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The Highest Tide: A Novel Audiobook
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(3.01) - 2,972 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
A spellbinding first novel about a young boy's fascination with the wonders of the seashore during a summer that will change his life. One moonlit night, thirteen-year-old Miles O'Malley slips out of his house, packs up his kayak and goes exploring on the flats of Puget Sound. But what begins as an ordinary hunt for starfish, snails, and clams is soon transformed by an astonishing sight: a beached giant squid. As the first person to ever see a giant squid alive, the speed-reading Rachel Carson-obsessed insomniac instantly becomes a local curiosity. When he later finds a rare deepwater fish in the tidal waters near his home, and saves a dog from drowning, he is hailed as a prophet. The media hovers and everyone wants to hear what Miles has to say. But Miles is really just a teenager on the verge of growing up, infatuated with the girl next door, worried that his bickering parents will divorce, and fearful that everything, even the bay he loves, is shifting from him. While the sea continues to offer up discoveries from its mysterious depths, Miles struggles to deal with the difficulties that attend the equally mysterious process of growing up. In this unforgettable, beguiling novel, we witness the dramatic sea change for both Miles and the coastline that he adores over the course of a summer—one that will culminate with the highest tide in fifty years.
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"This is my second Lynch book. The guy is great. The story is centered around the tidal flats of Puget Sound. If you've ever been on or near any tidal flats and walked about but basically not thought much about what goes on there, this story will amaze you. I want to take a field trip soon."
— Linda (5 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“The Highest Tide is a plunge into sustained and intelligent wonder. Jim Lynch creates a richly tumultuous world on a microcosmic stage. His characters and events are as complex and surprising as the sea that surrounds them. He's got me re-reading Rachel Carson and itching for tide pools of my own.
— Katherine Dunn, author of Geek Love -
A small but engaging debut that works both as a poignant coming-of-age story and an enchanting primer on the life acquatic. The Highest Tide is as crisp and clean as a cool dip into the water, and just about as refreshing.
— Entertainment
Awards
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Among shortlisted titles for Audie Award Finalist, 2006
The Highest Tide Listener Reviews
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" Such a great book for anyone who walks along the saltwater at low or high tide. A coming of age book somewhat similiar to Sky Fisherman. I thought it was wonderful!!! "
— Carmen, 2/15/2014 -
" Yes, the coming of age story of a young boy and a turning-point summer, but it's wrapped in a lot of Pacific Northwest marine biology too! "
— Rachel, 2/9/2014 -
" I really liked this book. Easy read and Miles was easy to like "
— Nikki, 1/29/2014 -
" Still reading this one, but have to return it to the library, so... to be continued. "
— Julie, 1/28/2014 -
" Nice book. I like things about the Pacific Northwest. "
— Trina, 1/21/2014 -
" Compelling ecological read "
— Kayne, 1/3/2014 -
" Fantastic coming-of-age story, and you will learn much about sea life in Puget Sound along the way. "
— Tracy, 12/19/2013 -
" A very sweet book about coming of age and life on the coast. Not my usual book but I did enjoy ! "
— Zbeth, 12/7/2013 -
" A coming of age story of 13 yr old Miles O'Malley living on Puget Sound in the Pacific NW. He is obsessed with marine life and stuggles iwth insomnia and his parents dissolving marriage. I really enjoyed the way the author wrote. Miles' friendship with Kenny Phelps was so funny. "
— Astrida, 11/24/2013 -
" A little bit like a Puget Sound version of Boy's Life or Out Stealing Horses. In other words, another story about a young boy growing up, with a bit of magical realism thrown in, maybe. Not quite as good as Boy's Life, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. "
— Rika, 11/5/2013 -
" Cute, easy read. Kind of a feel-good story. "
— Sharon, 10/28/2013 -
" Great book set in the bays and rock-pools around Olympia, WA. The first half especially with it's description of strange marine life was ace. IMDB says it's being made into a movie (pre-production) right now. "
— David, 10/25/2013 -
" I absolutely loved this story. The characters, the imagination, the humor, the setting and environment... felt similar to Tobias Wolf to me. "
— Starla, 5/18/2013 -
