The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea (P.S.) | Sebastian Junger

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea (P.S.) | Sebastian Junger | A Gripping Account of Natures Fury

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The Perfect Storm:...

	The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea (P.S.) Sebastian Junger Harper Perennial, 2007 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 898 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

"What was the final moment? What was the final, final thing?"

Sebastian Junger's The Perfect Storm is a masterpiece of "disaster writing," written in a crisply paced, masculine style while still incorporating much scientific detail about the meteorology of this "perfect" storm of October 28, 1991, and the physical forces it unleashed on the Andrea Gail, a seventy-foot commercial boat, fishing for swordfish at the end of the season, near Georges Bank. The result is the gripping story of Capt. Billy Tyne and five Gloucester fishermen who ran into the "perfect" conjunction of three major storms and never returned.

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 "home port" 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 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 of Georges Bank 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. n Mary Whipple

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A Gripping Account of Natures Fury

The Perfect Storm is based on a true story of 6 men who lose their lives in a struggle against nature. Sebastian Junger does an incredible job of making this book as realistic and suspenseful as possible, without stretching the actuality of the story. The author uses a variety of literary devices to keep the story rational, yet gripping. Although this is not a fictional account, Sebastian was able to use a metaphorical sense in his book.
The great storm that came upon these 6 men could not be controlled. It is the battle of destiny that all people must face at one point in their lives. This giant wave that crashes upon the Andrea Gail, in 1991 is not just a wave; it is a struggle against man, nature, and fate that causes one to realize that we are not in control of our lives. The author manages to bring drama, romance, and heroism all into this realistic account, without stretching the truth or blowing the story out of proportion.
The book is very well written. Sebastian manages to not only tell a realistic story, but also gives an educational helping about the dangers of fishing in the Atlantic. He also explains the meteorological aspects of the "perfect storm." Sebastian gives actual accounts of the rescue efforts involved in the storm, besides that of the Andrea Gail. His ability to recreate this event with such realism and gripping actuality is amazing.
I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to anyone who wants to realize the power of nature and the consequences of what can happen when men are tested to the max.

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absorbing account of a tragedy

Junger had me hooked in the early going with his visual descriptions of seacoast towns similar to those in which I grew up. from there he proceeds to 'investigate' a tragedy the truth of which may never be entirely known. His style is tasteful and informative. while the story reads like an absorbing novel, the reader at the same time LEARNS a lot about the people involved and their world. Junger uses history, folklore and technical data in a compelling way. One leaves this book somehow improved, edified and very thoroughly entertained. a masterpiece.

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The Perfect Storm

I had gotten out of the habit of reading, and not much was inspiring me. Junger's book did. I think the biggest problem is saying that the book is about a sailing vessel that went down. It is not. It is about much more than that, although that event does provide the focal point. I thought the writing had an intelligent mix of exposition and poetic image. I've also read two bestsellers recently and was disappointed in how much skimming I did without feeling that I had lost much. I did no skimming in The Perfect Storm. I thought Junger made weather and the commercial fishing industry as interesting as the drama of the "story". I believe those who love quality will be glad they read this book.

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Good Storyline, Mediocre Writing

I enjoyed the book however the writing was a little hard to follow. The author explains in the book why he chose to write the story the way that he did, but I think he could've done a better job at transition from the main storyline to background information.
On the plus side, the author includes a lot of background information on fishing. It can be a little exhausting to read but it adds depth to the main story.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, page 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

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