Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
12th out of 61 books
—
17 voters
North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters
NOW ANEW YORK TIMESBESTSELLER!
In the tradition of Sebastian Junger and Linda Greenlaw comes Captain Sig Hansen’s rags-to-riches epic of his immigrant family’s struggle against deadly Alaskan seas, freezing shipwrecks, and dangerously brutal conditions to achieve the American Dream
Sig Hansen has been a star of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch from the pilot to the p...more
In the tradition of Sebastian Junger and Linda Greenlaw comes Captain Sig Hansen’s rags-to-riches epic of his immigrant family’s struggle against deadly Alaskan seas, freezing shipwrecks, and dangerously brutal conditions to achieve the American Dream
Sig Hansen has been a star of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch from the pilot to the p...more
Hardcover, 336 pages
Published
March 30th 2010
by Thomas Dunne Books
(first published January 1st 2010)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
685)
I am glad that The Deadliest Catch became popular when it did. Things are changing quickly; and without the interest generated by the show, I don't know that this story could have been published. Being so close to the start of the industry, Sig and his family have stories that really illustrate how things were. These are stories that might have been forgotten if we had to wait another generation or two to hear them.
Captain Hansen did a marvelous job of sharing his family's story, a history of t...more
Captain Hansen did a marvelous job of sharing his family's story, a history of t...more
I think I like Sig Hansen even more after reading this book. This was chalked full of history of his family and the history of the Norwegians. It also gave back round on how crab fishing works.
Even though it wasn't as quirky or entertaining as the Time Bandit book this book held it's own story. I have to admit some of the history parts did get a little boring but it's knowledge I would of have never even thought to look up had it not been for the Deadliest Catch.
Sig is quirky in his own right....more
Even though it wasn't as quirky or entertaining as the Time Bandit book this book held it's own story. I have to admit some of the history parts did get a little boring but it's knowledge I would of have never even thought to look up had it not been for the Deadliest Catch.
Sig is quirky in his own right....more
The story of the Hansen family pulls you into th action from the prologue to the last chapter. This story is much better than the movie "The Perfect Storm" because it is the true history of a family of Norwegean heritage to achieve the American Dream. The history lesson of Vikings and the map of the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea had me flipping through the book to place where the action was happening. The history of the fishing industry and the shipping industry in Alaska was very interest...more
I was lucky enough to win this book through the Goodreads giveaway and was so happy it was the one I won; ever since I heard about it I wanted get it. I’ve seen all the seasons of the Deadliest Catch and feel like I have come to a good understanding of how the crab industry works but this book really explains things in great detail. It’s the story of Sig Hansen and his family all the way back to his great-grandfather. Further if you count him telling of the Vikings and discoving North America fi...more
I admit, I'm rather obsessed with Deadliest Catch but these guys and the work they do are fascinating. The Northwestern is my favorite boat and it was neat to find a book about the guys who run it. It was very imformative: Captain Sig didn't just write about him and his brothers (the stories he did mention, however, were hilarious), he also wrote about how crab fishing in the Bering Sea got started, Norway's (where his father was from) history, how the boats work, life in small fishing communiti...more
For those who know Sig Hansen from episodes of "Deadliest Catch", this book provides a chance to get to know the story of the Hansen brothers before the TV cameras arrived. Diving into the Hansen family history stretching back to Norway, Sig Hansen leads you through the family's journey from Norway to America and their emergence as one of the most well-known fishing families in America. The book is peppered with stories of adventure and mishaps, interspersed with his own father's tale of near-di...more
I picked this book up because I am fan of the tv show Deadliest Catch and one of my favorite boats on the show is the Northwestern. Because of this when I walked into the bookstore and saw this sitting there I had to read it. I have to say I was thinking this may be a dry book that I was not sure I would be able to finish. I was very wrong. Reading this book is like listening to a friend or family member telling you stories of days gone by. I really enjoyed this book and recommend reading it if...more
Yet another First Reads win, and it was another great book. I am not an avid watcher of the Deadliest Catch series, but I have watched quite a few episodes. I think that helped me become intrigued by the stories that Sigurd told about his family; where they lived, and how they earned their livelihood. My father in law is Norwegian, so I could relate to the stories Sigurd told about his childhood. The only reason I could not give this book five stars was that I had a hard time following the conti...more
This was a great book! I wasn't sure if it would be too manly for me but I learned a lot which was my goal. Sig entertains us with his adventurous tales but mostly teaches us about what life is like as a commercial fisherman.
