***** FAVOURITE *****
Subtitled "The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex"
Winner : National Book Award (non fiction) 2000
Chock-a-block with interesting trivia
Totally readable, totally riveting!
Non-fiction is usually not my reading choice, too many dreary details or written by an expert in the given field but with little talent for writing. This is so not like that!
The writer crams in an amazing amount of fascinating trivia. The story goes off on a multitude of tangents giving insight, details, history, background ... everything you could want to know and more! But never a bore!!! The writing style is extremely personable and articulate. The material is rich and vivid.
Half way through, and the Essex has been scuttled by the sperm whale, I'm thinking : what on earth can he fill the rest of the pages with? But not once did I put it aside to pick my way through in bits and pieces (as I usually do with non-fiction). This was a riveting, absorbing tale of factual adventure.
It almost made me want to re-read Moby Dick!
