A review by jessferg
The Founding Fish by John McPhee

2.0

My major complaint about this book is that it isn't for the non-fisherperson. The absence of any illustrations/photos/diagrams or even a glossary left me floundering (pun intended...) and while I can figure out the difference between darts and flies etc. (at least enough to proceed with reading) I really have no idea what a shad looks like after over 300 pages of clearly well-researched information. (I mean, I get it's a fish....)

While there is some interesting information here, the book is essentially one long fish tale that will leave the layperson cold. The most interesting chapter deals with the trouble of "history" (specifically here, how in 1778 Washington's army was "saved from famine" by an early shad-run) which brings to light a lot of the issues surrounding passed-down stories and helps clarify the reality of situations based on hard evidence.

I do wish there had been some more discussion regarding the breeding/restocking programs and how they are/are not disrupting natural Darwinian adaptations and what that ripple effect looks like on an entire ecosystem. But maybe that's another book.

Long story short: I can't recommend this book except to fisherfolk - who I think will enjoy it immensely.