The Lobster Coast: Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier

I enjoyed reading about the physical and cultural history of Maine, and as an environmental biologist, the nuances of managing the fisheries. I do think at times the details were a bit drawn out and perhaps who owned the land in 1659 is a bit too much detail for the overall picture. Overall a solid read.

The Lobster Coast: Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier is a very well written synthesis of coastal Maine's cultural and political history, land and sea ecology and ultimately of the choices this coastal area is facing going forward.Colin Woodard, a Maine native, with a deep appreciation for this region on the fringe of the northeast center's of population, writes with engaging detail of the challenges of living on Maine's coast, while showing how the long term residents have a deep since of rootedness of place. A good half of this 300 page work is an overview of Maine's history from the beginning of European colonization to the present day. While relatively short, this overview, with vivid told details, shows how the residents of these shores, from natives, to colonizers to those facing the brunt of closing paper mills and fish processing plants, have faced being overrun by outside influencers. Reading this, you can certainly understand why Maine is so much different and out of the orbit of the rest of the northeast, and see why a spirit of self determination has become part of the character of those who live in this rich, but hard land.Woodard writes with great detail to show the importance of ecology and the interconnectedness of how people relate to resources and each other. For instance, his accounts of how modern, suburban housing subdivisions and retail centers work counter to productive uses of labor and the traditional ways of life is important. Also, his work shows how scientists who study the ecology of lobsters, the collapse of the cod and haddock fish stocks and how understanding the role of harvesting and nurturing sea life is more than a function of data, but is in every way of ecology and understanding how multiple systems depend on each other.Repeatedly, the Lobster Coast shows a tension of living. This tension is best described as one that works on how individuals work together, but struggle against hard circumstances, while often working against outside influences that simply want to extract resources in ways that ultimately harm the land and people more than it can replenish.While a social and cultural history of the edge of the northeastern USA, this work also can show how many regions struggle to make a living in the midst of post industrial, global capitalism. The Lobster Coast was written in the years before the 2008 Financial Crisis, so the elements that stretched so many have only accelerated in Maine since then, and the suburbinazation of the Maine coast has continued in fits and starts, and more mills have shut for good.As history that connects how many different elements create a culture that still works to maintain an identity, this is a very engaging read and well worth the time to think through.

The book came wonderfully packaged. You can tell real book lovers run the shop. I think it is funny I found a book about Maine in Tennessee, a signed copy even!

This is an enjoyable cultural history of the Maine coast written by a local. While the time span is large, the observations of what makes Maine such an interesting place are never too obscure or arrogant. He knows his territory and travels to tell the story well. I highly recommend it as an introduction to an area most people never visit.

Been vacationing in Maine for over 50 years and an avid local history fan. This book contains more information, names, dates, observations on Maine's history than I've ever encountered before. While fact-laden, it is an easy entertaining read. The only thing missing is the salt air.

I have purchased and read just about every one of Colin Woodard's books, and this one is among my very favorites.He has a way of combining present day Maine with historical Maine; Maine seen through his eyes, the eyes of those he interviews, and words written down centuries ago. They all flow together seamlessly, creating a fluid history of this amazing state.Perhaps it is because generations of my father's family have been born, lived and died in the Pine Tree state.Maybe it is because I have fished and set lobster traps commercially in New England, and have seen the boom and collapse of the industry:the boom due to plentiful stocks of cod and other groundfish, and the collapse due to over fishing and poor fisheries management.It might be in part because I know many of the places of which he speaks.In the end, I think it is all of these, and maybe none of these.Colin Woodard is simply the best writer of U.S. history I have read.If you are looking for names and dates, you will find many here. If you are recalling history as written in school textbooks, you are in for a very happy surprise. His history books real like novels, but they are better. Unlike James Michener's historical novels, however, all the information cited in Mr. Woodard's books is true. The people and the events are real. They happened, and many continue to happen to this day.You will come away from reading this book with a hunger for more information. Maybe, if you haven't visited coastal Maine, you will decide to do so. And if you do visit Maine, or perhaps even live there, you will gain new insights into the forces, both natural and man made, that shaped this great state.

This book was referenced often in the Cousin’s Maine Lobster book so I decided to get it. If you like history of the struggle encountered during the settlement of America you will really enjoy this book. The chronicle of the Lobsters story of going from a “poor man’s” food to its current position in the gourmet world is fascinating. For anyone interested in travel to “Vacationland” this a must read.

with a focus on the islands and mid-coast framed by lobsters. The information about modern fishing in the book is now at least 20 years old so the status of fisheries in Penobscot Bay and the Gulf of Maine could be updated; this hardly detracts from the book. I had never heard some of the dreadful colonial history and I am wondering if it is time to change the name of Knox County.

Very unique and fascinating history of Maine. It covers the founding and colonial period extremely well. The author managed to bring the stories alive with his entertaining style of writing. I recommend this book to anyone interested in New England history.

Very good book. I am from Maine so this story means a lot to me. I like knowing our history.