Greasy Luck by Gordon Grant (2004, Paperback)

An eloquent, accurate portrayal of the American whaling industry as it existed for almost two centuries, this superb account of a whaling voyage and its adventures is dramatically captured by 64 of the author's full-page drawings. All the excitement, tedium, exhaustion, and joy of catching these mammoths of the sea is depicted -- from the thrill of a whale breaching and a "Nantucket Sleigh Ride" to examples of scrimshaw art and views of the foc's'le, galley, and deck. The book's title comes from the cheering crowds at dockside, seeing a whaling crew off and wishing them "Greasy Luck."
A must-own for both collector & scrimshander.