Read during Summer 2007

Gritty and sometimes meandering but powerful by the end. James Pfieffer holds various jobs around the docks and eventually goes to sea on a scallop trawler. His father is a fisherman who wants something better for his sons. It sounds like the typical overly dramatic tale of father and son, learning life's lessons, but there is a tautness that keeps it moving forward and not drowning in sentiment. It is very grim at times, I had to skip over a few passages, but very well written and the final few pages really grabbed me. Another great book by one of my favorite authors.