They Call Me.... Una... Ahab's Wife

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I wanted my first official book post to be one of my favorite stories of all times, so it was easy to choose this book to start my blog off right. When I was in high school I saw the pastor of my Church reading this book. Rev. Lynn Lindsey always enchanted me because he had an office and a house full of dark wooden book cases packed to the gills with amazing literature. So when I saw him reading Ahab's Wife and then telling me how much he was enjoying it I knew I just had to get my hands on this book! Well it did not disappoint, I have read this book many times and every time I find something else to admire in the writing. Sena Jeter Naslund has done an amazing job drawing the reader in and entertaining them with the pictures she draws with her words.

Even though this story about Captain Ahab doesn't start with the famous line "They call me Ishmael" it still has all the makings of a classic novel, just like it's muse Moby Dick. This story is about Una (Ahab's wife as the title suggests) and her journey through life as a young girl, to an adventurous young woman, to Ahab's wife, and later as his widow. I don't know what exactly got me hooked but from the moment the bounty hunting dwarf dressed in wolf skin barged into Una's home searching for a runaway slave girl, all the while Una is groaning in the pains of labor I was in it for the long haul (how's that for a little tidbit to peak your curiosity). Like I said before, Naslund paints such a vivid picture of the rural wilderness of Kentucky, to the quaint town of Nantucket, (and of course the beautiful but unforgiving sea). I could see every moment of this story while it unfolded as if I were watching a movie (and I do so hope they make a movie)!

Ahab's Wife (or Star-Gazer)
by Sena Jeter Naslund