In the tradition of Sebastian Junger and Linda Greenlaw comes Captain Sig Hansen’s rags-to-riches epic of his immigrant family’s struggle against deadly Alaskan seas, freezing shipwrecks, and dangerously brutal conditions to achieve the American Dream Sig Hansen has been a star of the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch from the pilot to the present. Seen in over 150 countries, the show attracts more than 49 million viewers per season, making it one of the most successful series in the history of cable TV. With its daredevil camera work, unpredictably dangerous weather, and a setting as unforgivable and unforgettable as the frigid Bering Sea, The Deadliest Catch is unlike anything else on television. But the weatherworn fishermen of the fishing vessel Northwestern have stories that don’t come through on TV. For Sig Hansen and his brothers, commercial fishing is as much a part of their Norwegian heritage as their names. Descendants of the Vikings who roamed and ruled the northern seas for centuries, the Hansens’ connection to the sea stretches from Alaska to Seattle and all the way to Norway. And after twenty years as a skipper on the commercial fishing vessel the Northwestern--which was his father’s before him--Sig has lived to tell the tales.
To be a successful fisherman, you need to be a mechanic, navigator, welder, painter, carpenter, and sometimes, a firefighter. To be a successful fisherman year after year, you need to be a survivor.
This is the story of a family of survivors; part memoir and part adventure tale, North by Northwestern brings readers on deck, into the dockside bars and into the history of a family with a common destiny. Built around a gripping tale of a deadly shipwreck like The Perfect Storm, North By Northwestern is the multi-generational tale of the Hansen family, a clan of tough Norwegian-American fishermen who, through the popularity of The Deadliest Catch, have become modern folk-heroes.
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The fishing vessel captain prominently featured in all three seasons of Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch tells his family’s story and that of the Norwegian American role in Pacific Northwest fishing—and not only in the now-declining crab industry. If this family saga has a hero, it is Sig’s father, Sverre, who survived immigration from Norway, service in the cold-war army, several shipwrecks, and raising three civilized, if somewhat original, sons to become one of the deans of the crab-fishing fleet in its golden era and still die peacefully at home. Captain Sig still takes his father’s boat into the Bering Sea, one of the harshest environments fishermen have ever faced, and is proud in a gentlemanly way of his Norwegian heritage and celebrity status. Nothing more nor less than a cracking good sea story. --Roland Green
Review
“A chronicle that reads like a collection of your crazy buddy's bar stories about his crazier old man.”
–Outside Magazine
"Captain Hansen's passionate love for his work, for the ocean, and for his fellow fishermen is undeniable and admirable."
I received this book today and read it in one sitting, could not put it down. If you enjoy watching Deadliest Catch you will love this book. The book reads just like Sig talks, which is a plus. He takes us back to his roots and explains how he became a fisherman. I HIGHLY recommend this book. Even if you don't watch the show, you will enjoy this book!
Interesting book for fans of "Deadliest Catch". Provides good history of how the Northwestern began and how it has evolved into a state-of-the-art fishing boat. Great characters and insight into the family that has fished this boat for years. Easy to read but definitely not a literary masterpiece. Highly recommend this read to any fans of the show who want to know how it all came about.
This was an exceptional book in many ways. Obviously, Sig Hansen is an incredibly fascinating person. The co-author did an amazing job of putting his stories together in an interesting and easy to follow way. The book really provides great depth in to his personality.
Most of us find Sig to be a bit of an enigma. We have great admiration for his power, work ethic, and bravery, but struggle with his lack of compassion. I think Sig largely communicates the same in this book. It is always pleasing to me when somebody can evaluate themself with some objectivity.
There is a very interesting technical description of the crabbing process and the science of crab as a species. It is just enough information to give the reader a much better grasp of the process without boring them with the details.
