"Call me Ishmael". So begins Moby-Dick, Herman Melville's epic account of the last voyage of the ill-fated whaling ship Pequod, and its captain's obsessive pursuit of the legendary white whale that maimed him years before. Melville's classic novel has given American literature some of its most iconic characters. Inspired by the real-life ordeal of the crew of the whaling ship Essex--who, in 1819, were set adrift in the heart of the sea for eighty-nine...

"A nineteenth-century whaling ship sets sail for the Arctic with a killer aboard in this dark, sharp, and highly original tale that grips like a thriller"--

The only full-length novel by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym" was first published in 1838. It is the story of a boy from Nantucket, Arthur Gordon Pym, who stows away aboard a whaling ship, the "Grampus", with the help of his friend Augustus, the ship captain's son. Pym and Augustus experience many unexpected adventures and misfortunes at sea, including mutiny, violent storms, cannibalism, and the destruction of the ship. Eventually,...

1897: To save hundreds of whalers trapped by ice floes, three men attempted the impossible--trekking 1,500 miles through the Alaskan wilderness, in winter. Author Martin W. Sandler takes us on every step of their riveting journey, facing blizzards, killing cold, injured sled dogs, and setbacks to test the strongest of wills.

A history of African-American whalers between 1730 and 1880, describing their contributions to the whaling industry and their role in the abolitionist movement.

Martha's Vineyard became an integral part of the whaling industry at the beginning of the eighteenth century and inspired a lasting romantic enthusiasm for life on the open ocean. From shore whaling to daring voyages into the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic Oceans, the insular whaling community offered a tempting path for many young Vineyarders to rise from cabin boy to captain. Local businesses were enticed by the potential profit from whaling voyages,...

This comprehensive pictorial survey of whale ships of all periods presents over 200 vintage engravings, drawings, and photographs of barks, brigs, cutters, and other vessels. Images of harpoons, lances, whaling guns, and many other artifacts as well as account of New England's whaling industry are also included. A noted whaling authority provides the well-researched text.

Presents a close look at the history, design, construction, and life aboard the sailing ships of history.