The Hungry Ocean by Linda Greenlaw

Possibly the only female swordfisherman in the world, Linda Greenlaw recounts a typical, 30-day fishing trip in the Grand Banks off off Newfoundland. Greenlaw knew the men of the Andrea Gail, another sword boat whose tale is told in A Perfect Storm, by Sebastian Junger, but doesn't tread on the details of that story. This is a simple slice-of-life tale detailing a typical month in the life of a sword captain, her boat and her crew. There are no harrowing tales of life and death struggle, but a simple telling of the exhaustion, boredom and potential benefit of a swordfishing trip. This makes it an excellent companion to A Perfect Storm. After reading about the struggle and death of the crew of the Andrea Gail, it is enlightening to read about the realities of their lives.

Greenlaw writes in a simple, conversational way. Her story is engaging by its very nature so I found myself unconcerned with her writing style since the story was so compelling. That said, I found her writing straightforward, concise and enjoyable . I completed the book in just under 3 days, another tribute to the quality of the book. I found it difficult to put the book down as I wanted to find out about this woman and her crew and how they made (or didn't make) their living.

Highly Recommended.

An Audio Version is also available.