What others are saying about Georges Bank

 

“The engaging tale [Bagshaw] spins is centered on the docks of Gloucester, Massachusetts, where the fishing fleet ties up. From there it reaches onto the high seas where the men do daily battle with the elements and back into the town where they live and love. Dangers abound on land and at sea, but, with the author’s practiced hand at the tiller, the story never gets blown off course.” — King County Bar Bulletin, review by William Downing, August 2018

 

“Maggie O’Grady stood a scant 5 feet tall, but she is the towering presence in a tall tale of sea life classically told in Georges Bank, the debut novel by Gloucester native Bradley Bagshaw. . . . In Georges Bank, a historical novel, [Bagshaw] draws on a life career as an attorney with a Harvard Law School pedigree, to weave a tale that pits right against the might of power and greed, climaxing in a courtroom battle fought by two fishing widows against a heartless boat owner, as well as Maggie's personal battles with the wealthy Boston merchant for the affections of their son” — Gloucester Daily Times

 

“Gripping, fast paced and accurate. As a maritime attorney and armchair historian, I found the events and descriptions entirely accurate, not to mention entertaining and gripping. The reader travels through a fascinating, and socially complicated, era where the layers of a fishing community overlapped and co-existed. On top of all that, Bagshaw, a fine maritime attorney in his own right, compellingly shows the personal impact that court decisions such as The Harrisburg had on the families of mariners who went to sea and met their end there. A great read!” — Scott Collins, Seattle Attorney

 

“Georges Bank is a page-turner with substance. It has harrowing scenes of sailing ships in trouble in storms and high seas; it has humor and poignancy in its portrait of women most of whom have little power but a lot of feistiness; and it provides a memorable lesson in the inner workings of the law, which Bradley Bagshaw knows very well. Many readers will be engaged on all three levels, any one of which is reason enough to read the book.” — David Weber, Emeritus Instructor in English, Phillips Exeter Academy

 

“Gloucester, the setting for this gripping novel and the author's home town, survives today as a gritty seaport, teeming with history. Bagshaw brings to tangy life New England's era of dangerous fishing and salty characters. Driving the tale like strong ocean winds are a mismatched love story and the unmasking of old-fashioned villainy.” — David Brewster, founder of Seattle Weekly, Sasquatch Books, Town Hall, Crosscut, and Folio, the Seattle Athenaeum

 

“If you are an American history buff, this book's for you. If you are a sailor, particularly if you have ever sailed out of sight of land or even just slept aboard, this book's for you. If you just like a summer read, this book will provide a great diversion. The book is not short, but I was so taken by the narrative that I found myself reading it in 48 hours. The strong characters, men and women alike, draw you in with their stories and their struggles. I can't wait for another book by this author.” Robert Alsdorf