Cover of In the Heart of the Sea

In the Heart of the Sea

1 award & honors · incl. National Book Award

AdventureHistoryWar & Military

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About “In the Heart of the Sea”

From the author of Mayflower, Valiant Ambition, and In the Hurricane's Eye--the riveting bestseller tells the story of the true events that inspired Melville's Moby-Dick. Winner of the National Book Award, Nathaniel Philbrick's book is a fantastic saga of survival and adventure, steeped in the lore of whaling, with deep resonance in American literature and history. In 1820, the whaleship Essex was rammed and sunk by an angry sperm whale, leaving the desperate crew to drift for more than ninety days in three tiny boats. Nathaniel Philbrick uses little-known documents and vivid details about the Nantucket whaling tradition to reveal the chilling facts of this infamous maritime disaster. In the Heart of the Sea, recently adapted into a major feature film starring Chris Hemsworth, is a book for the ages. (Description courtesy of Penguin Random House.)

Awards & honors

  • Winner — National Book Award

Praise for “In the Heart of the Sea”

“Fascinating...One of our country's great adventure stories...when it comes to extremes, In the Heart of the Sea is right there.”

— The Wall Street Journal

“A book that gets in your bones...Philbrick has created an eerie thriller from a centuries old tale....Scrupulously researched and eloquently written...it would have earned Melville's admiration.”

— The New York Times Book Review

“[Told] with verve and authenticity...a classic tale of the sea.”

— San Francisco Chronicle

Book details

Published
2000
Latest edition
2000 · ISBN 9780141001821
ISBN
9780141001821

Frequently asked questions

How many pages is In the Heart of the Sea?

In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick has 320 pages.

Book descriptions, author biographies, award records and review quotes on this page are courtesy of Penguin Random House.