At the heart of A Whaler at Twilight is the long-lost true story of
an American whaler who embarked on a harrowing adventure in the
South Pacific in the mid-nineteenth century in search of absolution
and redemption. After the death of his parents, young Robert
Armstrong lived with a successful uncle—a well-respected
Methodist shopkeeper in bustling 1840s Baltimore—and had the
opportunity to attend the nation’s first dental school. But
Armstrong threw his future away, drinking himself into oblivion.
Devoured by guilt and shame, in December 1849 he sold his dental
instruments, his watch, and everything he possessed, and signed on
for a whaling voyage leaving New Bedford for the South Pacific.
Decades later, Armstrong wrote an autobiographical account based on
his travel logs, chronicling his thrilling, gritty experiences
during ten years away. His memoirs describe his encounters with
other whalers, beachcombers, Peruvian villagers, Pacific islanders,
Maori warriors in New Zealand, cannibals on Fiji, and the impacts
of American Expansionism. He also recounted his struggles with
drink, his quest for God, and his own redemption. Armstrong’s
gripping personal account is bookended by thoroughly researched
contextual background compiled by his great-great-grandson,
Alexander Brash, who discovered his ancestor’s manuscript among a
collection of family mementos. A noted professional
conservationist, Brash fills out Armstrong’s intimate and
timeless tale by shedding further light on a turbulent historical
period, whaling and its impacts, his ancestor’s religious milieu,
and the importance of marine conservation today. A Whaler at
Twilight is a fascinating dive into both human morality and
American history.
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