Peter Kaufman, who writes about the Alaskan canneries in which he previously worked in during the 70's Vividly captures the mood of that era, in her new book "Barometer's Shadow."

Barometer's Shadow, published by Silvercrest captures a time when protesters burned bras or draft cards and thousands of war veterans came home in thick clouds of marijuana smoke as the lingering specter of Vietnam systematically tore most of the country apart.

"Barometer's Shadow describes some of my experiences back then, the tough grittiness of the times - the drugs, the disillusionment and the hopes that so many of us felt," says Kaufman.

The novel follows the odyssey of Billy McCord, which carries him from Ohio to Kodiak, Alaska, the nation's second largest fishing port.

On Kodiak Island, he finds dozens of transient laborers and roughnecks, many of them down to their last chance.

While on Kodiak, Kaufman fished, drank and absorbed the tall tales of the many characters he met and worked with in three different canneries.

"The pipeline wasn't built yet. Alaska had only been a state for 14 years," Kaufman says. "Kodiak was a wide-open boom town, a fishing port where anything could happen. It could be rough sometimes, especially when the crab and shrimp boats came in and there were 18 to 20-hour workdays.

"We'd get off work and see that the salmon were running. You could fish for them and enjoy the natural beauty of the island. It was quite an experience."

The book takes readers back in time and into an industry many haven't experience. Readers can relate to the story of a young man, working hard, and trying to find himself as a nation struggles with those same questions.

Barometer's Shadow ($13.95) is available in bookstores and online, including www.silvercrestpublishing.com