Watermen

The watermen of the eastern shore of the Chesapeake are a breed apart. In the late 1970's Randall Peffer went to Tilghman Island in search of family ties. There, he lived the life of a waterman for a full year, during which he dredged for oysters aboard wind-powered skipjacks, went eeling, tonged for oysters, hunted clams and longlined for fin fish. The result is this treatise which although a bit contrived at times (filled with exposition framed as dialogue), still manages to capture these independent and hardy individuals as they were; fearful for the future of their lifestyle, but clinging to traditions dating back more than three hundred years. Filled with fascinating detail, poignant and honest, Watermen is a recommended read.

this was a book that anybody can read and understand. it is also a book that is kind of relaxing. "Beautiful Swimmers" is a book about the Chesapeake Bay way of life that got/gets a lot of praise, deservedly so. But I do think that "Watermen" is better. Anybody that is interested in the Chesapeake should give "Watermen" a read.