Drawing On Our History focuses on the development of commercial fishing vessel designs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, starting with the surprisingly sophisticated small craft of the indigenous people, followed by the different directions resulting from the importation of designs by European settlers, and concluding with today's complex ships that catch fish in hundred-ton sets and deliver finished product to shoreside wholesalers. A wonderful collection of historically accurate drawings and illustrations compliments the well-researched text and brings the designs to life, while interviews with designers, builders, and fishermen fill out the historic tapestry. Drawing on Our History may be the first book that traces and describes the evolution of fishing-vessel design, construction techniques, and fishing methods for the entire history of a geographic region. Douglas M. Wolff, P.E., Naval Architect.