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Summary: For anybody who loves open water boating
Review: Awesome book. The author usues very vivid and believable descriptions of the action. Even though he wasn't there in full, he knows his stuff and did his homework. I love all of the sub plots outside of the main fishing boat. He also describes the plight of the Atlantic swordfish better than any environmentalist! A book for the generations and one of my all time favorites!
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Summary: I couldn't put it down!
Review: Anyone who has spent even minimal time on the water should not miss reading this riveting account of the "real" storm of the century. Having run a commercial offshore fishing vessel for eight years, I was at first intrigued by a brief interview with the author on C-SPAN. I immediately obtained a copy and began reading out of curiosity, but with a bit of skepticism. I admit to being overly critical of so-called experts who claim to be knowledgeable on subjects with which I've had personal experience. But in this case, Junger impressed me as someone who had done his research very well. I gained new insight into the subject from his detailed descriptions of weather, sea conditions, and the physics of marine architecture.Don't get turned off by the seemingly boring subjects just mentioned. The author combines the mechanics of such phenomena with the human drama unfolding in the lives of Capt. Billy Tyne and five crew members of the Andrea Gail. From the dockside bars of Gloucester, MA to the Flemish Cap on the Grand Banks, you are thrust into the typical routine of a swordfish longline fisherman. The ultimate high rollers of commercial fleets, these men make the week-long trip to the fishing grounds and work with little sleep under tough conditions for the next two weeks. Every decision made can mean the difference between a big paycheck or giving up a month of your life for little or nothing if you have a "broker." From the captain's perspective, all of the risks and trade-offs are constantly evaluated and change almost hourly. No computer program could come close to processing all of this information in a way that the experienced blue water fisherman is forced to. In the case of the Andrea Gail, she just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Junger puts the reader inside the mind of the boat captain, revealing how the forces of nature, economics, and human behavior combine to turn this October voyage into a tragic disaster. I could not put this book down until I finished it. You have to keep reminding yourself that you're reading non-fiction, and to those not familiar with commercial fishing it will certainly open a whole new world of understanding and amazement about a vanishing way of life.
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Summary: The perfect beach book!
Review: For anyone with an interest in the sea, this book is a must read. Although the author stretches a little (some of the "facts" just don't add up), and much of the speculation is overly dramatic, the total effect makes for quick and enjoyable reading.
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Summary: amazing real life account
Review: a must read for anyone who loves the ocean. not a huge reader and stayed very interested and excited.
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Summary: The worst book ever written
Review: How can anybody sing praise to this literary piece of junk? The author must have decided to capitalize on the popularity of "Into Thin Air" and put out a commercial account of an event that he has not witnessed and has no eyewitnesses. So being too poor of a writer to write a fiction novel with characters and action he compiles this textbook articles on the weather, fishing and drowning and sprinkles some speculation on what may have happened. Comparing this piece of garbage to the fascinating first-hand account of John Krakauer's is ludicrous. What a disappointment.
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Summary: A major disapointment
Review: I found myself much more interested in numerous sub-plots than the main story of the doomed Andrea Gail. Much to much technical information is given on waves,clouds and boats for this to be a truely gripping read (I thought at one point I was back in school wishing I were somewhere else). This was however Krakauers er, Jungers first book and it appears that he does have a future.
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Summary: Junger takes the reader into the monster of all storms
Review: In this spectacular book, Sebastian Junger vividly portrays what it is like for a sword-fishing boat and its crew attempting to ride out an horrendous storm. The book is a bit slow getting started- after reading the first couple of chapters one wonders whether the Andrea Gale will ever leave port. Eventually, however, he tells of the crew's journey to the Grand Banks off Newfoundland and sets the scene for their encounter with a rare confluence of meteorologic conditions feared by every mariner (and probably by every human being with a pulse)- gale force winds and waves approaching 80-100 feet. His account of the storm and the adventure of life on the crew of a swordfish boat are interesting and enthralling. Some of the main weaknesses of the book include: lack of significant character development; emphasis on a great deal of interesting but often extraneous technical data, speculation and secondhand accounts that sometimes conflict with one another. These detours occasionally serve to derail the power of the story, if only temporarily. On the whole it is a really cool book that is well worth reading. Morals of the story: 1) pay attention to storm warnings 2) be sure to have your survival suit and know where the life raft is located before you leave port. Enjoy the ride- if you can get beyond the natural human fear of the mighty ocean!
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Summary: Great book ... interesting reviews
Review: The reviews will give you a good idea of the book. For my part, I couldn't put it down. Yes, there are a few annoying copy-editing glitches. Yes, you need to have a brain and an attention span. I was amazed at seeing negative reviews here, but after reading them, I think I understand them a bit better. Some found the detail distracting or worse. Some looked for more excitement (and lost me right about there; I don't see how anyone would want or need more excitement in a book than they'd find in The Perfect Storm). One or two could be summed up along the lines of, "Gee, only a few people died and I didn't like them, so why should anyone care?" I'm not sure what you call that. Empty, I guess. I've bought copies for friends and will keep doing that. In my driver's manual, that comes under the heading of High Praise.
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Summary: it ain't over til it's over
Review: I read this last summer and it will always stay on my recommendation list. Hey, don't forget -- this is a true story! The author soaks you into the sea and never lets this tale dry up. And just when you think the really gripping part of the story is unfolding, there's the rescue! The Old Man and the Sea is a classic, but wait til you read this fish story. Whoa!
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Summary: The Perfect Storm is a marvel beyond exception.
Review: Not since Den of Thieves by James B. Steward have I been so engaged in a reading of a world I've never been able to truly appreciate because I am so far removed from it. Until the reading of this book, I have through the years, heard the occasional news item of a fishing boat gone down without empathy. Never again will I hear such news again without possessing a wondrous respect for the courageous hearts aboard. Sebastian Junger gives the reader a deeper appreciation for the Coast Guard as well. The Air Force, the ships that set out in blackness in unthinkable conditions turning into harms way to save a soul. The world could use more maritime ethiques. There is much selflessness and sacrifice imbued within the hearts of the characters to a level unthinkable. You get the sense that every life in peril brings about an extraordinary effort to search and find with genuine concern. Every attempt is made where many would proclaim impossibility. The characters that fill this book, men and women, are incredible human beings who somehow face terrifying conditions without cracking, without losing their sanity. I have a newly developed sense of wonder and respect for swordfisherman because of this book that also extends to all fisherman who travel well beyond the sight of land for weeks and months on end. I am enthralled. I am in awe. As with Den of Thieves, I was hard-pressed not to go back to page one and begin all over again.
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