Stern Men, by Elizabeth Gilbert

I actually read this fictional book by Gilbert before I read the two non-fictions. It's a good story with vivid characters, but the coolest thing about this book for me was that I was certain I knew exactly how it came about. I've always loved books that are framed with really specific information (in this case, lobster-fishing), and I can totally imagine how she came to it. I have the inclination to make stories out of really interesting new bits of information myself, and maybe someday I'll actually write one down. In this one, she takes arcane bits of lobster lore and uses it as the framework for the life of Ruth, and child of a lobsterman, and at its heart it's basically a coming-of-age story.