Working on the Edge: Surviving in the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing on Alaska's High Seas

Name: Working on the Edge: Surviving in the World's Most Dangerous Profession: King Crab Fishing on Alaska's High Seas
Price: 3.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6 (322 reviews)
Author: Spike Walker

by Spike Walker

Nonfiction Memoir

4.6 (322)

4.6 stars from 322 reviews

279 pages~4.7 hr readPublished by St. Martin's PressPublished 1991-01-01

$3.99Deal73% off peak

Last checked: Jun 11, 2026

Price history: $2.99 – $14.99

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Price range: $2.99 – $14.99

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Perfect for you if...

You're drawn to true stories where ordinary people risk everything for a shot at real money, told without romanticising the cost.
You want the brutal reality of a job, not a sanitised version. Walker doesn't flinch from the deaths, the exhaustion, or the economic desperation that drives men back.
You appreciate narrative nonfiction that puts you on the boat. The Bering Sea becomes a character here, and you'll feel the cold.

Maybe not for you if...

You need a redemptive arc or a neat resolution. This is about cycles: boom, crash, survival, repeat.
You're squeamish about workplace deaths and industrial disasters. The book doesn't shy away from how men die in these waters.
You prefer uplifting underdog stories. This is grittier and more complicated than that.

About this book

Working on the Edge combines Spike Walker's personal experiences with accounts from survivors of major disasters in the Alaskan king crab fishing industry. The book recreates the boom years of this fishery and the subsequent decline. King crab fishing in the Bering Sea is an exceptionally dangerous profession. The yearly death toll is substantial—forty-two men died in 1988 alone. Fishermen face extreme conditions including 90-mph Arctic winds, 25-foot seas, and demanding physical labor on deck. However, survivors can earn tens of thousands of dollars for a month-long season. Walker depicts the modern-day gold rush that brought hundreds of fortune-seekers and adventure-hunters to Alaska's hazardous waters.

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$2.99 – $14.99

Currently on sale at $3.99 — 73% off peak. Price has dropped 3 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 101 days.

Sales Rank

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Currently around #161K in the Kindle store — a niche title.

Rating & Reviews

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Currently 4.6★ from 322 reviews

Gaining approximately 2 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.6 over the tracking period.

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This book is currently discounted at $3.99. It typically returns to around $14.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.