Rating: 
Summary: WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK ABOUT A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY
Review: This is another good book about ocean fishing but with a freak storm that has ttragic effects. definite worthwhile read.If you have not already watch the movie. also get a chance read the hungry ocean
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating, much different from the film (go figure!)
Review: I really enjoyed Junger's cadence and tone throughout this book - he wrote about painful events with respect and consideration, and maintained and interesting pace throughout the book. People looking for the true story behind the film will likely enjoy this book, whereas people who want the same sort of story the film portrayed will likely be disappointed.Nobody really knows what happened aboard the Andrea Gail, and Junger only makes a couple of suppositions - he does not try to exaggerate the known facts, or speculate overly-much about what may have happened. He concentrates upon what is known, and what the actual people who were involved with the people on board the Andrea Gail believe. He goes into great detail about the people, the places, and the boats, and he writes about the rescue personal with the tremendous respect they all deserve. There are moments of suspense and action in the book which are truly heart-pounding, there are moments of tenderness and sorrow that brought tears to my eyes, and there are elements of luck, irony, and nearly every other human emotion possible in this story. It's a relatively quick read, since it's written in with a largely journalistic tone - the sentences flow through the reader quickly and easily. While the subject matter is heavy, indeed, the words are not difficult to digest. The story engages the imagination, but doesn't weigh the reader down with overly-verbose, flowery, or heavily-sentimental language. A very interesting story that gives some insight into the dangers fishermen and women face every single day.
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Summary: Respecting Both The Facts And The Dead
Review: I am puzzled by the criticisms of this book decrying it's fractured narrative. Connected narrative is welcome, even necessary, in a work of fiction in which the reader expects to be immersed in an alternate world. But this writer committed himself to making his work one of fact, firmly grounded in THIS world. When an author makes such a commitment, he is not at liberty to make things up as he goes, just to keep things nicely bubbling along. Such a commitment imposes serious constraints on a writer, and Junger is to be commended for the care and self-discipline he shows in adhering to reality. Take, for example, the author's approach to the severity of the sea. He could have descended into purple prose and hoped that the reader would prove kind enough to go along with him. Instead, he cuts to data buoy #44137 recording waves of 100 feet and winds of 80 miles an hour before the waves block the readings. There is something starkly menacing about the pure unadulterated facts that a more melodramatic treatment just would not convey. This also serves as the launching point into a consideration of wave dynamics. A digression from the narrative? Yes, but a worthy one, because only so can we understand that waves of 100 feet are not just twice as powerful as those of 50 feet, they are sixteen times as destructive: that swelling waves do not endanger ships, but that breaking waves kill. The crew of the Andrea Gail, and the other people who lost their lives during this fateful storm, are better served by the author's commitment to fact. Their tragedy is rendered the more poignant because Junger's refusal to fictionalize them keeps them real. We cannot take refuge in the knowledge that they are just products of imagination. There but for the grace of God go I. This is not a book for those looking for quick thrills or for maudlin drama. It shoulders its responsibilities seriously. It shows immense respect for the dead by its refusal to fictionalize their end. Speculation about their thoughts and deeds are left not to Hollywood hacks, but to friends or fellow fishermen: brothers and sisters under the skin who have lived through similar hells. So here's the rundown. If you simply can't stand technical talk, don't read this book. If you're not fussy about the truth and prefer smooth embellishment to messy reality, don't read this book. If slick melodrama is more important to you than respect for the facts, then watch the movie instead and don't read this book. But if the storm of the century, and real heroics, and real lives hanging in the balance by a hair's breadth is sufficient drama for you, then this book will not only involve and move you; it will have you reflecting on the awful power of nature and the fragility of life for a good long time to come.
Rating: 
Summary: The mother of all storms?
