Customer Reviews

The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain's Journey

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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Linda Greenlaw achieved some measure of fame as a supporting character in the nonfiction book "The Perfect Storm" (and the more fictional movie that followed). Now, Greenlaw tells her own story in "The Hungry Ocean," a less thrilling but equally fascinating tale of a four-week swordfishing run over the Grand Banks.

Writing with the casual, conversational style of a story told over coffee and breakfast, Greenlaw describes the details of preparing for and executing a swordfishing expedition. She describes at length the supplies needed and the work that must be done to prepare for the water. She explains the crew dynamics, worries about the persistent illness of one crewman and wrangles over the racist attitudes of another. She frets over the readings as she steams northeast in the ocean and fills in the logistics on temperatures, currents and competing boats. She admits to occasional lies regarding fishing conditions in her wake.

She also recalls yarns from her earlier days, before she captained her own ship and sailed with others. She conveys the feeling of complete, utter exhaustion that is par for the course on a cruise of this nature. By the end of this book, you'll know how to clean a fish, whether you want to or not.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.NET editor

If you are a fan of the hit TV series Deadliest Catch and just can't wait until late March to see new episodes than I suggest that you do read this book, it a very quick and easy read for the fans of that show. This publisher is trying to cash on the popularity of this series, by reprinting the book with a different type of cover art on it, which is clearly showing not a longliner type of fishing vessel, with this book is all about, but quite possibly a Bering Sea crab boat. While the cover art is a little bit of a misnomer, don't let that stop you from buying this book or reading it if somebody you know has it, for your time will be rewarded, and you will learn a few things in the course of reading the novel.

This book tells the story of Linda Greenlaw, the captain of the fishing vessel, Hannah Boden, which would be her last trip fishing for swordfish. Now, Linda, gain some popularity with the novel and the movie "The Perfect Storm", so she cashing in her new found fame to tell her own story and her own personal experiences in this industry.

While, this might sound like this could be a boring novel it not because of the style that Linda writes in this novel, very down to earth like you are having a conversation with her over a meal at a roadside dinner. Explaining a good majority of what it takes to get these boats prep and ready for a fishing trip, or what they call "Turing the Boat Around", the gear that they used, and the terms that they used to describe that type of swordfish that they are out there. Also in the course of the 31 day fishing trip, she take some time to tell some of the stories of her childhood, pervious trips, and there is also a section of the novel that tell the reader some of the superstitions that fishermen have.

While, I did enjoy this book, I found out that her explanation of the gear that they use and the electronics were a little hard to put into picture without the visual aid. Also reading this novel I gain a new respect to the Captains of all of the fishing vessels that out there, because you have a lot tougher job then I first thought.

I'm a longline fisherman in Italy.
The book is very interesting and well written (my english is not so good but it was a pleasure to read it).
As a commercial fisherman fishing the mediterranean, thousand miles from the north atlantic banks, after readed this book I could tell you that commercial fishing is the same in every part of the world, the same the people and the same the hard work.
Read this book, it's a really good one.

I love the way Linda writes. I will read anything she publishes. I have learned so much and am reading this book again. If you read Perfect Storm you will understand it much better having read this book. Sebastian Junger did a masterful job writing 'Storm but Linda was on an identical boat owned by the same person. She also has many years experience. I can't recommend this book enough and all others as well. She has a cookbook too "Recipies From a Very Small Island" which she wrote with her mother. Super good.

In her refreshingly frank, casual but confidential memoir of a longline swordfishing trip, fisherman and captain Linda Greenlaw shares a voyage that is a metaphor of her life in the harsh, demanding environment of the open ocean deep-water fisheries. Greenlaw, who one immediately senses is private and closed - as befits her station as captain - opens her thoughts, doubts, and concerns to the readers. It is am impressive revelation of the woman's character and courage.

Written in a flowing, conversational style, the reader has the sense of sharing the wheelhouse with a sword boat captain whose physical and moral courage is matched by technical skill.

Greenlaw shows a wide range of writing talent as she describes sea conditions, fisherman's Golden Horseshoes, crew disaffection, losses of loved ones, attention to detail, and the inherent loneliness of her chosen profession - a captain hundreds of miles from shore responsible for business success and human life.

I highly recommend this book, especially for those who enjoyed Junger's Perfect Storm, this is a required companion. She brings to those of us who are strangers to the sea a deep appreciation for the brave few who tempt the elements to eke out a living in an amazingly wonderful, but unforgiving element.

I was very disappointed in this book, considering all of the accolades accorded it. The good points are that it was a very easy read (in spite of TOO MANY details about the preparation and boat details), kept me turning the pages to "see what would happen next" and I enjoyed her "mug-up" chapters, reflecting on her past sea adventures. I did have a problem with her refusing to tell the reader what a "fo'c'sle" was...she mentions it several times within the book and it would have been a simple matter to have defined it for us.

But that is NOTHING compared to her absymal reaction and lack of leadership in dealing with Carl's blatant racism. It was quite disturbing to me that Carl's behavior was allowed to go on unaddressed in stronger terms than how Linda dealt with it. When he made the comment about the knot he had recently learned to design being used as "a noose, maybe before the trip is over" and Linda stated "that's not funny" and he then retorted, "it's not meant to be" and then she DROPPED ANY FURTHER CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS!! I kept waiting to see if she would pull him aside later and tell him under no uncertain terms that "making jokes" about hanging a black man is totally unacceptable on her boat! It would have been a teachable moment for her to impart some social awareness, especially since he was an ignorant 19 y.o. with only a 4th grade education and looked up to her as a mentor. But NOOOOOO, this never happened. To include him in the epilogue as one of her "good friends" to this day was disturbing to say the least. He has continued to go out into the world with his racist attitudes and this cannot be good for his fellow comrades.

Another problem I had was her lack of compassion for the fish she was killing, but I guess that's to be expected since this was her way of making a living. The way she coldly describes impaling a hook in the eye of a swordfish to haul it onboard or setting one on fire to ward off bad luck was very painful for me to read. She seems coldhearted and maybe all fisherpeople are like this. Which brings me to the FIRST thing that turned me off about this woman: her not wanting to be described as a "fisherwoman." My mouth dropped open with amazement. Her explanation for wanting to be called a "fisherMAN" was obtuse. That soured me, but I kept reading.

So, in summary, I had problems with her take on racism, treatment of living creatures and denying the validity of the appellation, "fisherwoman."

Some will undoubtedly say that I am being too critical and, perhaps, picayune but this is my review and my objections to the book.