New England Literature and the Sea

New England has always had a deep relationship with the sea. From its earliest days, indigenous inhabitants and the newly arrived European sailors spun stories about ocean life. Since then writers like Herman Melville, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Celia Thaxter along with modern day authors Sebastian Junger and Nathaniel Philbrick have anchored New England as a major player in the American maritime literary tradition. We'll explore our region's literary relationship with the sea with one of New England's most noted writers in the sea genre. Laura's guest is Nathaniel Philbrick, author of many book about the sea including "In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex", "Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery, the US Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842" and a forthcoming book on the Mayflower.