Cod
A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World
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4.2 • 96 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
“A charming fish tale and a pretty gift for your favorite seafood cook or fishing monomaniac. But in the last analysis, it’s a bitter ecological fable for our time.” –Los Angeles Times
An unexpected, energetic look at world history via the humble cod fish from the bestselling author of Salt and The Basque History of the World
Cod is the biography of a single species of fish, but it may as well be a world history with this humble fish as its recurring main character. Cod, it turns out, is the reason Europeans set sail across the Atlantic, and it is the only reason they could. What did the Vikings eat in icy Greenland and on the five expeditions to America recorded in the Icelandic sagas? Cod, frozen and dried in the frosty air, then broken into pieces and eaten like hardtack. What was the staple of the medieval diet? Cod again, sold salted by the Basques, an enigmatic people with a mysterious, unlimited supply of cod. As we make our way through the centuries of cod history, we also find a delicious legacy of recipes, and the tragic story of environmental failure, of depleted fishing stocks where once their numbers were legendary. In this lovely, thoughtful history, Mark Kurlansky ponders the question: Is the fish that changed the world forever changed by the world's folly?
“Every once in a while a writer of particular skill takes a fresh, seemingly improbable idea and turns out a book of pure delight. Such is the case of Mark Kurlansky and the codfish.” –David McCullough
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
No fish story, this is a sapient and vivid chronology of the immense impact and influence the cod fishing industry has had on the human race. The cod fish has played a major role in the economics, sustainability and diplomacy of many countries and societies throughout history, explains Kurlansky (A Continent of Islands). Kurlansky effectively weaves philosophical thought with facts and vignettes on the history of the various cod fishing enterprises that have emerged and faded through the ages. Wars over fishing territories and rights have plagued cod fishing ever since humans took to the sea, and Kurlansky traces these hostilities through short history lessons that are easily absorbed and understood. Personal quotes and cod recipes from slaves, kings, diplomats, fisherman and noted scholars such as Thoreau and Kipling cast a glistening view of the grasp this fishing industry had on society. The book's final section, "A Cook's Tale: Six Centuries of Cod Recipes" describes the use and preparation of cod from the days of the Vikings through the 1900s. Complete with a detailed bibliography, this remarkable and informative volume should net any number of happy readers. Illustrations. Rights: Charlotte Sheedy.
Customer Reviews
Complete Picture
Interesting read. Was slow in parts but very well written and informative.
Cod
Outstanding.
Harsh realities
I found this book interesting, however if you do not like to read non-fiction this would be a tough book to get through. I particularly enjoyed the first half of the book that talked about the 16,17,1800s because I really did not realize how big of an impact that Cod fish had on different world events. As the book came to a close it was sad to read about the harsh realities of over fishing. Is there an accurate way to predict when fish have become overfished? Or an accurate way to determine when the populations will return? Maybe technology can help us better answer these questions but I feel that this is another prime example of how detrimental humans can be to the environment.