The Oysters of Locmariaquer

On the northwest coast of France, just around the corner from the English Channel, is the little town of Locmariaquer (pronounced "Loc-maria-care"). The inhabitants of this town have a special relationship to the world, for it is their efforts that maintain the supply of the famous Belon oysters, called les plates ("the flat ones"). The Oysters of Locmariaquer is a vivid, fascinating account of how Belon oysters are cultivated. This National Book Award-winning travelogue is also an excursion into the historical background, myths, and legends of Brittany. At the center of this uncommon narrative, presented in turn after turn of slowly accumulating drama, are the lives of people who make the oyster growing possible.