BOOK REVIEW: An oyster rennaissance
A ‘shellfishly motivated’ book for those who slurp the delicacy on the half shell - and even those who don’t
August 19, 2026
By Michelle Beckwith
Ten years ago, Virginia Shaffer, a.k.a. Lady Oyster, began a blog about bivalves.
Her new book, Oyster Society: Adventures with the Shellfishly Motivated shows that her her enthusiasm for oysters is undeniable. Many miles and countless conversations later, she now runs an operation of tastings, tours and classes in mid-coast Maine - one tour even explores Tapley Cove Oyster Farm on the Bagaduce River.
“Whether you love to slurp oysters on the half shell, care deeply about coastal ecosystems, or simply delight in following an obsession to its gloriously unexpected end, I think you’ll find something to love in these pages.”
The account could have easily drifted into an advertisement for her business, but she focuses solely on what and who influenced her to leave a corporate job in Boston and follow her heart to the waters and mudflats of Maine. Chapters highlight characters in restaurants, at festivals and along harbors. I learned so much about the history, the shorelines and the environmental implications swirling around this bivalve.
Around the country, the “oyster renaissance” she describes is happening at breakneck speed, with developments in the industry taking place here in our area as well.
A case in point is Stonington oyster farmer Abby Barrows and general manager Aubrae Filipiak who just opened Blue Hill’s new local oyster bar, The Stoop. The business mirror’s Shaffer’s mission to educate the community about oysters’ role in the ecosystem, while focusing on sustainability.
“As tourist season winds down, we hope to curate a series of fall/winter events to appeal to locals, to create a gathering space for our community,” Filipiak told me in a recent interview.
I heartily recommend this title for those who slurp and those who don’t (guilty as charged). At the core, this is a story of reinvention and discovery and I imagine you’ll enjoy spending time with these people like I did: the oyster farmers, the naturalists, the rule breakers and the change-makers.
