Harvesting the Chesapeake: Tools and Traditions

Knowing that many of the tools and traditions of the Bay's fisheries are likely to disappear by the twenty-first century, Larry Chowning has gathered much of his information from elderly practitioners, preserving the crafts and lore of the Bay's harvesters in words and pictures. His talent for getting people to trust him with their reminiscences and trade secrets is evident in the book's sparkling dialog and outstanding photographs. A tribute to the patience and perseverance of the Bay's watermen, these vignettes also emphasize the alarming decrease in the resources of the Bay.