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Down at the Docks
“No writer I can think of, unless it is Sebastian Junger, might have written this obsessed, intrepid, and intelligent book.”
—Alec Wilkinson
“‘Nowhere in all America,’ wrote Herman Melville in Moby-Dick, ‘will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent, than in New Bedford.’ Not any- more. Down at the Docks is about the lives of New Bedford fishermen–man against the sea, and all that–but it is much more; it is a hard, unvarnished look at New Bedford today, where the relic commercial fishing industry is only one of the components, and where the old ways run smack into modern problems like drug-smuggling, illegal immigration, organized crime, disorganized crime, and suffocating government regulations. Melville would have been shocked to see what has become of what he called ‘the dearest place to live in, in all of New England.’ Rory Nugent tells the fascinating story of New Bedford the way it really is, not the way wistful romantics would like to remember it.”
—Richard Ellis, author of Men and Whales
—Alec Wilkinson
“‘Nowhere in all America,’ wrote Herman Melville in Moby-Dick, ‘will you find more patrician-like houses, parks and gardens more opulent, than in New Bedford.’ Not any- more. Down at the Docks is about the lives of New Bedford fishermen–man against the sea, and all that–but it is much more; it is a hard, unvarnished look at New Bedford today, where the relic commercial fishing industry is only one of the components, and where the old ways run smack into modern problems like drug-smuggling, illegal immigration, organized crime, disorganized crime, and suffocating government regulations. Melville would have been shocked to see what has become of what he called ‘the dearest place to live in, in all of New England.’ Rory Nugent tells the fascinating story of New Bedford the way it really is, not the way wistful romantics would like to remember it.”
—Richard Ellis, author of Men and Whales
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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111 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 9, 2017
Nugent examines the seedy underbelly of the New Bedford, Massachusetts docks in a blend of fact and faction. He organizes the book by focusing on a colorful dockside character for each chapter. And what a seedy underbelly it is: drug usage, drug peddling and drug smuggling; HIV/AIDS; rampant unemployment; organized and disorganized crime; prostitution; gangs; fencing stolen goods; illegal immigrants; illegal fishing.
Everyone seems to be watching over their shoulder for cops hunting them down for their outstanding warrants while they are lining up their next scam to sue a restaurant or sink a boat for the insurance money. The author portrays this as the end of an era: the last days of the Wild West on the Open Sea. Big boats owned by corporations are taking over the fleet and government regulations are stifling the spirit of entrepreneurship and the dockside free-for-all.
New Bedford is still the largest fishing port in the United States in terms of value of the catch (mostly scallops, not fish) but the little guys are being forced out. Corporate fleet owners want paperwork: criminal background checks, green cards and drug tests, so indeed the era of lawlessness is ending. Landside, the situation is no better as factories have been closing in New Bedford since the textiles mills started moving out in the 1930's. A nostalgia for the old days, the old ways, and the old guys permeates Nugent's characters and his writing.
I grew up in New Bedford and lived there through the 1970's and still return for visits. It's true that unemployment in the metropolitan area has dramatic cycles ranging from an unthinkable 16% in the early 1990's (and again in the 2009 recession) to an equally amazing 4% around 2000. But the city is a phoenix. It survived its decline from its status as the world's greatest whaling port, and then, pre-North Carolina, it rose and fell as one of the world's largest textile producing cities, and pre-China, it rose and fell again as one of the nation's largest apparel manufacturing centers. It will survive the transition in the fishing industry. There is even some evidence of gentrification and yuppification (don't tell the dockside guys) and folks now drive down from Boston on the weekends to go to waterfront restaurants and antique shops - something unthinkable a generation ago.
The city houses one of the largest Portuguese populations in the United States (many of Nugent's characters are Portuguese) and it needs to go with the flow, build on that uniqueness, and create a "Little Portugal" to attract more tourists. Visit New Bedford and its wonderful Whaling Museum (now affiliated with the Smithsonian), eat in a Portuguese restaurant, and walk down to the waterfront. Just don't go dockside at night.
