{"product_id":"wreck-of-the-whale-ship-essex-the-complete-illustrated-edition-the-extraordinary-and-distressing-memoir-that-inspired-herman-melvilles-mobydick-9780760348123","title":"Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex: The Complete Illustrated Edition: The Extraordinary and Distressing Memoir That Inspired Herman Melville's Moby-Dick","description":"\u003cp\u003eRead Owen Chases memoir which inspired Moby-Dick and In the Heart of the Sea  the major motion picture from Ron Howard released December 2015. Owen Chase was the first mate on the ill-fated American whaling ship Essex  which was attacked and sunk by a sperm whale in the southern Pacific Ocean in 1820. The crew spent months at sea in leaking boats and endured the blazing sun  attacks by killer whales  and lack of food. The men were forced to resort to cannibalism before the final eight survivors were rescued. Herman Melville based his 1851 novel  Moby-Dick  on the sinking. Chase recorded the tale of the ships sinking and the following events with harrowing clarity in the Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex. \"I turned around and saw him about one hundred rods 500 m or 550 yards directly ahead of us  coming down with twice his ordinary speed of around 24 knots (44 km\/h)  and it appeared with tenfold fury and vengeance in his aspect. The surf flew in all directions about him with the continual violent thrashing of his tail. His head about half out of the water  and in that way he came upon us  and again struck the ship.\" - Owen Chase. Filled with art  photographs  maps  and artifacts  this is a richly illustrated edition of Chases memoir  augmented with memoirs of other participants  as well as the perspectives of historians  contemporary and modern. \"If you are interested in a coffee-table book which covers the importance of the whaling industry and the wreck that influenced Herman Melville to write the American classic Moby-Dick  then get the Complete Illustrated Edition: Wreck of the Whale Ship Essex.\" - William Connery  Author of Civil War Northern Virginia 1861\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45495952375861,"sku":"ByrdShop_076034812X","price":30.41,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780760348123.jpg?v=1780904125","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/wreck-of-the-whale-ship-essex-the-complete-illustrated-edition-the-extraordinary-and-distressing-memoir-that-inspired-herman-melvilles-mobydick-9780760348123","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}