The best part of the book though was learning the history of fishing in Seattle. Seattle friends, he tells a lot and really covers the history of Ballard as the Norwegian fishing community that it was.
One thing I do want to learn more about if any of my friends are experts...more
The best part of the book though was learning the history of fishing in Seattle. Seattle friends, he tells a lot and really covers the history of Ballard as the Norwegian fishing community that it was.
One thing I do want to learn more about if any of my friends are experts...more
The nail biting tale of Sverre Hansen and the sinking of the Foremost punctuates this book from the beginning to the end. Sverre was the Norwegian father of Sig Hansen captain of The Northwestern (featured on Deadliest Catch and Cars 3). Sig and co author Mark Sundeen have put together a book that chronicles the inception and history of the Alaskan crab fishing industry. I found it fascinating to read about the history of the Aleutians, Dutch Harbour, boat building, Norwegian immigration and cul...more
From the very first episodes of the premiere season of Deadliest Catch, viewers knew they’d been invited into a world that they’d had little idea existed. To call it the deadliest job in the world is a large claim to make, but anyone who has watched the show – as excited and thrilled they might be at the fantasy of riding the rough seas and risking their lives – knows it’s a feat that these guys make it back to Dutch Harbor at the end of each season. But how did these people become the incredibl...more
"North by Northwestern" by Captain Sig Hansen and Mark Sundeen (2010) is a fascinating tale that is uniquely woven together of rich Nordic family traditon, the art of commercial fishing, and survival. He also talks about both he and his brothers along with their fishing vessel, the 'Northwestern' ended up on a television program.
I found it to be a heartfelt, humble and straighforward read. Also, I enjoyed the stories Captain Hansen included that were sometimes downright funny but at times a harr...more
I found it to be a heartfelt, humble and straighforward read. Also, I enjoyed the stories Captain Hansen included that were sometimes downright funny but at times a harr...more
This book was a lot different than the book written by his "Catch" costars, the Hillstrand brothers. North by Northwestern focused a lot more on his family's history as Norse fishermen. Didn't think I would enjoy it because I really bought it to read more stories about them on their ship, the Northwestern, and I wasn't too happy when I realized there was very little of that. I did come to enjoy the book as I got a few chapters in. I really did enjoy the book.
I won this on first-reads and was very excited since Captain Sig and his crew were my favorites on the Discovery Channel’s ‘Deadliest Catch’. This book was a great insight to the life of a fisherman. It was full of interesting facts that hooked me in and carried me through the end. What I really liked was the fact that Sig is a normal everyday guy that happens to have a very dangerous job for a living. I loved his writing style, it was raw and real. If this was done any other way I think it woul...more
Much as you'd imagine, it's like sitting at a table with a bunch of fishermen, and having them spin their tales for you. It's disorganized, jumping from boat to boat, era to era, as Captain Sig one-ups his own stories (since there are no other fishermen at this particular table), but this is not particularly a drawback. Just sit back and enjoy the stories. (Could have done without the ghost writer, I think. It seems like he smoothed over just enough of the grammar and sentence construction to ta...more
A must read for fans of the Deadliest Catch, a good read for anyone else. The book does not cover just Captain Sig and the Deadliest Catch, but has a lot of information about his Norwegian heritage, his family heritage, the history of fishing in the Seattle area and of course fishing and crabbing in Alaska. One of the things I liked about the book was the way that the above topics were interspersed through out the book which helped to keep things moving. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.
WOW!
Killing ice, howling storms, rogue waves, all in the middle of Alaska's Bering Sea, while defeat or success depends on positioning a metal cage on the bottom of the sea just right for a living creature to crawl inside? A superb interweaving of a sea faring family's past with the same family's present, all enclosed in the impact of the industry on Alaska and the Seattle area. Be prepared to feel that you are part of the crew - half frozen, drenched in sea water, and perhaps worst - as you r...more
Starting out as a pretty interesting read. And just got better. It was interesting to read about the authors family history. It explains how and why he arrived at the point in his life where he felt a need to write such a book. It was interesting to read about the crabbing and fishing industries of the northern Pacific Ocean. The trials and tribulations of such a dangerous occupation. The huge amounts of money to be made and lost. The story never lagged right up to the end and I suspect Capt. Ha...more
Of course, I enjoyed this book. It shared a deeper perspective of the Alaskan crab fishery when compared with the books by Spike Walker. It explores the history of a fishing family not unlike that portrayed in Time Bandit with Johnathan Hillstrand. Naturally I am a fan of "Deadliest Catch" and had the opportunity to meet and visit with Captain Phil Harris before his recent death.
