Junger, Sebastian. The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea. 1997. 248p. ISBN 9780393337013. Available at 974.4 JUN on the library shelves.
For centuries people have been attracted by the sea. Sailors, mariners, and adventurers have all tempted fate in an unforgiving environment where any mistake could be deadly. But only one breed of humans return to the sea over and over again: the fisherman.
The Perfect Storm discusses one storm that happened in October 1991. A confluence of two major weather fronts and the remnants of a hurricane, it created the worst meteorological conditions ever recorded on the East Coast. The swordfish fishing fleet from Gloucester, Mass, was out on the Grand Banks at the time, and barely survived the storm. But one boat, the Andrea Gail, was caught full on and sank with all hands on board.
Junger set out to write about difficult jobs, but the more he heard and researched the circumstances that led to the sinking of the Andrea Gail, the more the story took a life of its own. Meticulously researched from all angles, Junger weaves not only the lives of people on the boat and those left ashore, but also others who were caught in this storm, from large cargo ships and sail boats to their rescuers who themselves has to be rescued. This is a true story that accurately depicts the fight of man versus nature and how, despite our technology and best equipment, we cannot assume that we can survive a devastating natural encounter.
Though the ending is known right from the beginning, Junger is able to build a suspenseful and thrilling narrative. Readers who enjoyed Into the Wild or Hatchet will relate to the struggle in The Perfect Storm. The extraordinary story of a B-17 bomber crew lost in the Pacific for 22 days, as recounted in Lost in the Pacific, 1942, is also a great story of survival against the forces of the ocean. For a fictional sinking, read The Living by Matt de la Pena.
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