Harpoon at a Venture

In this, Gavin Maxwell's first book, he tells the story of his attempts to establish a shark fishery on the tiny Hebridean island of Soay after World War II. In absorbing detail, he describes the challenge and drama of the shark hunt, the development of catching techniques and equipment, the men who worked with him, and the frustrations involved with attempting to start a new enterprise in postwar Scotland. Each action-filled chapter includes beautifully observed descriptions of sky, sea, and the individual islands of the Hebrides, as well as their wildlife—from gannets, puffins, Manx shearwaters and fulmars to seals, dolphins, and whales.