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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
Not as good as Salt, but still pretty great. Mark Kurlansky is quickly becoming my favourite history author. His writing expertly mixes the factual with the anecdotal, which makes it a lot easier to retain information. I'm eventually going to read all his books, and I'm especially interested in his book on the Basques.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
sad
medium-paced
informative
fast-paced
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
informative
funny
informative
slow-paced
Overall I enjoyed the story that Kurlansky told. You will be surprised at the role cod played in the history of Europe and the Americas, and you will be equally amazed in the way that this book shows the impact humans have upon nature. I would have given this book 4 stars, however I feel that Kurlansky has made some large generalizations that were not credited to any sources. In fact, not a single source is cited in this history book. I know it's not common to footnote/endnote in narrative nonfiction, but there are times when this book needed it. Adding a bibliography to the end of this book just does not cut it.
Informative and entertaining! I took a boat tour of a Maine island this summer, and the captain/tour guide referenced this book frequently. He painted a very bleak picture of the current state of the ocean, but the history he shared was so intriguing that I bought the book immediately after the trip. I was not disappointed!
Reader beware, this book is a cautionary tale in many ways, and the ending is not a happy one. It is certainly worth reading though if only to have a better understanding of the great extent to which fishing has shaped our history. I had no idea! Mark Kurlansky tells the story in such a way that you are amused enough to prevent depression. It's easy and fun to read, and you are essentially learning the things you might have missed in American and European history class. As an enthusiastic eater of fish, I especially appreciated the inclusion of old cod recipes! If you are a fish eater and/or an appreciator of little-known history you will definitely enjoy this short look at our history viewed through the cod lens!
Reader beware, this book is a cautionary tale in many ways, and the ending is not a happy one. It is certainly worth reading though if only to have a better understanding of the great extent to which fishing has shaped our history. I had no idea! Mark Kurlansky tells the story in such a way that you are amused enough to prevent depression. It's easy and fun to read, and you are essentially learning the things you might have missed in American and European history class. As an enthusiastic eater of fish, I especially appreciated the inclusion of old cod recipes! If you are a fish eater and/or an appreciator of little-known history you will definitely enjoy this short look at our history viewed through the cod lens!
4.5 stars. Another well written and researched book by Mark Kurlanksy. History of the cod with all sorts of interesting bits: it's economic impact (boon and devastation) in Iceland, Newfoundland, New England and other parts of Europe; marine ecology, the cod fishing wars in the 1970s; and all sorts of recipes from around the world.