Being a fan of the novels of Michael Thomas Ford, I quickly grabbed up this title sitting on the New Books shelf in the Media Room here at the library.  As usual, the mildly provocative cover art by Steve Walker tantalizes the eye.  And I can tell you that the story under that cover did not disappoint either.  As I started to read Changing Tides, however, my initial reaction was surprise and concern that the author was not going to tell another engaging story about the unconventional inhabitants of Provincetown and other East Coast lesbigay enclaves, as he does in previous novels Full Circle, Looking For It, and Last Summer.  Instead author Ford begins with a highly detailed description of a scuba diving sojourn by main character Ben Ransome.  Then he switches to Ransom’s ex-wife and daughter having a huge row while driving from their house in LA to father Ben’s home in Monterey, California.

First of all, most of Ford’s novels are set back East, so I was disappointed that he had moved his setting to California and even more dismayed that the story seemed to be about scuba diving and a crazy teenager named Caddie Ransom.  But all was forgiven when I realized that Michael Thomas Ford has the ability to make you feel as if you are diving right along with the character under the water.  And a teenage girl can get under your skin too when she is as well depicted as Caddie.

I learned to deeply appreciate the wonder of the cold sea under Monterey Bay and the incredibly beautiful wildlife.  No wonder the Monterey Bay Aquarium is recognized as one of the best in the world—they have so many wonderful sea animals right there!  And Caddie?  Well, as difficult and intransigent as she is, you can tell that she gets a kick of life just as her father Ben gets an incredible high from skin diving and his work as a marine biologist.

Enough storyline for you?  Well, sorry, there’s still more, but it’s interesting especially if you’re a fan of the Nobel Prize winning author, John Steinbeck.  A young Steinbeck scholar, Hudson Jones has a manuscript purported to be an undiscovered short story by Steinbeck.  The story strongly suggests that Steinbeck and his closest friend, Ed “Doc” Ricketts, were actually lovers.  Quite an uproarious idea since Steinbeck has always been considered the quintessential ladies’ man.  Ben, Caddie, and Hudson have momentous life experiences during their summer in beautiful Monterey that change them forever.  Bravo Michael Thomas Ford!  You’ve created a novel with unforgettable experiences for your reader as well as for your quirky characters.