I have seen a few episodes of Deadliest Catch and enjoyed them, but would not call myself a major fan of the programme. A casual watcher.
After I read this book I was surprised how much I enjoyed it, It gave a great understanding on how the Crab Fishing Industry works but better still its filled with history, family, fishing and drinking stories.
Its a good read for the fan or somebody wanting to read something a bit different.
After I read this book I was surprised how much I enjoyed it, It gave a great understanding on how the Crab Fishing Industry works but better still its filled with history, family, fishing and drinking stories.
Its a good read for the fan or somebody wanting to read something a bit different.
This book is awesome for someone who is an avid viewer of the Discovery Channel show "Deadliest Catch" Since watching the show I became a fan of both the Northwestern and Time Bandit. I have since read both book by them and thought they were amazing.
It shows the history of how the family came to the USA and began fishing. Great read with great photos for any fan.
It shows the history of how the family came to the USA and began fishing. Great read with great photos for any fan.
I wasn't expecting anything great, but as a huge fan of The Deadliest Catch this was a must read. The book gives you a good sense of the Hansen family's character and their pride in their Norwegian heritage. If you're not familiar with Hansen's work on the Discovery Channel, then I wouldn't push you to read the book. Fans of the series will get something out of it though.
I wanted to read this book because I enjoy the TV show Deadliest Catch and Sig Hansen and his family and crew members are on the Northwestern. I was surprised that there was not a lot in the book about the show . It was more about his family and the crab fishing business and it's history.It was a good book.
I won this book from Goodreads. I have never watched the show, so I'm not that familiar with the characters. But from reading the book here are a few things that I found interesting. The Northwestern is only about 125 feet long, I thought it would be bigger, there are parakeets in the Aleutian Islands (not to cold for them?), and the Northwestern's red crabs are sent to marquet in Russia. Now mdaybe I should watch an episode or two of the show.
Just finished North by Northwestern. A little odd, since I know Sig. A good backstory for Deadliest Catch fans. Gives info on the mechanics and economics of crab fishing, and the history of the Hansens as pioneers in the Alaskan fishing industry.
Quick and easy read.
Quick and easy read.
Apr 21, 2010
Kelley
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Julia Carter, Leah Kyle
Shelves:
first-reads-free-books
I really enjoyed this book, and not just because I got it for free.
Although it seemed to need more editing to give it better flow (it was an advanced un-proofed copy), the stroy overall was riviting. I do not watch The Deadliest Catch (gave up cable years ago now), but even I had heard of it and thought I would enjoy it. Having access to the main characters through this book was nearly as good, and probably in some ways better. The story of this family, Sig's parents coming over to the Unitied S...more
Although it seemed to need more editing to give it better flow (it was an advanced un-proofed copy), the stroy overall was riviting. I do not watch The Deadliest Catch (gave up cable years ago now), but even I had heard of it and thought I would enjoy it. Having access to the main characters through this book was nearly as good, and probably in some ways better. The story of this family, Sig's parents coming over to the Unitied S...more
I just got thru reading this salty tale. It gives one a new appreciation of the lifes these seafarers live and the hardships they endure. Its not an easy life that is for sure. It was worth reading.. I enjoyed this book. Not a fantastic read but worth the time..
OK. Yes I really like watch Deadliest Catch. These guys earn their money. This book was OK. A little disappointing. I wish Sig would have given more current day info. on his family, but maybe he is saving that for his next book.
I am a big fan of "Deadliest Catch" which sparked my interest in this book. Fascinating to learn about the evolution of commercial fishing and the Norwegian-American culture. I recommend this to any fan of the show!
Jul 27, 2011
Cecelia
added it
Loved it! Really interesting and a great way to learn about both the fishing industry as a whole in the pacific and beiring sea but also about sig's family that we've come to know and love from the show
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Sig Hansen is the captain of the commercial fishing vessel Northwestern. With Mark Sundeen, he is the author of North by Northwestern: A Seafaring Family on Deadly Alaskan Waters. Hansen has been featured on Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch from the pilot through every season of the show.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/captai...
More about Sig Hansen...
http://us.macmillan.com/author/captai...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Feb 15, 2010 08:10am