Recently, the movie “In the Heart of the Sea” came out, and it inspired me to read the book under the same name. This nonfiction novel by Nathaniel Philbrick is for those of you who don’t know, is about the whaleship Essex, a whaling ship that got run into by a sperm whale and sunk (yes, this does resemble Moby Dick, it is the story it was based off of). Then, the ships crew is forced to survive under devastating conditions.

So far, the book has been a combination of factual information of the time period, and expert storytelling. Incorporating direct quotes from people who survived the incident as well as combining the scientific knowledge of people who studied similar incidents, the book does a fantastic job of making you want to know what is happening next, and actually teaching you something.

Although I’m only about halfway through, I am looking forward to going back to reading, and then watching the movie.

The film, starring Thor actor Chris Hemsworth as Owen Chase, the first mate on the ship, has received 4 stars on Fandango©  Not available everywhere, this film is a must see while it is still in theaters, especially for fans of the epic book which made people aware of the terrible tragedy that took place in the 1820s on the small Quaker island of Nantucket.

But, as always, read the book first. The book will always be better, and the movies are more fun when you know what the characters are thinking as they work anyways.

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