The Wreck of the Whaleship Essex

by Owen Chase

Book Overview

On the morning of November 20, 1820, in the Pacific Ocean, an enraged sperm whale rammed the Nantucket whaler Essex. As the boat began to sink, her crew of thirty had time only to collect some bread and water before pulling away in three frail open boats. Without charts, alone on the open seas, and thousands of miles from any known land, the sailors began their terrifying journey of survival. Ninety days later, after much suffering and death by starvation,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0156006898
• ISBN13: 9780156006897
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.43 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Incredible .. all because of the real Moby Dick!

This is an incredible real story of survival. Who can ever would have thought that a huge whale will struck the wooden ship with such ferocity, twice. Here you will learn what really thirst and hunger is, and what are the effects of that in the body in a prolonged situation. Three months they were in the sea, because of a bad decision of heading south to the coast of Chile instead of moving with the currents to the nearby Tahiti or other islands of the mid pacific. This book has the account of Chase, the captain and one of the shipmates that were left in Henderson Island (Google Earth: 24°20'43S & 128°18'01W). The few boat survivors were taken to Valparaiso (Chile) for recuperation before going back home. This is a great book and a story that you can also read in Nathaniel Philbrick's, In the Heart of the Sea, a book I read a few years ago. Enjoy!

Truth As Strange As Any Fiction (Almost)

The writing is mediocre. The man was a sailor and wrote like one. But the story of a Nantucket whaling crew's efforts to survive an attack by a crazed whale is incredible in that it's true. Every poorly-nailed-together sentence of the account will keep you in suspense. It may even inspire you to write your own book about a vindictive whale.

Whaleship Essex

The book arrived in good time and excellent condition. I have finished reading it and it was value for money!

"My god, this really happened"

Just imagine the unthinkable:- a whale, that most placid animal, suddenly turns on its tormentors with malice apparent in its intent and within a few minutes, reduces the ship, not the boat that harpooned it, to a sinking wreck, a thousand miles from any land. The subsequent journey to safety of the eight survivors is recounted by the first mate in graphic detail and with great literary skill; you have to admire the fortitude displayed by Mr. Chase in keeping an accurate log, even in the extremes of privation and heat exhaustion, as well as the psychological assault of that ultimate horror (at that time) of cannibalism. Put in their position, would I do the same - absolutely! It speaks volumes that very little was said about the Essex party, whereas the Donner party were unjustly vilified for doing exactly the same thing to preserve the remaining members of their company. I can do no better justice to this book than to quote Gary Kinder:- "...settle back into that overstuffed leather chair and let the most amazing story in the annals of the sea transport you to a different time, a different breed, an experience few could believe...".

Wow !

Hello !I just finished this book ... it is truely amazing . Words can't describe the sheer terror these men went through in order to reach their loved ones ! Truely amazing . The start is a little slow but once the whale and the ship face off this is a rivetting , enthralling book ! A must read !