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Summary: The perfect book?
Review: I'm not sure this book is perfect, but it is definitely excellent and entertaining. Junger is a great journalist and natural storyteller, as he brings the characters and the raging sea vividly to life. A lot of research seems to have gone into writing this book, as it is filled with details that enrich the story. I also found the story itself, as well as the description of the storm, quite frightening since it wasn't difficult to picture oneself in the middle of this chaos. Overall, an excellent, gripping read. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".
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Summary: I Was Fascinated!
Review: Okay, maybe this book does have some editing problems - I really couldn't care less! Before I read this book, I knew absolutely nothing about deep-sea fishing - now I'm an expert. Well, maybe in my own mind!
Seriously, I found this book to be highly informative and I had a lot of trouble putting it down. It is easy to read and the addition of maps is always a bonus for me.
If it wasn't for the movie, I would probably have passed this book by. Now I have Linda Greenlaw's books on my 'must read' list - I hope that they come close to being as entertaining as this one. Do yourself a favour and give it a try!
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Summary: The Perfect Storm
Review: A storm that swept the northeastern region of the Atlantic Ocean caused by a few uncommon factors had created a once-in-a-century storm that will infinitely possess the hearts and lives of many. Three weather systems consolidated to create a savage, horrendous storm with hurricane force winds and dreadful waves that topped one hundred ten feet. A sword-fishing vessel named the "Andrea Gail" confronts the hysteria near its core. Piece by piece, Sebastian Junger puts together an epic of the lives of a handful of men, their families, and the missing "Andrea Gail" using deep details and broad research. The terrifying "perfect storm" of October 1991 positions the six-man crew-Tyne, Pierre, Sullivan, Moran, Murphy, and Shatford-in the rage of the storm and in an endurance fight against the siege of the storm and against time itself in the struggle for their existence. The storm will forever plague the memories of the sailor's families and of the citizens of Gloucester, Massachusetts and will bring enormous respect for the power of the ocean.
Although it is a somewhat lengthy documentation that was stretched out, the book flowed moderately well. The information that it gave was very fascinating and is not something you want to abstain from. It was a bit hard to follow at some points but was very adequate in constructing the situations that occurred on the high seas.
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Summary: Playing in the storm
Review: The storm that swept North America's northeastern seaboard in October of 1991 will forever haunt the memories of those who were there. It was called a "perfect storm" because of the rare factors that caused three separate weather systems to converge into one massive storm. Thanks to the book The Perfect Storm, researched and written by Sebastian Junger a freelance journalist who now resides in New York, many more will be able to relive the experience through their imagination. Junger reconstructs the massive storm with vivid details using many sources of research material. Using this material Junger recreated a portion of the lives of a six-man crew aboard the sword fishing vessel called the "Andrea Gail". The lengthy documentation in the beginning of The Perfect Storm made it a long drawn out read from the start. It does pick up about a hundred pages into the read. Although somewhat boring but kind of interesting the information is not something you want to miss for it helps in comprehension of later events. I would recommend getting the book from your local library before purchasing it. It may not be a must buy but it was a very good and well-written read.
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Summary: Imperfect Account
Review: The journey is invariably more interesting than the final destination. Knowing the eventuality and finality of this story in advance was distracting and detracting. The writing is somewhat stilted, sometimes slow and definitely too graphic in the end. For an excellent account on the life (as opposed to death) of deep sea commercial fishermen/women, read "Working on the Edge".
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Summary: More than just a story!
Review: By now most have seen the movie... so we have the gist of the story of the men of the Andrea Gail and their friends and family back in Gloucester. Their doomed battle against nature out over the Flemish Cap is described in much more detail than even the graphics of the movie could convey. But what I liked most about this book was the impressive research Sebastian Junger put into this true story! With splendid clarity, he describes the physics behind water wave mechanics from tiny wind-generated capillary waves to powerful towering monsterous walls of green water. He also describes in morbid detail what really happens to the human body when it drowns, and it isn't from getting water in the lungs! The author does all this without getting into difficult scientific jargon that the laity may not appreciate. Many parts of this book read like an exciting field course in oceanography! Junger really takes care to provide the reader with a strong understanding of just how amazing the unification of those 3 storm cells was... the kind of power it generated! A well-written book that I've seen as mandatory reading material for university geomorphology courses because of its finer details!
