“Leviathan: The History of American Whaling” by Eric Jay Dolin stands as a masterpiece, earning accolades such as the Los Angeles Times Best Non-Fiction Book of 2007 and the Boston Globe Best Non-Fiction Book of 2007. Recognized by Amazon.com Editors as one of the 10 best history books in 2007, and the recipient of the 2007 John Lyman Award for U.S. Maritime History, this book has left an indelible mark.
In this epic exploration, Dolin paints a vivid portrait of the “iron men in wooden boats” who carved an industrial empire from the pursuit of whales. Kicking off with Captain John Smith’s ambitious yet flawed whaling expedition to the New World in 1614, Dolin guides readers through the industry’s brutal struggles during the Revolutionary period. The narrative peaks during the mid-1800s, a golden age when over 700 ships roamed the seas, harvesting whales to illuminate the world with American whale oil. The decline of this maritime pursuit in the twentieth century is also chronicled.
Dolin’s storytelling prowess brings to life the men who defined this era—mutineers, murderers, rioters, and deserters, whose experiences were etched into journals and memoirs. “Leviathan” doesn’t just narrate history; it weaves a rich tapestry of social and economic evolution. With a wealth of naturalistic detail on whales, it stands as the most original and stirring history of American whaling in recent decades, capturing the danger and desperation of those who dared the deep seas in pursuit of this mighty theme.
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