content: This book is a wonderful story of the lives of the sailors on the whaling ships of the period. Their adventure on the ship Essex as it left port sailing for new grounds . Little was know about the islands of the Pacific and in thisstory it was a sad effect that could have made their rescue shorter and saved some lives. Some parts of the story even though it was factual was too much detail in the death of some of the ship mates.Their lives, after their rescue, I found interesting in the way that they personally found solace in the jobs theytook up.I would recommend this book. It was the chosen book by our Book Club of women and all found it interesting .