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Summary: The Perfect Storm
Review: I think this book was a really good book but in some parts I think it got boring because it told more facts instead of telling a good continuous story. If you like a book that teaches you more than just telling a story, than you would like this book more than if you like a book that tells a good interesting story. In the book, I thought it was boring reading it as a ninth grader. I read it for a story that I had to read. I thought it was going to be an interesting STORY rather than all facts that made no sense to me. I did think the book was good with all the detail and everything, but if someone hasn't researched boats or anything they wouldn't know what half of the equipment or terms mean. All together it was a good book but I don't recommend it to someone who doesn't like books that are only lists of facts. Oh well.
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Summary: the book the prfect storm
Review: I liked this book. I thought this book was very interesting. I loved the part when the guys pulled in all those fishes. I think the writer did a good job in writing the book. the way he made the charters have strong feelings the way he described the way the waves were throwing the "ANDREA GAIL" around were amazing. the way he actually got info from some of the people who were there when it happened. This was a really good book to read. I would say thay anyone who likes realistic bboks should read this book. If you are the type of person who worries about a book getting boreing should pick up this book the story carrys you throught the whole ordeal. I would recommend this book to anyone.
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Summary: A great read - even the third time
Review: I gotta agree with Roy, and disagree with Stephanie...I've now read this book 3 times. The first time was for the story and drama, and the extra 2 reads were for the details about the boat and swordfishing. I've also read Linda Greenlaw's book "The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain's Journey" and it is excellent as well. I think the drama is well depicted: if you have ever sailed or boated in extremely hazardous conditions (I have on Lake Michigan), you wonder to yourself what brought you there that day - why are you there? I think that's the part of the book I can really identify with.
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Summary: The Setting of The Perfect Storm
Review: The Perfect Storm The Perfect Storm written by Sebastian Junger does an outstanding job describing the setting of the novel and the impact it has on the lives of the people of Gloucester, Massachusetts and the crewmembers aboard the Andrea Gail. Without the sonorous description of the inclement weather and the depictions of the lives these people live, the novel would have been an unclear and cursory to the danger and excite fullness. If a great setting would not have been written, then the novel would have been short of details and excitement.
The beginning of the novel does an outstanding job describing the setting of Gloucester, Massachusetts. "It's still raining. Across the street is Rose Marine, where fishing boats fuel up, and across a small leg of water is the State Fish Pier, where they unload their catch. The State Pier is essentially a huge parking lot on pilings, and on the far side, across another leg of water, is a boatyard and a small park where mothers bring their children to play. Looking over the park on the corner of Haskell Street is an elegant brick house built by a famous Boston architect, Charles Bulfinch. That is where Bobby's mother, Ethel, raised four years she has been a daytime bartender at the Crows Nest. Ethel's grandfather was a fisherman and both her daughters dated fisherman and all four sons fished at one point or another. Most of the still do." This passage tells us that fishing is most people's lives in Gloucester, and the only way they collect money is by going out to fish. It also gives us a depiction of the poor lives of some, the way Ethel, the mother of the main character, Bobby, raised all her children in a bar, the only house they ever had.
When the fisherman of the Andrea Gail were deciding if they should try to return to Gloucester or wait out the storm and ruin their whole catch. "A few hours later another weather report creaks out of the radiofax: WARNINGS. HUICANE GRACE MOVING E 5 KTS MXI-MUM WINDS 65 KTS GUSTING TO 80 NEAR CENTER. FORECAST DANGEROUS STROM WINDS 50 TO 75 KTS AND SEAS 25 TO 35 FT." This small little quote shows how the fisherman's devotion to their jobs forces them to journey into the storm.
The setting of The Perfect Storm is the key literary device in the novel. If Sebastian Junger did not write a very elaborate setting, the story would have lost something that creates excitement and images into the reader's head. This novel does an excellent job describing the setting and it strengthens the novel significantly with its elaboration and thorough descriptions. Without it, the feeling of fright and way of life would be impossible.
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