Image from The Connecticut Yankee Blog (Revised 1/9/2016)
Everyone seems to be watching over their shoulder for cops hunting them down for their outstanding warrants while they are lining up their next scam to sue a restaurant or sink a boat for the insurance money. The author portrays this as the end of an era: the last days of the Wild West on the Open Sea. Big boats owned by corporations are taking over the fleet and government regulations are stifling the spirit of entrepreneurship and the dockside free-for-all.
New Bedford is still the largest fishing port in the United States in terms of value of the catch (mostly scallops, not fish) but the little guys are being forced out. Corporate fleet owners want paperwork: criminal background checks, green cards and drug tests, so indeed the era of lawlessness is ending. Landside, the situation is no better as factories have been closing in New Bedford since the textiles mills started moving out in the 1930's. A nostalgia for the old days, the old ways, and the old guys permeates Nugent's characters and his writing.
I grew up in New Bedford and lived there through the 1970's and still return for visits. It's true that unemployment in the metropolitan area has dramatic cycles ranging from an unthinkable 16% in the early 1990's (and again in the 2009 recession) to an equally amazing 4% around 2000. But the city is a phoenix. It survived its decline from its status as the world's greatest whaling port, and then, pre-North Carolina, it rose and fell as one of the world's largest textile producing cities, and pre-China, it rose and fell again as one of the nation's largest apparel manufacturing centers. It will survive the transition in the fishing industry. There is even some evidence of gentrification and yuppification (don't tell the dockside guys) and folks now drive down from Boston on the weekends to go to waterfront restaurants and antique shops - something unthinkable a generation ago.
The city houses one of the largest Portuguese populations in the United States (many of Nugent's characters are Portuguese) and it needs to go with the flow, build on that uniqueness, and create a "Little Portugal" to attract more tourists. Visit New Bedford and its wonderful Whaling Museum (now affiliated with the Smithsonian), eat in a Portuguese restaurant, and walk down to the waterfront. Just don't go dockside at night.
Image from The Connecticut Yankee Blog (Revised 1/9/2016)
March 28, 2009
Absolutely riveting, informative, and entertaining book about New Bedford, Mass ... and the "characters" who inhabit the town's decaying commercial fishing industry. A perfect antidote to Kurlansky's THE LAST FISH TALE, which detailed Gloucester's declining fishing business.
March 11, 2010
This book is about a bunch of very colorful characters who call the fishing port of New Bedford their home. The book gives a good perspective on the decline of the fishing industry, and textile industry, in New Bedford, and New England in general. The book is a series of character portaits of real life "characters"; fishermen, bar and cafe owners, and others who are still making a living, barely in some cases, related to the fishing trade. Well written but somewhat repetitive, overall a fascinating portrait of a declining port that is a microcosm of many industries in America. The real fascination of the book is the people, not the history, and Nugent does a great job bringing them to life.
May 13, 2009
If you read nothing else, read Chapter 5. If that is too much you have to read the segment in that chapter: Genesis (p.213 - 240). That portion is a brief history of the origins of the New Bedford whaling industry which start with the courageous act of a woman named Mary Coffin Starbuck.
March 4, 2018
When I visited New Bedford to see the whaling museum it seemed like a quite pleasant neighborhood, so this story about the docks area was a shock for me. New Bedford, famous from Moby Dick, had the first oil cartel in the world, using whale oil, and used that money to invest in factories. Whaling died out late in the 19th century, and later the factory work moved to anti-union states. The fishing grounds were overfished. A big event was the end of the Cold War, when the Coast Guard was freed up to seriously police the drug trade -- the drug trade had made heavy use of unemployed New Bedford residents, conveniently located by a good harbor. After the cold war, those people truly were unemployed and desperate, as they remain.
