<DIV>Published to rave reviews in hardcover and purchased by DreamWorks in a major film deal,<i>The Big One</i>is a spellbinding and richly atmospheric work of narrative journalism in the tradition of<i>Friday Night Lights</i>. Here is the story of a community?Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts?and a sporting event?the island's legendary Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby?that is rendered with the same depth, color, and emotional power of the best fiction. Among the characters, we meet: Dick Hathaway, a crotchety legend who once caught a bluefish from a helicopter and was ultimately banned for cheating; Janet Messineo, a recovering alcoholic who says that striped bass saved her life; Buddy Vanderhoop, a boastful Native American charter captain who guides celebrity anglers like Keith Richards and Spike Lee; and Wyatt Jenkinson, a nine-year-old fishing fanatic whose mother is battling brain cancer. At the center of it all is five-time winner Lev Wlodyka, a cagey local whose next fish will spark a storm of controversy and throw the tournament into turmoil.<br>Much more than just a book for fishing enthusiasts,<i>The Big One</i>is an exhilarating story of passion and obsession?and a powerful testament to the dreams that keep us all going.</DIV>