The year is 1830. In the small seafaring town of West Barnstable, Massachusetts, young James Jenkins follows the sailor’s life. Ruth Fish, the daughter of a ship’s captain, bristles with passion to see the world and escape the confines of her small town. Separated for years at a time from home and family, James binds himself to them through letters that span the vastness of oceans and time. Torn between the competing desires of her heart, Ruth imagines a life on the sea, going as far as an...

The year is 1860 in West Barnstable, Massachusetts. Captain James Jenkins, whose livelihood is tied to the sea, is now a merchant captain married to Ruth Fish. Together, they cross oceans, endure unimaginable loss and watch their country devolve into brutal conflict.Cynthia Elder is a novelist, poet and nonprofit leader.Praise for the "Tales of the Sea" series:"A well-developed novel that uses copious historical sources to vividly bring its characters and setting to...