The Big One: An Island, an Obsession, and the Furious Pursuit of a Great Fish

Though it will probably be shelved in either the sports or outdoors section, Kinney's account would be right at home in the anthropology department. As Kinney, a Philadelphia journalist, explains in his fun, easygoing prose, the Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby is more than just your run-of-the-mill fishing tournament. The monthlong competition and two grand prizes worth $30,000 each turn visitors and islanders into work-skipping, bleary-eyed (big stripers feed at night) fishing maniacs. Kinney provides an insider's view of striper madness by not only presenting the fish tales of Derby judges, experts and salty regulars, but by also wetting a line and participating. He discovers that what started in 1946 as an “advertising scheme” to get visitors to the island has become symbolic of Martha's Vineyard's continuing personality crisis between its blue collar, commercial fishing roots and its newer, wealthy persona. The book is a lot of fun as Kinney's day-in, day-out descriptions of the tournament itself—complete with accusations of cheating, bitter rivalries, health concerns and Cinderella stories—play out like a frenzied baseball season condensed into one month of triple-headers. (Apr.)