In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick

I have never read Moby Dick, and to enjoy Nathaniel’s Philbrick account of the fate of the Essex whaleship and its crew you don’t really need to.

In the Heart of the Sea is a fact-brimming narrative of the fascinating and gruesome true story which eventually inspired Herman Melville to pen his entry in to the literary canon.

Harpoons on display at the Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford

At the time, the news of Captain Pollard and his crew’s fate shocked whaling ports and the story quickly became one of the most notorious maritime legends of history.

In the comfort of my own home, surrounded by the festive treats Christmas had to offer, I found Philbrick’s rendition both harrowing and incredible. In fact, I did feel a little guilty devouring pages which eventually revealed the crew’s gradual starvation in between my bouts of assorted chocolates, mincepies, turkey and whateverIcouldstuffinmygob binges, but in my defence the book is really really good.

In 238 pages Nathaniel Philbrick manages to pack in a thoroughly researched history, not only what happened to the Essex but of the character of the crew, the extreme perils of their work, the community they grew up in and the legacy they left behind.

Philbrick begins with an in-depth chapter on Nantucket, the home port of the doomed whaleship. This small island off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, was the centre of the whale-oil industry in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Those with sway in this tight-knit Quaker community were descended from the whalers-dynasty. Philbrick litters the passages with interesting and funny facts about the nature of these townspeople. For instance the young Nantucket women formed secret clubs, scheming marriage alliances with whaling men they would not see for years on end.

When a whaling ship set sail on its voyage it was an occasion for the whole settlement. Omens, folklore and superstitions often foreshadowed the outcome of the expedition for many. The departure was a moment of pride for the Nantucket families and a display of sailing prowess. When the town waved goodbye to the Essex in August, 1819, little did they know they were saying goodbye for the last time.

Even if you do not particularly enjoy non-fiction I can guarantee you will find this particular seafaring yarn captivating and you may even remember some interesting whaling facts for next Christmas.