William Hussey Macy

author

William Hussey Macy

1826–1891

A Nantucket writer and former whaleman, he turned firsthand sea experience into lively stories that helped preserve the world of 19th-century whaling. His best-known work blends adventure, humor, and sharp observation from life before the mast.

1 Audiobook

There She Blows! Or, The Log of the Arethusa

There She Blows! Or, The Log of the Arethusa

by William Hussey Macy

About the author

Born in 1826 and dying in 1891, William Hussey Macy is best remembered for writing about the sea and the whaling life he knew personally. Project Gutenberg’s records for There She Blows! Or, The Log of the Arethusa identify him as an American author and date him as 1826–1891.

His best-known book, There She Blows! Or, The Log of the Arethusa, draws on real experiences from the whaling trade. The story follows a young man heading out on a whaling voyage, and its appeal comes from the sense that Macy understood the people, routines, and risks of that world from the inside.

Today, he is mainly read as a vivid chronicler of maritime life in the 1800s. For listeners interested in seafaring adventure, whaling history, or forgotten American writers, his work offers an engaging window into a tough and fascinating profession.