Fighting the Whales
Author: first_name: R. M.
last_name: Ballantyne
Language: English
Year: 1700

A fatherless boy joins the crew of a whaling ship in order to earn a living for himself and his mother. Beyond being a fascinating depiction of a now-alien time, occupation, and culture, it's also a rousing adventure story. One is left with the impression that hunting and catching a whale in a sailing ship was akin to you or me being stalked, ambushed, and killed by a shoebox full of mice.  (Summary by the reader.)