Big John Maclean's life is altered in an instant as a teenager upon the sudden death of his father at which time he assumes responsibility for the welfare of his large family. Undertaking the grueling work of commercial fishing, he helps support them while pursuing his education before settling into a quiet existence of books, teaching, and lobstering on Cape Cod. It's a life filled with friendship, purpose, and solitude-one without the love of his life.Years before, Melissa Gray had left him-never telling him about his son. She raises young William in a world of wealth and privilege, and the boy grows up to become a well-educated and respected physician. But all along, he knows that his father is not dead as he has been told. And with this empty feeling, this uncertainty within, he finally searches out the old man.The story of The Clam Trees of Rock Harbor spans fifty years and takes place between Providence, the city in which Big John is born; Yakima, where young William is raised; and Cape Cod, the place they are both drawn to and love. It's a story of beauty and grace, as the young physician learns about the remarkable life his father has lived.