Book · 2016 · Whaling
The North water
- mentions
- 11
- people
- 5
- podcasts
- 2
- episodes
- 5
- critical mentions
- 0
Wa one of our best novels of the Year Ian McGuire's the northwater makes its debut on that list.
What they say about it
- Discusses writing The North Water“research for The North Water”2
- Compares author to other writers“compare your writing to that”2
The best things said about it
And um this is a book called The North Water by uh, Ian Maguire. um I don't even know how to describe. You all would probably describe it better than I would, but um it is it's a sea novel.
David Grann The Megyn Kelly Show · Jun 2025 Chances are you'll want to turn to the northwater Ian Maguire will tell us about his latest novel also one of our 10 best books.
I just finished a book that came out earlier this year, Ian McGuire's book The North Water.
What's stuck with you you from the north water like what was her to let go of Henry Drax who is the real villain of the northwater.
Both colem toy bean and his review of the nor northwater and Rody Doyle in his review of the abstainer this new novel compare your writing to that of Joseph Conrad.
Well I hope I don't embarrass you but I also have to bring up two other names that you've been compared to in both in the previous book and in this cormi McCarthy with regard to the north water and then in this one for this one Charles Dickens.
5 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The North Water by Ian McGuire is a gripping historical novel set aboard a whaling ship in the nineteenth century, following a brutal journey into the freezing waters of the Arctic. The book received high praise from David Grann on The Megyn Kelly Show, who recommended it as a remarkable sea novel. Pamela Paul and Greg Cowles discussed the book enthusiastically on The Book Review, where it was featured as one of the publication's ten best books of the year, with Paul suggesting readers pair it with McGuire's later novel, The Abstainer. Gilbert Cruz also highlighted the novel's critical acclaim on The Book Review when welcoming the author to discuss his subsequent work. During his appearance on the podcast, Ian McGuire reflected on the writing process behind his historical fiction, explaining how unexpected historical gaps and incidents discovered while researching The North Water ultimately inspired the creation of his subsequent novel. Through these discussions, the podcast hosts and the author underscored the meticulous research and harrowing storytelling that established the novel as a standout work of modern historical fiction.
Every mention
Pamela Paul all right listeners start with black start with the abstainer the soot the the dark shadowy Manchester nove… 6
“you mentioned earlier that you came across this historical incident while you were working on the North water in your novels”
“what's stuck with you you from the north water like what was her to let go of Henry Drax who is the real villain of the northwater”
“both colem toy bean and his review of the nor northwater and Rody Doyle in his review of the abstainer this new novel compare your writing to that of Joseph Conrad”
“well I hope I don't embarrass you but I also have to bring up two other names that you've been compared to in both in the previous book and in this cormi McCarthy with regard to the north water and then in this one for this one Charles Dickens”
“all right listeners start with black start with the abstainer the soot the the dark shadowy Manchester novel then go to the northwater for the white novel”
“I just finished um a book that came out earlier this year um Ian McGuire's uh book the north water”
David Grann and um this is a book called The North Water by uh, Ian Maguire. um I don't even know how to describe. You… 1
“and um this is a book called The North Water by uh, Ian Maguire. um I don't even know how to describe. You all would probably describe it better than I would, but um it is it's a sea novel”
Gilbert Cruz chances are you'll want to turn to the northwater Ian Maguire will tell us about his latest novel also one… 1
“chances are you'll want to turn to the northwater Ian Maguire will tell us about his latest novel also one of our 10 best books”
Greg Cowles wa one of our best novels of the Year Ian McGuire's the northwater makes its debut on that list 1
“wa one of our best novels of the Year Ian McGuire's the northwater makes its debut on that list”
Ian McGuire actually no that was one of and that was one of the reasons why I I was intrigued by it so I came across th… 2
“actually no that was one of and that was one of the reasons why I I was intrigued by it so I came across this when I was doing research for the north water and I was surprised”
“The abstainer is is is how large the kind of gaps are in the historical Rec record and I suppose that's the that's a great opportunity for the novelist”
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“who are the Manchester Martyrs and how do they figure into Ian McGuire's new book the author of The award-winning novel The northwater will be here to talk about his latest novel The abstainer”
“Paul Ian McGuire joins us now he is the author previously of the north water which was one of our best books of 2016”