Nel Cuore dell'Oceano

More about the book

With its scarred head emerging from the water and a tail creating a massive wake, the whale approached the ship at an alarming speed, ultimately striking it with a tremendous force. This harrowing tale recounts the wreck of the whaleship Essex, a disaster as significant in its time as the Titanic is today, and serves as the inspiration for the climax of Moby-Dick. In 1820, the 240-ton Essex embarked on a routine whaling voyage from Nantucket, only to be rammed and sunk by an eighty-ton bull sperm whale fifteen months later in the South Pacific. The twenty-man crew, fearing cannibals, set out for the distant coast of South America in three small boats. Over ninety days at sea, they faced horrific conditions, battling hunger, thirst, disease, and despair. The author skillfully weaves this extraordinary ordeal with rich whale lore and a vivid portrayal of the unique Nantucket whaling community. Meticulously researched and beautifully narrated, the book presents a compelling portrait of humanity's struggle against nature, drawing from a variety of archival and contemporary sources, including a long-lost account by the ship's cabin boy. This work resonates with themes of class, race, and the human-nature relationship, ensuring its place in American history.