In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
Having introduced characters to my stories who will spend a significant time at sea, I’ve become interested in nautical books. I’ve been on the hunt for histories of pirates, sailors, and other aspects of life near the ocean. It’s also become a goal of mine to read more nonfiction. With nonfiction, I am picky; so much of it sounds so dry to read!
It was a treat, then, to pick up Nathaniel Philbrick’s In the Heart of the Sea. I had seen the movie based on this story a few years back. It’s such an intense movie that I remember wondering if it was a true story, or perhaps some form of Moby-Dick fan fiction. There have been works written recently that are spin-offs of classic novels; why not Moby-Dick?
To learn that the sinking of the Essex and what happened after was real, caught me off-guard at first. As I read Philbrick’s engaging, well-written account of the wreck’s survivors and the 90 days they spent stranded at sea, enduring unspeakable challenges, truly pushed to the limit, I was reminded once more of how beautiful history is.
It is not beautiful that so many men endured such great trials. It is not beautiful that many died because of ill choices. I suppose what I mean is that, these days, life can be monotonous, repetitive. Social media, endless scrolling, and instant gratification can make us numb. We wouldn’t know adventure if it hit us in the face. When we read about situations such as this, whether the people went in willingly or not, it is a reminder that things in life used to be more difficult. There was more at stake. Information that we took for granted, like geography or the specific behavior of whales, were to most people in those days unknown.
History reminds us that we have much to learn from how much our ancestors did not know. From areas in which they failed due to poor judgment or misinformation, we can shape our own decisions. We can thrive from the losses of the past.
Stories such as this also teach us the endurance of the human spirit. When the only thing standing between a man and death is hope, how can a shipwrecked captain keep his crew hopeful? When it seems that the cry of land-ho will never come, how can a starving, thirsty sailor be troubled to keep looking?
What of the great relief when a rescue ship is at last sighted?
In the Heart of the Sea has made me think about these things. It’s also sparked in me a deeper interest in the subjects of exploration. I’ll be looking for more books on the topics of sailing, expeditions, and adventures such as this.
It is very well-written, moving, and a page-turner. If you were looking for a good bit of non-fiction to read this summer, In the Heart of the Sea is certainly a good choice.