Review: I ended up reading this book on a bumpy plane flight to Florida (not an activity for the faint of heart, I suppose). It is a great read, loaded with a lot of details about ships, and how they ride out storms (or in this case, how some don't). Unlike the movie, the book does a much better job of getting at who or what might have really been at fault in downing of the Andrea Gail. It also goes into decent detail about the other boats that got caught up in this meteorlogical mess, along with the dangers inherent in trying to rescue those people.
Rating:
Summary: Near Perfect Tome.
Review: Sebastian Junger's volume truly captures the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions of hurly burly Gloucester. Read the book before seeing the movie and you will not be disappointed by either. The plot is classic man against nature but with an updated twist. Shakespearian in nature. Since almost all will know the ending, it is no easy task to keep one's interest througout, Yet Junger does so masterfully. He truly makes us care for the characters and goes to great pains to educate us on just how and why the confluence of events occurred to cause such a catastrophic result.
Rating:
Summary: Perfect Perfect Storm
Review: Impeccably researched. If you've seen the movie and think you have a grasp on the book, think again. The book delves into details. For example, before a man drowns, the author dedicates the first half of the chapter to explaining exactly what it's like to drown. Has inteviewed people who have survived drowning, etc, and really sets you up emotionally for the scene in which a person could very well meet this fate. I am a writer and must admit I am envious of the care and discipline that went into the author's research and writing of this excellent work. I couldn't possibly say enough about it. Highly recommend.
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Summary: Man against the elements
Review: A fascinating look at the fishing industry and the people who work in it. Junger obviously put in a lot of research effort and, although there are long passages of the book that are "factoidal" and somewhat tiring, these segments do add to the reader's understanding of all the elements that make up this story--endless dissertations on weather patterns, the history of fishing and it's dangers and rewards in the Northeast, how it might feel to die of drowning, etc. I found the most interest in the operations of the Coast Guard. The training of the Jumper Pilots, the dedication to their work that drove them to risk (and in the case of one of them, lose) their lives in this storm is amazingly altruistic and humane. It took me a while to get through this book, but it was worth the read.
Rating:
Summary: The Perfect Storm
Review: "The Perfect Storm" was an extremely good book. Although boring at times, the novel really captured the essence of fishing. The author clearly defined the characters' personalities, events that led up to the storm, and many fishing related techniques. A person who enjoys fishing and the ocean will enjoy reading this novel.
The characters were introduced at the beginning of the novel. I discovered the characters' lifestyles and personalities. For example, Chris was a young woman who adored Bobby. Bobby was a fisherman aboard the Andrea Gail, which caused him to spend months away from home. Chris was hesitant about letting him go on the last journey, but she finally let him go.
In my opinion, there were two morals that could be taken from reading the novel. For example, greed was a dominant force. The storm was brewing, but Billy, the captain, insisted on staying out to capture more fish. The more fish they caught, the more money they made. The other moral involved listening to your instincts. The fisherman had a bad feeling about the trip, but they decided to go anyway.
In conclusion, "The Perfect Storm" was an excellent book. I learned a lot about the lives of fishermen, and I also began to sympathize with them. They risked their lives to make a decent living. I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in learning about the dangers of the sea.
Rating:
Summary: a whopping good sea story
Review: Sebastian Junger's "A Perfect Storm" will seize your interest from the first page. Based on the true story of fisherman off the Massachusetts coast who were caught in the meterologically interesting storm of 1991, this is a whopping good sea story. Jung fleshes out the account of man v. stormy sea by revealing something of the shore lives of the men who are fighting for their lives. We learn of the hard yet rewarding life of Atlantic fisherman who pit their hard-won skills against luck and the weather, hoping to be rewarded with a big catch and good profits. The unfolding drama will keep you riveted to your chair and you may finish this volume in one sitting. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and interesting
Review: Not especially well-written but this is the kind of book where the writing doesn't especially matter. It's chockful of interesting facts, anecdotes and real-life (but seemingly fictional) characters. Although you already know the outcome of the storm, the book keeps you firmly in its grip. Don't bother with the movie---read the book!
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