In dories, skiffs, and seiners, fishermen chased herring through moonless nights among the wild offshore islands. Sometimes, when the phosphorescence in the water was firing and the stars were lost behind thick clouds, whales appeared like glowing locomotives beneath the boats, and the herring were shimmering clouds of light. Deep in the night, with surf close at hand, fishermen worked for the one good set that could spell the difference between lean times and a prosperous winter in outport fishing towns, knowing even then that their fishery was dying. Under the title Amaretto in the 1980s, this memoir gave lyrical voice to a dying way of life in Maine's herring fishery, just as Men's Lives (Peter Matthiessen) did for the Long Island surf fishery and Beautiful Swimmers (William Warner) for the Chesapeake Bay blue crab fishery. Back in print after 25 years, with a new introduction from Joe Upton to bring the story up to date. A swift, compelling read. A wonderful accompaniment for a Maine vacation. A great gift for any fan of sea stories.
- ISBN10 0884484556
- ISBN13 9780884484554
- Publish Date 22 June 2015
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 29 September 2022
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Tilbury House,U.S.
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 224
- Language English
- URL http://wiley.com/remtitle.cgi?isbn=9780884484554