Beneath the Heart of the Sea: The Sinking of the Whaleship Essex

A tragic yet riveting narration of life and death and man against the elements, this is an extreme account of shipwreck survival. On the morning of November 20, 1820, in the Pacific Ocean 2,000 miles from the coast of South America, an enraged sperm whale rammed the Nantucket whaleship Essex .

As the boat began to sink, her crew of 20, including first mate Owen Chase, grabbed what little they could before piling into frail boats and taking to the open seas. So began their four-month ordeal and struggle for survival. This is a bleak story, only eight men survived having endured starvation and dehydration, giving in to cannibalism, murder, and insanity.

Owen Chase recorded the extraordinary account in his autobiography, originally published in 1821.

Please note this copy has light scuffs on the edges of the covers

ISBN: 9781843915607

Size: Paperback, 112 pages

Publisher: Hesperus Classics

Published: 2015