Highliners: The Classic Novel about the Commercial Fishermen of Alaska [Paperback]

William McCloskey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

A college student's initiation into the world of "highliners," the elite crews of Alaskan fishing fleets and the perils they face in the frigid waters of the North.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

First published in 1979, McCloskey's regional bestseller portrays the lives of Alaska's expert fishermen, the highliners; a Pacific Northwest cult classic.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

McCloskey's 1979 story of a college student's initiation into the world of "highliners," the elite crews of Alaskan fishing fleets and the numerous perils they face in the frigid waters of the North, scored high marks with critics.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585740284
• ISBN-13: 978-1585740284
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,316 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An interesting mix of fact and fiction, September 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Highliners (Paperback)

I read this book years ago when it was first published. Like one of the other reviewers, I was at the time a commercial fisherman myself, living in Kodiak, and this was one of the few books around that talked about the "life and times" of Alaskan fishermen. The book uses an interesting format, alternating chapters of fact and fiction. With the recent popularity of fishing books (Perfect Storm, Hungry Ocean, Lost at Sea, Working on the Edge, etc), I'll bet that this book will enjoy a renewed-popularity. However - readers of those books should be aware that this is mostly a fictional account of a character as he works in various different fisheries - it is not a factual documentary-type book like the ones mentioned above.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The real story of Alaska commercial fishing, March 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Highliners: The Classic Novel about the Commercial Fishermen of Alaska (Paperback)

I make my living teaching about commercial fishing. I am glad to see this book still in print so I can continue to recommend it to my students. It is, by far, the most entertaining and historically accurate account of Southwest Alaska and fishing from the 50's to the 70's. It should be required reading for anyone who fishes crab, salmon, and groundfish out there. Bill is a great writer, and this book is more or less his own experience. It is good for both its historical accuracy and the personal story of what is was like to see our fisheries develop to what they are today. He continues to come here and go out on boats to learn and write more. There is no else one who has the combination of great writing skill and experience in these fisheries, and this book is well worth reading. You will enjoy the story, you will learn something, and you will want to be Bill McCloskey (and live through it, like he did).

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Been there done that!, December 17, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Highliners: The Classic Novel about the Commercial Fishermen of Alaska (Paperback)

A great novel written by someone who has been there. The reader can feel and smell the Alaskan fishing industry as the writer takes you from 'greenhorn' to 'highliner'.