Away Off Shore: Nantucket Island and Its People, 1602-1890

A book about a tiny island with a huge history, from the New York Times bestselling author of Valiant Ambition and In the Hurricane's Eye.

“For everyone who loves Nantucket Island this is the indispensable book.” —Russell Baker

In his first book of history, Nathaniel Philbrick reveals the people and the stories behind what was once the whaling capital of the world. Beyond its charm, quaint local traditions, and whaling yarns, Philbrick explores the origins of Nantucket in this comprehensive history. From the English settlers who thought they were purchasing a “Native American ghost town” but actually found a fully realized society, through the rise and fall of the then thriving whaling industry, the story of Nantucket is a truly unique chapter of American history.

• Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery, The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842
• Bunker Hill: A City, A Siege, A Revolution
• In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex
• In the Hurricane's Eye: The Genius of George Washington and the Victory at Yorktown
• Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution
• Second Wind: A Sunfish Sailor, an Island, and the Voyage That Brought a Family Together
• The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn
• Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War
• Valiant Ambition: George Washington, Benedict Arnold, and the Fate of the American Revolution
• Leviathan: The History of Whaling in America