“Chesapeake People” author Don Parks is a life-long resident of the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He has written several other books about the Chesapeake, including “Chesapeake Winds and Tides,” “Chesapeake Women: Their Stories – Their Memories,” and “Chesapeake Men: Their Stories – Their Memories.”
I have always been interested in the Chesapeake, and especially the working watermen and women on the Bay, so the first Parks book I ever read was “Chesapeake Women.” This winter I delved into “Chesapeake People,” and was transported from a cold, gray winter to the decks of crab and oyster boats plying the Chesapeake Bay.
Parks’ book looks into the lives of a variety of individuals who live and work on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Each chapter follows a different individual. Each of their stories are told in such a way that you feel like you’re sitting around chatting with an old friend while they reminisce about the good ‘ol days. From a waterman born on Holland Island, to a champion Star sailboat racer, and a skipjack captain, all of Parks’ subjects share a deep love for the Chesapeake, and embody what it means to call the Bay home.
Captain Weldon G. Parks of Holland Island sums it up wonderfully with this quote: “I’d rather be right here than any other place on God’s Green earth. There’s no place anywhere that can equal the Chesapeake.”
Parks profiles eight Chesapeake people in this book. I found it to be an enjoyable winter read, and I’m sure it would be even more enjoyable while out on a boat or sitting by the water, listening to the waves and the seagulls, bringing to life all that Parks loves about the Chesapeake Bay.
You can find “Chesapeake People,” along with Parks’ other books on Amazon. ~K.J.
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