Scan barcode
smalltownbookmom's review
5.0
A truly inspiring memoir revealing Alexandra Morton's thirty year fight to show how salmon farms in BC are harming the wild salmon (and ultimately the whales). A California transplant, Alexandra came to BC to study communication in whales but quickly observed the damaging effects of the salmon farming industry on the local wildlife and thus began what would turn into a life-long battle. Her dogged determination and selflessness in her scientific studies and environmental activism is extremely admirable! This was the perfect book to read on Earth day and I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone. I had no idea what really goes on in commercial salmon farms and how damaging their effects are on the surrounding ecosystems - this book was in turns eye-opening and heartbreaking and I will never look at salmon the same way again! For fans of Braiding sweetgrass, The right to be cold or the movie Dark Waters.
Favorite quotes:
"It's love that makes people stand up and react. The only places that are going to survive us are the places we love so fiercely that giving up isn't an option."
"The lack of political reaction to the damage caused by salmon farming is not an isolated plunder, it's part of a fatal continuum."
"I wanted to hold up a mirror to all of us on the front lines, showing us that we were brave, beautiful, powerful and relentless in winning the future for our children, the fish and the whales."
"Whether the issue is climate change or salmon farms, we need to weigh the validity of the science against its funding source."
Favorite quotes:
"It's love that makes people stand up and react. The only places that are going to survive us are the places we love so fiercely that giving up isn't an option."
"The lack of political reaction to the damage caused by salmon farming is not an isolated plunder, it's part of a fatal continuum."
"I wanted to hold up a mirror to all of us on the front lines, showing us that we were brave, beautiful, powerful and relentless in winning the future for our children, the fish and the whales."
"Whether the issue is climate change or salmon farms, we need to weigh the validity of the science against its funding source."
babyfacedoldsoul's review
5.0
This book absolutely devastated me. I'm from one of the Atlantic Canada towns mentioned by name in this book, and hearing someone finally speak about the atrocities of salmon farms was very validating. I recommend this book as an audiobook, but no matter what format you read it in take it slowly. There's a lot here and it will stir up a whole wave of emotions. All of them are important. Once you know you can't unlearn this information.
qmedna's review
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
Alex really brought us on the journey of how difficulty it can be to deal with environmental problems. The governmental inactions, the criticism from the public who knows no better, the Indigenous communities that views her as both an advocate and a threat. It really opened my eyes on the situation and after getting a chance to speak to her, she really highlighted that it's lonely but someone's gotta do it.
abbeylewis's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
A bit hard to keep track of everyone and the timeline but a great read- usually nonfiction bio books like this can be tough to get through but this one read more like a fictional book. The DFO frustration and helplessness though 😡
sarah984's review
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This is an interesting book about marine life, the experience of doing science, the challenges with modern activism, and the repeated failures of both provincial and federal governments in standing against industry to defend the environment. Even the one minor victory laid out in this book was later overturned by the courts for being "unfair" to industry (and more studies are published while no one does anything).
(https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/salmon-at-increased-risk-of-exposure-to-harmful-bacteria-near-b-c-fish-farms-study-suggests-1.6463403) This article was published May 24, 2022, while I was reading this book.
(https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/salmon-at-increased-risk-of-exposure-to-harmful-bacteria-near-b-c-fish-farms-study-suggests-1.6463403) This article was published May 24, 2022, while I was reading this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty and Animal death
dingbat99999's review
4.0
It's incredibly discouraging and aggravating to read how your own government deliberately and repeatedly commits stupid acts at the behest of foreign corporations. And to treat their own citizens as lesser beings.
joannema7's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
More...