Surviving 93 Days

In “The Heart of the Sea” by Nathaniel Philbrick, the brave men of the Essex voyaged through unknown waters to find liquid gold. The liquid they were chasing was whale oil. The oil was used to make an assortment of products such as; fuel for lamps, and soaps. The people of the Essex belonged to a town called Nantucket. The oil was a huge source of income for the town, because they had no other means of providing rescores to the outside world. On their way out to the hunting ground, they were attacked by an enraged sperm whale. Leaving them to survive 93 days in the sea, with only their life boat’s to keep them alive.

The book in the heart of the sea the author gives a lot of background to the reader. Having some background of the town gives clarity to the story. Another tool that the author uses to keep the reader involved in the story is escape from reality. If done right like in “The Heart of The Sea”, the reader can feel as if they were within the story itself. As I was reading I felt the waves and heard the boat break apart, as the powerful animal unleashed it’s anger upon the ship. Overall Nathaniel Philbrick engaged the reader with the use of the imagery and escape to give the reader a strong image inside their head.

I personally believe “In The Heart of the Sea” is a great book to read because it has a great story line. I do see how someone could stop reading it within a few chapters. The first few chapters are dry, but they are crucial to the story. Nathaniel Philbrick is a great auther and deserved to win his prestigious award. I cannot wait to read another book by Nathaniel Philbrick.