The book is old enough that there are no questions about how the people voted, but it would be a good question for politicians -- should these people vote for you? why? what would you say to them? Their attitudes toward things like truth, citizenship, and meaning are so utterly foreign to anything I was ever taught that I have no idea how those questions could be answered.
The book is old enough that there are no questions about how the people voted, but it would be a good question for politicians -- should these people vote for you? why? what would you say to them? Their attitudes toward things like truth, citizenship, and meaning are so utterly foreign to anything I was ever taught that I have no idea how those questions could be answered.
March 10, 2009
In Nugent, America has at last produced an heir to the king of narrative non-fiction. DOWN AT THE DOCKS mines the dark seam that runs through the waterfront and offers up an amazing ride.
August 11, 2024
This nonfiction book is a series of "stories" about New Bedford, MA written by journalist and long-time NB resident Rory Nugent. I was born and grew up in NB so I picked up this book as part of a challenge to read a book about your hometown.
I found much of the information very interesting. I learned many things about the city that I didn't know previously. Nugent did a good job of capturing the community and life of the fishermen in New Bedford. As the daughter of a fisherman, I found it accurate and well-researched. I really enjoyed the information about the rise and fall of the mills and the whaling history. Hands down my favorite part of the book was Chapter 5, Whalebone which shares the story of Mary Coffin Starbuck and The Petticoat Society on Nantucket. I had never heard of this piece of history and found her (and her organization) fascinating.
Overall this was an interesting book, although not every chapter was super engaging. It was a bit of a dull read in places and could have used more editing. Be aware that there is a good deal of language, alcohol use, drug use, misogyny, racism and illegal activity in the book.
I found much of the information very interesting. I learned many things about the city that I didn't know previously. Nugent did a good job of capturing the community and life of the fishermen in New Bedford. As the daughter of a fisherman, I found it accurate and well-researched. I really enjoyed the information about the rise and fall of the mills and the whaling history. Hands down my favorite part of the book was Chapter 5, Whalebone which shares the story of Mary Coffin Starbuck and The Petticoat Society on Nantucket. I had never heard of this piece of history and found her (and her organization) fascinating.
Overall this was an interesting book, although not every chapter was super engaging. It was a bit of a dull read in places and could have used more editing. Be aware that there is a good deal of language, alcohol use, drug use, misogyny, racism and illegal activity in the book.
March 7, 2023
Hard to really wrap my arms around what a wild and irrepressible book this is. Truly captures a side of New Bedford I have only seen glimpses of. He truly commits to the bit and doesn't pull any punches. Loved this one.
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May 12, 2020An amazing, incredible book. Every salt-encrusted page pulls you into a world that few are privy to. Only Nugent could have written this book and only he could have crafted it so beautifully
January 22, 2023
I don’t understand how this could be published- the author uses absolutely no Dialogue Tags !
Loved the story but I’m just miffed..on how he can get away without Dialogue Tags!
Loved the story but I’m just miffed..on how he can get away without Dialogue Tags!
April 30, 2009
It seems that someone is always coming along trying to take up the mantle of Ernest Hemingway, Damon Runyon, or even Mickey Spillane – tough guy writers doing the no nonsense narration of tough guys doing tough things. There's a certain swagger in the voice, a mutual macho-fest in celebration of all things manly. As if fistfights, murder, and clubbing baby seal on an ice flow in Newfoundland, were still exclusively male dominated. Well, okay, maybe slaughtering seals is still a male only sport, I have no statistics to say different. Of course it'd be nice to think it was. Only the world is changing and so is the tone – I've heard some pretty persuasive badass talk coming from teenage girls selling crack on street corners. Not that I'd want to listen to them narrate a story. I'm just trying to make a point.
Rory Nugent has done some pretty serious badass stuff. He's sailed across the Atlantic four times by himself. The last trip his boat sunk and he floated around in the middle of the ocean for five days until he was rescued. As a journalist he's hung out with machete wielding African militia, radical Islamists, and armed rebels of many different stripes.
