Customer Reviews

Greasy Luck: A Whaling Sketchbook (Dover Maritime)

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Myself and many of my contemporaries at Disney animation back in the late 1970s and 80s used to fawn over the one copy that the Library had of this book (which was well worn by the generation that preceded us). It's great that this and other books about Gordon Grant are now being reproduced. For anyone who loves to draw and sketch this is a great resource. Mister Grant's economy of line, mastery of pen and ink and dynamic interpretation of human figures and ships at sea are graphic history of days gone by.

Originally published in 1932, "Greasy Luck" is a nostalgic look back at the heyday of Yankee whaling in the 1850's. With sixty four full page illustrations and accompanying narrative, readers learn of great skill and daring needed to harpoon whales during the closing days of the Age of Sail. These carefully rendered pen and ink illustrations lovingly recreate a lost world. Gordon Grant was one great naval illustrators. For fans of this type of illustration be sure to check out the work of Grant's contemporary, the great British naval illustrator Peter Anson. Highly recommended.