Lifesaving Lessons

"Greenlaw's memoir deftly chronicles her journey to motherhood, without white-washing away the toughness of the trek or the joy she experiences along the way."--Publishers Weekly

"America's only female swordfish-boat captain returns with a straightforward account of the challenges she faced in becoming the legal guardian of a sexually abused teenager and in balancing unexpected motherhood with her reclusive lifestyle on a tiny island off the coast of Maine... Greenlaw is at her finest when drawing parallels between life at sea and her new role as a mother...[Lifesaving Lessons] will appeal most to fans of Greenlaw's previous Isle au Haut installment, The Lobster Chronicles."--Kirkus

"Greenlaw (Seaworthy, 2010) veers from her more traditional fishing tales in this intimate memoir that proves without a doubt that it takes a village to raise a child... With newfound poignancy, Greenlaw addresses family and kinship in a clear-eyed manner that defies expectations and should easily bring her new fans. Book clubs will want to take note."--Booklist

"[The] never-married Greenlaw met her match when she took on guardianship of a troubled teenage girl. Here, she chronicles their relationship with candor, wit, and rugged tenderness."
--Reader's Digest

"Her latest memoir indicates that tide, seasons and the goings-on of Isle au Haut, Maine, still dominate Linda Greenlaw's life... but it is her latest endeavor that nearly grounds her and others on the close-knit island. Greenlaw contends with and eventually comforts a troubled 15-year-old... Relying on her family, the island community, the indomitable but fragile spirit of her new charge and gut instinct leads them to a safe place."--Florida Times-Union

"The author also uses her sharp memoir skills to balance the story's drama. She can shift from describing the isolation and beauty while cross-country skiing around the island in winter to the hassles of getting a herring-seining business going with two friends as everything goes wrong with lousy gear. Many words could describe Lifesaving Lessons: courageous (for both Greenlaw and her daughter), shocking, heartfelt, horrific, poignant and candid...It's ultimately a story of healing and transformation, and, to Greenlaw's credit, one without a trace of sappiness."
--Working Waterfront Newspaper

"Linda writes with pathos and humor about the tenuous relationship that develops as the horrific truth about the girl's uncle comes to light."--Book Report Network