To read the rest of this review, please follow this link to The Sylvan Echo's Book Review page.
Rory Nugent has done some pretty serious badass stuff. He's sailed across the Atlantic four times by himself. The last trip his boat sunk and he floated around in the middle of the ocean for five days until he was rescued. As a journalist he's hung out with machete wielding African militia, radical Islamists, and armed rebels of many different stripes.
To read the rest of this review, please follow this link to The Sylvan Echo's Book Review page.
October 31, 2009
As immortalized in Moby Dick, New Bedford, MA was once the thriving center of North America’s whaling industry. Today, after successive waves of failure, the disintegration of the whaling, oil, textile, and commercial fishing industries, New Bedford is not a hopeful place. About the town, Nugent says, “the only place busier than the unemployment office is the women’s shelter.”
Nugent describes fishermen running drugs to make ends meet, close calls with Coast Guard cutters, schemes to sink boats and collect on insurance policies, drug-infested crews, legends of record catches, and a man who has survived three epic shipwrecks with all hands lost. With his profile of New Bedford, Nugent is certainly more interested in presenting colorful characters and entertaining anecdotes than in honest journalism, and yet, so many details of Nugent’s crumbling fishing town ring surprisingly true.
Nugent describes fishermen running drugs to make ends meet, close calls with Coast Guard cutters, schemes to sink boats and collect on insurance policies, drug-infested crews, legends of record catches, and a man who has survived three epic shipwrecks with all hands lost. With his profile of New Bedford, Nugent is certainly more interested in presenting colorful characters and entertaining anecdotes than in honest journalism, and yet, so many details of Nugent’s crumbling fishing town ring surprisingly true.
April 29, 2009
Down at the Docks is a compilation of stories outlining the New Bedford waterfront. Each chapter features a main character who has a relationship with the author, Rory Nugent. By doing so, fun facts, stories and brief history lessons on fishing and the Greater New Bedford area are presented to the reader.
As a grandson of a commercial fishing boat owner/captain during the time of Rory's narration, the book is very well written and packed with factual information. Most interesting is the political & public policy decisions that impacted the local economy (fishing regulations, textile labor union unrest, etc).
I highly suggest this book to anyone who likes nautical themed reading or is interested to learn more about the fascinating history of New Bedford - its rise, fall and current state as a locale thirsting for revival.
As a grandson of a commercial fishing boat owner/captain during the time of Rory's narration, the book is very well written and packed with factual information. Most interesting is the political & public policy decisions that impacted the local economy (fishing regulations, textile labor union unrest, etc).
I highly suggest this book to anyone who likes nautical themed reading or is interested to learn more about the fascinating history of New Bedford - its rise, fall and current state as a locale thirsting for revival.
August 6, 2011
My entire family came from the city of New Bedford, and I've spent a lot of time there - the metro area has an almost mythic quality to our family. The history of the place is not something that I've engaged with - until reading Nugent's incredible book. Anyone interested in the history of America needs to read this book. It covers the Revolutionary War through today, skipping the parts that everyone knows already and getting to what matters – why we came here and what we’ve done with the country since it was founded.
Anyone interested in the history of Southeastern Massachusetts needs to read this book. If you’re interested in the history of Portuguese settlement in America, you need to read this book.
Anyone interested in the history of Southeastern Massachusetts needs to read this book. If you’re interested in the history of Portuguese settlement in America, you need to read this book.
November 14, 2012
This an excellent portrait of New Bedford just half a decade ago told through a series of portraits of denizens of the waterfront. The tone is absolutely perfect, and some of Nugent's turn-of-phrase really stopped my for their spot-on simple elegance. Gritty, sleazy, outlaws who have little use for rules through the centuries, and now the law is closing tightly, changing the still-largest fishing port in the country forever. I recommend this book for anyone wanting to know how people can keep on going out into the ocean week after week, year after year. The only criticism I have is the manner in which is ended -- very abuptly. Almost like a car with the window left down and the keys still in it. You avert your eyes for a moment, and it's gone.
