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Title details for Cod by Mark Kurlansky - Available

Cod

A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

by Mark Kurlansky
Richard Davidson
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
Author Mark Kurlansky pleasantly surprised the world with this engaging best-seller that garnered rave reviews from critics and casual readers alike. His subject for this whimsical biography is the codfish, a species remarkable for its influence on humanity. Cod, Kurlansky argues, has driven economic, political, cultural and military thinking for centuries in the lands surrounding the Atlantic Ocean. Nations like England and Germany have waged wars for cod. Vikings survived on frozen cod during their expeditions to the present America. And, it turns out, European explorers were driven toward North America in pursuit of this humble fish. Kurlansky fills this biography with fascinating anecdotes that show cod surfacing time and again throughout history. The book also serves as a wake-up call, alerting us that the species has nearly been fished out. Richard M. Davidson delivers a reading that is often amusing and always enlightening.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    August 14, 2001

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781449873134
      • File size: 220189 KB
      • Duration: 07:38:43

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Kurlansky's engaging tale of how the human taste for cod has driven economic, cultural, political, and military history became a surprise bestseller when it was published in 1997. It's a fascinating mix of quirky anecdotes, traditional history, and interviews with the people who pull up fish for us to eat. Richard M. Davidson brings verve and energy to the narration, sometimes too much verve--after all, not every codfish fact deserves a verbal exclamation point. Yet, on the whole, his enthusiasm and clear, warm voice engage even the most fish-phobic listener in this well told tale of the cod. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      June 2, 1997
      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.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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