Meteorologists called the storm that hit North America's eastern seaboard in October 1991 a "perfect storm" because of the rare combination of factors that created it. For everyone else, it was perfect hell. In The Perfect Storm, author Sebastian Junger conjures for the reader the meteorological conditions that created the "storm of the century" and the impact the storm had on many of the people caught in it. Chief among these are the six crew members of the swordfish boat the Andrea Gail, all of whom were lost 500 miles from home beneath roiling seas and high waves. Working from published material, radio dialogues, eyewitness accounts, and the experiences of people who have survived similar events, Junger attempts to re-create the last moments of the Andrea Gail as well as the perilous high-seas rescues of other victims of the storm.
So this book was a really interesting read for me. I know that it’s been made into a movie (which I still haven’t seen), but I also already knew the ending beforehand. Still, something told me to pick it up and read it. I’m glad that I did.
The author, Sebastian Junger, set out writing this book in the hopes of giving readers a chance to imagine what happened to the crew of the Andrea Gail. Although he knew he could never fully tell you what happened (since no once survived the storm), he does a fantastic job of putting together enough information for you to get a fair idea of what happened.
The book is a mixture of straight-up facts on the working of a fishing boat, as well as actual quotes from friends and family of fisherman in the area.
Even though I had never met any of these people, this book nearly brought me to tears, and I am so glad that someone took it upon themselves to make sure that these fishermen are never forgotten.
4 out of 5 stars.
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