Located off the coast of Virginia in Chesapeake Bay, Tangier is a tiny island, home to fewer than 1,000 residents, most of whom make their living by catching the delicious blue crab that makes this part of the ocean its home. For Chesapeake Requiem, journalist Earl Swift spent a year living with the islanders. He expertly combines their personal stories with the long history of the region and a comprehensive analysis of the life cycle of the blue crab. He provides readers with an entertaining and informative story of a place that in 20 years will no longer exist; Tangier is steadily eroding, losing 15 feet or more of shoreline each year due to the slow and inevitable rise of the ocean. Several islands near Tangier, which used to be inhabited, have already disappeared under the waves.
The men and women who make their living from the sea know their homes will be next unless something is done to stop the erosion. But politics and the brutal nature of the ocean are not easily changed. As older residents die and younger ones leave for the mainland, those who remain cling to their way of life, while knowing that sooner rather than later, it will all come to an end. Swift has created a time capsule for future generations regarding what it was like to live in this unusual location. He has also opened a door to a much-needed discussion: What will the world be like when much of its islands and coastlines are under water? --Lee E. Cart, freelance writer and book reviewer