Rating: 
Summary: Sweet read
Review: I don't find time to read many books, but was glad that this book found it's way to my night stand. This is a sweet read. I found myself looking forward to my 20 minutes of reading time every nite to experience life in a small island community. I have not read Linda's other book "The Hungry Ocean", but now it's next on my "books to order" list. Thanks Linda, for inviting us into your home!
Rating:
Summary: Sweet read
Review: I don't find time to read many books, but was glad that this book found it's way to my night stand. This is a sweet read. I found myself looking forward to my 20 minutes of reading time every nite to experience life in a small island community. I have not read Linda's other book "The Hungry Ocean", but now it's next on my "books to order" list. Thanks Linda, for inviting us into your home!
Rating: 
Summary: A big disappointment
Review: I enjoyed The Hungry Ocean and was intrigued by the articles I'd read about Greenlaw's newest book. This book was really boring and choppy though, and I confess that I was reduced to skimming the last half. If you want to read about Maine and the people who live there, read anything by Ruth Moore, notably The Weir. It is, however, out of print, but perhaps you can find a copy through your favorite online bookseller...
Rating:
Summary: Linda Greenlaw goes fishing
Review: I have not read "The Hungry Ocean" so without having another of Linda Greenlaw's books with which to compare "The Lobster Chronicles", I nonetheless thought this a worthy effort. Ms. Greenlaw writes with a breezy style, punctuated with anecdotes about her neighbors and family. Her language is often as colorful as the people around her. I was a little bothered by her predictable style of humor. It's funny in the beginning but wears a little thin by the end.A short promo appearing on the dustjacket written by Sebastian Junger describes Ms. Greenlaw's book (in part) as "the best book, period I've ever read on fishing". The author writes some about lobster fishing but her book is really about her family and friends....and, of course, about her. I would have liked to have heard more from her about lobstering but I'm happy with this good summer read.
Rating:
Summary: Capitalizing on Disaster
Review: I have not read Greenlaw's other book, The Hungry Ocean, but I assume its popularity was due to the enormous success of The Perfect Storm, by Sebastian Junger. The subsequent publicity that the gruesome episode garnered did not hurt either. In this book, Greenlaw attempts to follow up on that success by telling a tale of living on a small island as a lobsterman. The problems start immediately. It does not take long for Greenlaw to display her lack of writing ability. The grammar is so poor that, at times, the book is unreadable. To wit: "Mist caused tendrils curled so tight that I had been questioned about permanents.", "I measured, cut, spliced, and replaced carefully as my father brushed bright orange paint over last year's coat, buoy after buoy.", "When I had finally crept out from under the stern, I had straightened my back and looked up at the sun that I'd been shaded from for the nearly three hours it had taken me to complete the nastiest job in preparation fot this year's lobster season." After all this I had had had had about enough. I had had gotten to page eleven.
Even with improved grammar the story is not compelling enough to keep your interest. Her relationship with her father as first mate is heartwarming but boring. Greenlaw seems to be capitalizing on her celebrity and gender. After all, there are not many female swordfish boat captains.
My advice is to pass on this awful novel and if you are truly interested in a follow-up to The Perfect Storm, read Moby Dick. At least Herman Melville could write a coherent sentence.
Rating: 
Summary: Lobster Chronicles
Review: I highly recommend any audiobook, especially if you spend alot of time in the car.... This was the first audiobook that I have heard and it was very entertaining so that now I'm hooked on audiobooks! I was able to finish the abridged version (only 3 cassettes) driving back and forth to work over a couple of days. The Lobster Chronicles is a true story of the author's experiences as a lobster fisherwoman from a 40 year old's perspective. The author grew up on a small rustic island off the coast of Maine and returned home recently to become a lobster fisherwomen after pursuing other career options on the mainland. Originally, I heard the author speak on "Book Notes" and was captivated by her unusual career as a woman. Because the author reads her own story, she easily draws you into her unique experiences and family history.