" Inspirational. Stunningly beautiful descriptions. It made me really look at the world around me with a new appreciation and to think about the meaning of science and it's connection with faith. Very full of meaning and touching. "
— Mary, 1/27/2013 -
" I really enjoyed this book. The main character was loveable and there was lots of interesting information about ocean life. "
— Laura, 1/15/2013 -
" I have been missing my favorite intertidal creatures since I left Monterey, but the descriptions of sea life in this book reminded me that I can go visit them right here in Puget Sound too! The story line is a little predictable, but I think it is a great summer read. "
— Heather, 1/13/2013 -
" A sweet coming-of-age story. "
— JulieK, 8/13/2012 -
" Excellent story and characters keep you interested throughout. An air of mystery without being fantasy. "
— Lee, 7/21/2012 -
" It made me much more observant, Rachel Carson would be so proud! "
— Marilyn, 6/2/2012 -
" I loved the description of ocean life at low tide. I loved the boy's take on the people in his life. I loved the homage to Rachel Carson. "
— Michele, 5/18/2012 -
" I didn't really care for this story it moved very slow for me. Not sure that this author is for me. "
— Cindy, 5/2/2012 -
" I liked this coming-of-age story, but i didn't find it particularly compelling. My favorite thing about it was learning about different kinds of sea life, and i also liked that i was familiar with Puget Sound, the area that was being written about. Overall, it was alright. "
— Colin, 3/27/2012 -
" This coming of age book was engaging and I could well imagine this as a movie. However, I found the ending less than satisfying. I loved the setting as it is very near where I live and I knew several of the places and wondered which names had been changed in both character and setting. "
— Ann, 10/23/2011 -
" One of my all-time-favorite books! Miles is quite a character, and I love the way Jim Lynch made this an ecology of childhood novel. And I first read it sitting on the beach in Wilmington, NC which made it all the more sensory. "
— Leanna, 9/1/2011 -
" Tad whimsical but an enjoyable, easy read. "
— Leander, 8/8/2011 -
" Enjoyed this book! Loved that it's set in Olympia. Finding that journalists write books that really keep the story moving. "
— Valerie, 5/19/2011 -
" I really liked this book. Easy read and Miles was easy to like "
— Nikki, 5/18/2011 -
" Pretty honest and sincere coming-of-age story. Some beautiful scenes and a realistic take on the ignorance and understanding of a boy on the verge of becoming a man. "
— Spencer, 5/6/2011 -
" couldn't stop reading. really cute ya book about intertidal life and growing up on the puget sound. super stoked that i actually knew a lot of the species and areas from the book. "
— Malloree, 4/30/2011 -
" Three point five starts, I'd say. I nice, whimsical read about a boy, a beach, and the stuff he finds there (based out of Olympia, WA). "
— Amanda, 4/20/2011 -
" Surprisingly really enjoyed this book - possibly aimed toward YA, but turned out to be one of my favorite book we read that year. I would recommend this. "
— Summerfly, 4/1/2011 -
" Written from a 13 year old's perspective. Great! "
— Lauralee, 3/25/2011 -
" I loved this book! Right after I finished it, I picked up 'The Sea Around Us' to add some depth to what I read in the novel. "
— Sandy, 3/18/2011 -
" Someone in book group picked this and turned out to be a great book. The bestsellers get all of the hype and I love finding/reading a book I haven't heard much about and turns out to be better than most of what everyone else claims to be good! "
— Robin, 3/12/2011 -
" Good story, good for if you are stuck on some other book you can't get through "
— Kelly, 2/27/2011 -
" Loved this book. It made me want to immediately go to the beach and Olympia. I would read this again. "
— Katie, 2/26/2011 -
" This is the author's first book, and I can't wait to read his next one. The beautiful cover is in perfect keeping with the story, whIch tells of a 13-year-old boy in love with the sea and all its creatures. This story of the events around his coming of age is mesmerizing. "
— Tina, 2/19/2011 -
" I loved this coming of age story. The beauty of the landscape, the Rachel Carson references, and the dynamics of navigating the waters of human interaction were all wonderful components of this story. "
— Cathy, 2/2/2011
About Jim Lynch
Jim Lynch has received the H.
L. Mencken Award and a Livingston Award for Young Journalists, among other
honors. His novel Border Songs won
the Washington State Book Award and is being adapted for television.
About Fisher Stevens
Fisher Stevens was first seen on Broadway at age nineteen in Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Trilogy, and he followed this with a plum role in Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs. Stevens has appeared in many films, including The Flamingo Kid, Short Circuit, Reversal of Fortune, and The Marrying Man.