Nathaniel Philbrick’s book In the Heart of the Sea, on which the movie is based, tells a tale of horror.

A large number of dignitaries and friends from the Vineyard attended the funeral service of Sen. Edward William Brooke 3rd at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday.

In summer, the slam of the screen door announced visitors before they called out the name of who they came to see. It was always special company when it was Uncle Ed.

The dads were both engineers and the moms were stay-at-homes with young ones. The more liberal of the two mothers was Ann Margetson, whose idea it was to share a summer vacation in Oak Bluffs.

Writing about my friend Ken Edelin in the past tense so soon after his death (Dec. 30, 2013) is difficult and satisfying only in view of having an opportunity to salute the accomplishments of an Oak Bluffs black history maker.