OF THE SEA The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex

In 1819, the Nantucket whaleship ESSEX set off to sea with 20 seamen only to be attacked and demolished 15 months later by a sperm whale the magnitude of the ship! Adrift (except for a short stop at a tiny island with limited water supplies) for more than 90 days and using only celestial navigation, these God-fearing, strapping men were driven to physical and psychological boundaries. Edward Herrmann's dignity and respect for the heroic whalers is obvious as he reveals Nantucket's history in a global industry it mastered. Heart-wrenching is his portrayal of these men in their most desperate hours as starvation and dehydration forced unavoidable cannibalism. TITANIC, MOBY-DICK, and THE PERFECT STORM fans won't be disappointed! B.J.P. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC/JAN 01]