Lauded essayist takes to the high seas in hot pursuit of elusive birds artistic ghosts fathers and their memories and above all safe harbor.ampampamp34Among nature writers now working Charles Hood is my favorite.ampampamp34 Jonathan FranzenCharles Hood is on a boat wearing at least two life jackets as he scans the sky for seabirds and plumbs the depths of hisampampamp8212and ourampampamp8212relationship with the vast Pacific Ocean. Winner of the Foreword INDIES Book of the Year for his collection of essays A Salad Only the Devil Would Eat The Joys of Ugly Nature Hood now brings his irrepressible curiosity to the lives of petrels frigate birds sea snakes and flying fish. During our voyage he resurrects Melvilles journey on tempestuous seasampampamp160to San Francisco takes us into the stormtossed minds and paintings of J.