The Esquimaux

by Tom Tivnan

The North Atlantic, 1816.John Sackhouse, a native Greenlander, drifts in his canoe perilously close to death. He is rescued by a passing whaler whose captain, the enigmatic Owen Chase, believes John is a gift from God destined to lead his ship to untold riches.But the ship's crew do not trust John and decide he must be done away with - until a spectacular event changes everything. Soon the ship is bound for the bustling port of Nantucket where John must learn to cope with his celebrity status and the strange customs of a new land.Then he meets Owen's wife, the beautiful and bold Isobel, and, to his dismay, falls for her. As this love triangle intensifies, John also finds himself entangled in the murderous intrigue of rival whaleship companies. And beneath it all is the dark secret of John's past.Inspired by the incredible true story of John Sackhouse, The Esquimaux is a thrilling and unforgettable novel about greed and lust and the difficulties of love, friendship and acceptance.

Genres: Historical Fiction

Paperback

Published July 20, 2017

About the author

Hi there. I'm Tom, my debut novel The Esquimaux is out now.

I’m American but I’ve lived in the UK since around 2000. I was born and bred in Massachusetts, the middle of three kids. My dad was an Irish-American politician, my artist mom a first-generation Italian and French mix. There was a lot of shouting in the house.

I attended the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (go, Minutemen!), studying film and literature, moved to Boston after graduation and began freelance writing and working in bookshops. I left the US in the late 90s, scribbled my way through Rome, Budapest and Hamburg before eventually settling in Scotland in 2000.

I stayed in Edinburgh for six years, before moving to Glasgow to get a masters in journalism from the University of Strathclyde (Verdict: Edinburgh is better to visit; Glasgow better to live—although the “salt n’ sauce” you get on your chips in Edinburgh is divine). It was during my time in Scotland that I saw the painting of the native Greenlander John Sackhouse which inspired me to write The Esquimaux.

For about 10 years I’ve lived in London, working as the features and insight editor ("insight" is the wank-ster term for our data and bestseller charts) at the book trade mag The Bookseller. A lovely part of my job is interviewing favourite writers like Kazuo Ishiguro, Eleanor Catton and Lionel Shriver. You may have heard my dulcet tones/seen my visage on various radio and TV shows commenting on the books business.

I live in Walthamstow in London (#awesomestow) with the current Mrs Tivnan and a cat called Soze.

Reviews

[Ryana4]

I loved this book! The Whaling world of the 1800s is richly brought to life and the characters leap off the page! A great book for anyone who likes to be transported to another world.