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Last Updated on March 11, 2025 by Work In My Pajamas
Book #3 of my 100-book challenge is done, and folks… this one hit hard. In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick isn’t just a tale of survival—it’s a gut-wrenching look at human greed, the brutal whaling industry, and one very fed-up sperm whale who said, “Not today, whalers.”
Now, I went into this book expecting an epic maritime adventure, maybe even some early Moby-Dick vibes. Instead, I came out angry at humanity, sad for the whales, and wondering how we, as a species, have been actively ruining the planet for thousands of years—but with the industrial age, we just figured out how to do it faster.
In This Post:
The Story: A Quick (and Painful) Recap
The Essex was a whaling ship from Nantucket, and in 1820, it set sail to do what whaling ships did best—hunt whales, strip them of oil, and keep the world’s lamps burning. But the ocean had other plans.
Somewhere in the Pacific, an enormous sperm whale (seriously, this thing was the Jason Bourne of the deep) rammed their ship twice, sending the crew into a nightmare scenario of starvation, madness, and, well… cannibalism.
Yes. Cannibalism.
The men drifted in tiny boats for months, and things got real dark, real fast. By the time they were rescued, most were dead, and the few who survived were forever haunted. It’s one of the most harrowing maritime disasters in history—and, fun fact, it inspired Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.
But Let’s Talk About the Whale for a Second
I know, I know. The book focuses on human survival, but all I could think was: Good for that whale.
Imagine minding your own business in the ocean, only for some scruffy humans to show up and start harpooning your friends. What do you do?
Full-body tackle their ship like an aquatic wrecking ball.
And honestly? I support it.
Philbrick does a fantastic job of painting the whaling industry as brutal, wasteful, and heartbreaking—something we definitely don’t talk about enough. It wasn’t just about oil; it was about human arrogance, thinking nature was ours to exploit.
This book left me mourning for the whales and wondering: Did we really learn anything from history? (Spoiler: Not much.)
The Great Tortoise Tragedy: Slow, Steady, and… Sadly, Delicious?
As if the whaling industry wasn’t horrific enough, let’s talk about what they did to the tortoises.
Picture this: You’re a giant Galápagos tortoise, just living your best slow-moving life, munching on some vegetation, chilling in the sun. Then, out of nowhere, a bunch of scruffy, harpoon-wielding sailors scoop you up and toss you onto their ship.
Why? Because apparently, tortoises were the perfect travel snack.
They could survive for months without food or water, making them the 19th-century equivalent of a canned good.
They tasted pretty great (according to whalers, who were clearly monsters).
They could be flipped upside down and slowly starved—which, if you ask me, is an absolutely evil way to store your future dinner.
For decades, whaling crews would stop at the Galápagos Islands, grab hundreds—of tortoises, stack them like living luggage in the hull, and let them slowly waste away until they were needed for soup.
Seriously. If you thought the story of the Essex was depressing, just imagine an entire ship full of slowly starving, helpless tortoises rolling around like upside-down potatoes while sailors decided which one was dinner that night.
And the worst part? They nearly wiped them out.
By the time people realized, “Hey, maybe we shouldn’t eat all the tortoises,” several species were already gone or on the brink of extinction. (Cough cough, Lonesome George.)
So yeah, In the Heart of the Sea wasn’t just about hunting whales—it was a grim reminder of how humans have a long history of treating the natural world like an all-you-can-eat buffet.
At this point, I was 100% team whale. And team tortoise. And team anything that didn’t eat everything in sight.
If you ever find yourself in Nantucket—hopefully by choice and not because your ship was rammed by an angry whale—make sure to visit the Whaling Museum. It’s home to some eerie but fascinating artifacts from the Essex, including:
Relics from the doomed ship (No, not the whale—he got away.)
⛵ Documents detailing the disaster (AKA, “How Not to Have a Good Time at Sea.”)
Diaries from the survivors (Spoiler: They were not having a great time.)
It’s a sobering but essential stop for history buffs, maritime enthusiasts, and anyone who’s ever read Moby-Dick and thought, Wait, was this based on something real?
Need help getting there? Don’t trust your navigation skills to 19th-century whalers—book your trip through The Casual Nomad! Because let’s be honest, if the Essex crew had a solid travel planner, they might have had a way better vacation. ✈️
Next Up: A Book That Won’t Make Me Hate Humanity
After spending way too much time being mad at 19th-century sailors, it’s time for something more uplifting:
Book #4: The Potential Principle: Living Life to Its Maximum by Edward Cole
Because after reading about whale revenge and tortoise suffering, I think I need a little motivation to restore my faith in, well… people.
What did you think of In the Heart of the Sea? Did it also make you want to become a full-time conservationist? Let’s chat in the comments! ️
