On May 18, 1605, George Waymouth, captain of the English ship Archangel, anchored in the lee of Monhegan Island, finding shelter from a three-day storm. Putting ashore, the crew found fresh water to drink, wood to burn, and lobsters aplenty in the shoreline rocks. Today, lobstering and lobstermen are American icons of rugged individualism, and their way of life has enlivened and colored the countless bays and coves of New England. The Lobstering Life puts readers in the boats, on the docks, in the bars, and in the lives of the men and women who pull "bugs" from the sea to sustain a cussedly independent, much admired way of life. Not since Peter Matthiessen's bestselling Men's Lives has this trade been so vibrantly brought to life.

If you are looking for sensuous intelligence peppered with indignant hints of Southern charm, this book of poetry will take you on a delicious ride. Ms. Berry explores perspectives, familial concerns, and sex through words and rhythms both visually and verbally. You will find several poetic structures inside. There are poems to titillate you, frustrate you, anger you, and make you laugh. There are rhymes, free verse, and the confoundedly chaotic. The poems span many years and life stories of relationships, writing, loving, and human rights to consider. Grab some tea, Bourbon (or both) and look through someone's jagged perspective for a while.