August 17, 2011
This is a great interview book about the once mighty city of New Bedford now drug ridden and in a state of physical and moral decay. The author interviews fishermen and characters who inhabit the docks and one very interesting upper crust lesbian who lend more flavor to New Bedford than would an actual visit. This book should be required reading for all southern New Englanders. Do not let the first two pages written in pirate speak throw you off I almost dumped the book at page two but the Captain Ahab nonsense ends there.
April 12, 2012
This book was essentially six portraits of people who live in New Bedford, MA, and are part of the fishing community.
As I am fascinated by the working waterfront, and this is right next to Alan's hometown, I found it fascinating. I know Alan and Barry are both questioning some of the facts and voices, but I truly enjoyed the current(ish) glimpse in to the town and the history of the area.
Happy I read it but sad that the bookstore there where I got it is closing. It was always a favorite stop when we were in town.
As I am fascinated by the working waterfront, and this is right next to Alan's hometown, I found it fascinating. I know Alan and Barry are both questioning some of the facts and voices, but I truly enjoyed the current(ish) glimpse in to the town and the history of the area.
Happy I read it but sad that the bookstore there where I got it is closing. It was always a favorite stop when we were in town.
April 19, 2012
Being from the New Bedford area I was very excited to read this book. However I found I was disappointed. The writer seemed to focus on a very narrow segment of New Bedford life and to be honest, a lot of it didn't seem true. The author did not provide a lot of context or history and presupposed a working knowledge of local fishing boats. Furthermore the dialogue itself seemed contrived.
The book was entertaining, some interesting characters and a unique insight into New Bedford's dying fishing industry.
The book was entertaining, some interesting characters and a unique insight into New Bedford's dying fishing industry.
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August 27, 2010I don't believe a word of this book mainly because I checked on the historical figures Capt Pelham Smith Ricker, Hosea Ricker, Abigail Coffin Ricker, Elizabeth Coffin, and Leander Coffin and couldn't find anything about them. Also, it seems that all the fishermen in the book are liars, thieves, drunks, and/or drug addicts. "Sailor" might think it makes a good story but it's too much of the same thing.
November 27, 2015
This is a series of non fiction character sketches by a guy who lived in New Bedford for 18 years boating , hanging out and partying with fisherman and others at the docks. To me it rings true, offering an unvarnished picture of some New Bedford people, what they are like, how they talk and their view of the world. Reading it felt like I was spending time at the docks.
September 28, 2014
Portraits of New Bedford fisherman, in the good times and bad, woven with maritime and industrial history of what was once the most important commercial fishery in North America. The caricatures are far too lengthy, but redeemed by chapter five: a fascinating essay on a matriarchal whaling society in the 1700s, lesbianism among society widows, and the current day seedier side of New Bedford
April 3, 2009
I didn't like the writing style of this book. I hated the flow and how the narrator would just pop up in the middle of a chapter. I know New Bedford has its problems and I knew this would not be a book about the glory days but I still was disappointed.
Want to read
July 5, 2009I put this book in here to remind myself to look at it for Chris.
May 17, 2011
3 STARS: lots of good individual stories, but not cohesive
November 23, 2012
A look at New Bedford, MA and its rise and fall in industry, culture, and crime-- through some engaging, entertaining characters and some well done historical fiction.
August 23, 2013
Great read. I am a native of New Bedford. The book captures the continuous, incredible decline of a once great New England city. Fascinating and heartbreaking.
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August 4, 2016If you're going to read anything about life on the ocean, this one transcends all the cliches. I wish he got more attention.
July 4, 2009
all right ....would argue some factual things with the author
December 6, 2011
depressing
Want to read
April 23, 2017I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118619
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13118619
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews