I read this on my quest to read all the Pulitzer novels. I was surprised at how easy it was to read (most of the Pulitzer books are tedious to get through for their writing, not their stories), but I shouldn't have been. Wouk is a very easy writer to read.

The story was good, and the captain was easily a nut job. I have to admit that i didn't see the first officer as having such a heavy hand in the mutiny... the movie did a much better job showing that (I saw the movie only AFTER i read the book).

The story of how the main character was tethered to his family was pretty powerful. The nautical terms were a bit much, but i'd been on a ship before (NOT great seafaring experience, but i'd at least heard the words, "muster" etc.) and was able to glean the meanings. The storm was very scary.. very well written.