Rating: 
Summary: Life on an "Very Small Island" is indeed Boring
Review: I must preface this review with the fact that I won this book on Rebecca Reads Website (Thanks Rebecca) so I was not out any money. I was looking forward to reading this Best Selling Authors work but the book left me wanting more.
The Lobster Chronicles: Life on a Very Small Island started out well enough with some background into Linda and how she found herself on her home island after a career on the open sea. Her character development and pace are fine but she never delves deeper into this eclectic group of characters she has at her disposal.
Her look into the impending "Gear War" never reaches any fruition, oh it is brought up a number of times but the group never undertakes the task of keeping their "turf". While I realize this is based on her real experences, I never felt the urgency that could have been displayed, when an industry that so many people depend on was "floundering". I never felt that if her foray into lobster fishing failed, that she would really suffer, being a best selling author and all. Perhaps if a long time lobster fisher person wrote this book, they could better convey the hardship and perseverance it takes to eke out a living by fishing for "bugs".
My overall feeling was, when I reached the last page,I did gain some insight into Linda's life and the life of her community but I wanted more. I feel that this book could have offered that "more" but Linda was content in offering a shallow glimse into her life and the life of her community. Some may feel her look at cancer was not shallow and I would agree but my feeling stands.
If you want a rambling read about a single woman looking to find a man on a small island and by the way she is starting out lobster fishing, then by all means buy the book.
If you want more then that then I would recommend looking elsewhere.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of fun!
Review: I picked a copy of the book up while vacationing in Acadia this summer. I finished it in a mere two afternoons (mostly spent reading in a lovely chair along Bar Harbor's Shore Path) I think Linda is a beautiful writer and she makes scenery, events and personalities seen so real for the reader. The characters were well-described and Linda's loneliness was palpable. The book had lots of interesting facts about the lobster fishing industry, but reading was kept light and fast-paced with the comedic exploits of the Isle au Haute natives. It was a great summer read -- especially fun to read so close to where "it all happens!"
Rating:
Summary: I always wondered about those claw bands!
Review: I read The Lobster Chronicles before The Hungry Ocean, and enjoyed this second tale from Linda Greenlaw. I know many people who read them in chroniclogical order and were disappointed that this followup story of Ms. Greenlaw's new life and profession couldn't measure up to her first book. I disagree. The Lobster Chronicles describes a place, and a passion for that place, on the part of the author. Anyone who has been to a Maine island will recognize the different patterns and nuances of life offshore. Ms. Greenlaw brings out the colorful character of a very small and isolated community, and some of the many challenges and benefits it enjoys. An aging population, quirky citizens, unavailable healthcare, unlocked doors, lack of social life, beautiful vistas, abundant freedom, small town politics...the author provides a vivid illustration of life on Isle au Haut, Maine. Her passion for the island and its community comes with her bloodlines. She frequently returns to writing about her family members, and indeed, spends most of the summer running a lobster boat with her father as crew. With good humor, she parallels her failure to catch lobster with her inability, thus far, to catch a mate. Ms. Greenlaw writes gracefully and with great nobility about her family's encounter with devastating illness. Warning: Unfailingly, lobster fans will need to devour a buttery tail or two after finishing this page turner. A terrific summer read!
Rating: 
Summary: Weak Story and Writing
Review: I read this book upon a glowing written review. The first couple of chapters are engaging because it's interesting to learn a little about lobster fishing and small town life. The problem is that Greenlaw does not make it 231 pages of interesting. I found myself speed reading and skimming the last half of the book. Some of her prose is overly simplistic, she uses short sentences in lieu of not carrying out her thoughts---or maybe there is no thought there. She distracts the reader when she says her sister called her first book and this one a long personal ad. After she said this, I really felt like it was. Then, when she gets nasty and snappish with her dad, she made it clear that she really wasn't interested in finding a nice guy---that made her very unlikeable to me. (not the man part but being a jerk generally) Disliking her made it more difficult to finish the book. My recommendation would be to borrow the book from someone else who mistakenly bought it---in hardcover no less! Otherwise, read the Perfect Storm again if you want an excellent book on fishing and adventure.
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