The Sea Shall Embrace Them The Tragic Story of the Steamship Arctic [Paperback]

The 1854 collision at sea between the American shipArcticand theVesta,a much smaller French steamship, set in motion one of the most harrowing events in maritime history. David W. Shaw has based this fascinating account on the firsthand testimony of the few who survived the wreck, including theArctic'sheroic captain, James C. Luce, who was forced to fight his mutinous crew as they took the lifeboats and left hundreds of passengers to suffer a cruel and painful death. Not only did 400 people -- including Luce's own frail son -- die by daybreak, but the wreck also ended the domination of the seas by the American maritime fleet for the rest of the nineteenth century.
Utterly compelling,The Sea Shall Embrace Themis a stirring slice of heretofore little-known American history. Beautifully written, it puts the reader on deck as a ship full of men, women, and children do battle both with a mighty ocean and with their own baser instincts.Walter Lord Author ofA Night to RememberA riveting story told by a superb writer.Charles Pellegrino Coauthor with James Cameron ofGhosts of the TitanicA stunning account, based on logical conclusions and meticulous research.Duncan C. SpencerThe Washington PostA straightforward cautionary tale, clearly told....There is restraint and judgment here in the telling.Publishers WeeklySpellbinding, visceral, and thoroughly investigated.People MagazineGripping....Shaw's true achievement is bringing to life the long-lost people aboard the Arctic.