Gone A-Whaling

Age Range 11 yrs and up.
Told from the perspective of the adventurous boys who eagerly signed aboard whaling ships, Gone A-Whaling traces the history of the American whaling industry from Colonial times, when whales plentifully swam the seas, to the ravaging and near devastation of whales in the late 19th and early 20th century. Compelling journal entries bring to life the young whalers’ days at sea – their quest for adventure and freedom coupled with the grueling nature of their work on board -- and the exhilarating but grisly business of chasing and killing the largest creatures on earth. Away as long as three years at a stretch, these boys experienced more than they bargained for and returned home world-weary but wiser young men. This book also explores stories of the women who accompanied their captain husbands as well as the African-American captains and seamen who sailed the seas.