Books Set on Cape Cod & the Islands

"Sexy and satisfying, Big Summer is the perfect quarantine read." --USA TODAY

"The beach read to end all beach reads." --Entertainment Weekly

"Big fun, and then some. It's empowering and surprising--a reminder to put down the phone and enjoy each moment for what it is." --The Washington Post

Deaf author and librarian Ann Clare LeZotte weaves a riveting Own Voices story inspired by the true history of a thriving deaf community on Martha's Vineyard in the early 19th century.

A must-read. -- iKirkus Review, starred review

A triumph. -- Brian Selznick, creator of Wonderstruck and the Caldecott Honor Book, iThe Invention of Hugo Cabret

When a baby is left on the doorstep of a Cape Cod beach house, an unlikely group of women risks all they hold dear to harbor and protect her in this "touching, nuanced summer yarn" (Publisher's Weekly).

A stunning portrait of community, identity, and sexuality by the critically acclaimed author of The Narrow Door

“A richly embroidered cast of characters, a thoughtful exploration of how real friends treat one another, and the true meaning of family all combine to make this a thoroughly satisfying coming-of-age tale. Cape Cod is nicely depicted—not the Cape of tourists but the one of year-round residents—as is the sometimes-sharp contrast between residents and summer people. Hunt has crafted another gentle, moving tale of love and loss: the value of the one and the importance of getting over the other.”—Kirkus Reviews

*A July 2019 Indie Next List Great Read*
*One of Parade's Most Anticipated Books of Summer 2019*
*An O Magazine Best Beach Read of 2019*
*A New York Post Best Beach Read of 2019*

The Brewster Flats are a defining feature in our beautiful town. If you close your eyes and think about what makes this town unique and special, a vision of the Brewster flats will inevitably enter your mind: other-worldly. Alive. Ever-changing. A wonder.

     This essential guidebook presents the most abundantly illustrated and fascinating account of the natural history of Cape Cod, its nearby islands, Block Island, the western coast of Rhode Island, and southeastern Long Island ever published. Exploring the ecology and most common plants and animals of the various regional environments— beaches, dunes, salt marshes, heathlands, and coastal forests— the book also encompasses marine mammals, sea turtles, and fish offshore.
 

Swirling Currents tells the story behind the headlines. Sharks chasing seals chasing fish. Highly endangered right whales getting closer to their demise. Hundreds of cold-stunned sea turtles on frigid Cape Cod beaches. Fishing industry reduced to harvest by quotas as shellfish aquaculture skyrockets. The Gulf Stream, driving the world’s climate, slowing down and the Gulf of Maine heating up faster than predicted with potentially grave global consequences. Swirling Currents describes what led to controversies, compromises and hope for the future as we live with dynamic coastal change.

     What do the wreck of the Liberty ship James Longstreet, Provincetown dune shacks, a great white shark, and surfers at Wellfleet's Lecount Hollow have in common? They're all captured from altitudes of up to 400 feet in photographs by Cape Cod native Christopher Seufert. More than 100 images reveal the cape's ocean currents, tide pools, geological forms, and orderly town grids from never-before-seen angles and perspectives. They also give equal exposure to both hidden corners and well-traveled landmarks of every town on the cape, including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.