1989NBA 1989
Spartina
John Casey · b. 1939 · United States
Why it matters
A proud, debt-ridden Rhode Island fisherman builds his own boat by hand while a hurricane, an affair, and his own stubbornness threaten to sink him. Casey's National Book Award winner is New England working life rendered with a sailor's exact, loving knowledge.
At a glance
psychological novelfamily saga
Difficulty 4/10medium pace371 pagesDense nautical detail rewards patience but never obscures a clear, driving plot.
Deep dive
A half-finished fishing boat and an oncoming hurricane force a stubborn waterman to decide, in a single afternoon, whether the compromises he made to build her were worth it.
