Stern Men

This comic novel is about two factions of lobersterman who fish off the coast of Maine. Young Ruth Thomas, home for the summer from boarding school, is the fierce champion of the Fort Niles men; she is determined to prevent the wealthy Ellises, who control the Courne Haven faction, from gaining power. Then--as happens in all classic feud stories--she falls in love with a Courne Haven boy, and everything changes. A New York Times Notable Book for the year 2000.