Review: Cod

Cod--that whitest of the white-fleshed fish, prize of every fish-and-chips establishment--gets expert, loving, and encyclopedic handling from Food and Wine columnist Kurlansky (A Chosen Few: The Resurrection of European Jewry, 1994, etc.). There was one very good reason that tenth-century Vikings made it to the New World: Norway to Iceland to Greenland to Canada, they followed the exact range of the Atlantic cod. When explorers pushed off European shores in search of Eldorado, others made straight for the cod fisheries of the North Atlantic; the codfishers got by far the better results. Writing with a bright, crisp, journalistic flair, Kurlansky situates the cod in all its historic glory: the mysteries of the early Basque fisheries, the role of Catholic lean days in generating a profitable market, and the rise of the codfish aristocrats. The fish ascended from a commodity to a fetish: on coins, newspaper mastheads, tax stamps, official crests and seals. The author explains how a cod run could determine an entire regional economy and how salt cod figured in slave trading. Then came the steam engine and frozen food, changing the face of a dory-and-schooner fishing practice that hadn't seen a makeover in eons. The revolution wreaked havoc on the marketplace and just plain wrecked the bank fisheries. Territorial boundaries; the complexities of marine ecology; old, annotated recipes for preparing cod; place portraits of Gloucester, Mass., and Newlyn, England; and the current moratorium on cod fishing--Kurlansky sketches them all in his effort to compose this smart biography of the famous groundfish. Will the cod come back? Kurlansky demurs; maybe its place will be usurped by the ratty Arctic cod: ""Nature, the ultimate pragmatist, doggedly searches for something that works. But as the cockroach demonstrates, what works best in nature does not always appeal to us.

If you want to really understand American or European history from before Columbus to post WWII this book is a must,

I found the first 2/3's of this book very enlightening. I did not realize how the important Cod was to the world economy from the 1400's through the 1900's. Especially the ties to the slave trade. The story lost steam when it digressed into the environmental issues of the last 40 years and cooking recipes. A good read for those that like hidden history and the history of trade. 

2010-2011 Environmental Science student:
Let me begin by saying this book is in no way a page turner. It seems to drag on and leave the reader with nothing to look forward to. But, this however can be somewhat justified seeing how it is a biography about a fish. This book definitely revolves around both world history and the environment, so if you're interested in those subjects then this book is a good match for you. Even though it has its fair share of boring times, Cod does have its interesting points where the author introduces intriguing facts about cod and the roles its played in history around the world. Overall, I personally disliked Cod, but at the same time learned some interesting things. A good read for people who enjoy biographical novels. 

Review: Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

I heard about this author from Seattle librarian, Nancy Pearl, was on NPR and the theme for her book picks was "One Word Wonders". http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st... While I skimmed parts of ... Read full review

Review: Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

Informative was expected. How many of us know that much about cod? Sounds kinda boring, but surprisingly entertaining and engaging. Read full review

Review: Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

would read again Read full review

Review: Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

Clearly and well written, this long New Yorker article of a book is interesting and informative. I happen to have a whole slew of connections with the subject matter from many different angles, so that probably helped to make it even more interesting. Read full review

Review: Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

Interesting fishy story, nice audio. Read full review

Review: Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World

Interesting history with a lot of humors in the mix. Read full review