The Perfect Storm: A True Story of a Man Against the Sea (Hardcover)

Junger begins his story with the maritime history of Gloucester, Massachusetts, a city from which over ten thousand men have perished at sea since the fishing industry began in 1650. Gloucester fishermen and their families are extremely close, and The Crow's Nest bar, vividly described here, is their "homeport" between trips and in times of emergency. To gain insight into the character of Gloucester and its fishing fleet, Junger lived above the Crow's Nest in Bobby Shatford's room while he did his research, became friends with Bobby's mother, who was a bartender at there, came to know and like the regulars, and gained confidences shared with few "outsiders."

As Junger introduces the six men aboard the Andrea Gail, he shows their both their lives and their motivations for going out on one last trip, which would bring thousands of dollars to each crew member, if successful. At the same time, he also presents technical information about fishing boats and how they are engineered, the changes in the center of gravity which occurred on the Andrea Gail with the addition of a "whaleback" storage area on deck, the science of long-line sword-fishing, and the daily lives of the men aboard.

Six other boats in the same area off Cape Cod at about the same time as the Andrea Gail report on their boats' terrifying behavior during this unexpected storm, allowing the reader to imagine the various tragedies that might have happened aboard the Andrea Gail. The Coast Guard rescue of three crew members from a large sailboat (which almost cost the lives of three rescuers) shows the ferocity of the storm and the near impossibility of rescuing the Andrea Gail's crew, even if they had been found in time. Filled with the kind of detail which brings this "perfect," hundred-year storm to heart-pounding life, The Perfect Storm is a gripping story which honors these fishermen without exploiting them or their families--a classic story of maritime disaster. Mary Whipple

In the very beginning of the book Sebastian Junger tells you that this is not a novel or a fictionalization of the events of the last moments of the Andrea Gail. He believes if you read any fiction that you would doubt the parts that are real facts. To this end He has includes many pieces of information about men against the sea; He describes the sea, equipment needed to deal with the sea and the lifestyle of the men who deal with the sea.

Now some people may find his writing style has a feeling of tedium, tedium, and t-e-d-i-u-m. I find it just being through enough to not leave out any piece of information to tie this all together. How ever you may have to make an effort to continue through it.

Also Like John McPhee, Sebastian Junger actually was writing about different dangerous jobs and magazine articles when he sold this book before it was put together. He struggled to balance this between a sort of documentary and thrill of the story. I think he did a good job.

In the very beginning of the book Sebastian Junger tells you that this is not a novel or a fictionalization of the events of the last moments of the Andrea Gail. He believes if you read any fiction that you would doubt the parts that are real facts. To this end He has includes many pieces of information about men against the sea; He describes the sea, equipment needed to deal with the sea and the lifestyle of the men who deal with the sea.

Now some people may find his writing style has a feeling of tedium, tedium, and t-e-d-i-u-m. I find it just being through enough to not leave out any piece of information to tie this all together. How ever you may have to make an effort to continue through it.

Also Like John McPhee, Sebastian Junger actually was writing about different dangerous jobs and magazine articles when he sold this book before it was put together. He struggled to balance this between a sort of documentary and thrill of the story. I think he did a good job.