Rating: 
Summary: Like a schooner, skimming the surface
Review: Mark Kurlansky has written a breezy (yet ultimately gloomy) little book, full of tidbits of knowledge about the cod. It's a fascinating subject, especially if you have ever lived in the parts of the world where cod has reigned supreme. And yes, the author not only tells us about the fish itself, but how nations have struggled over the centuries to protect their collective livelihoods, occasionally warring against each other as national pride and survival were at stake.Several months ago I read Mr. Kurlansky's book, "Salt: A World History". This newer book is far better than "Cod" as it delves deeper into a comestible that REALLY changed the course of history. A problem that I have with both books is the author's writing style. It's very disjointed. He jumps from one geographic area of cod harvest to another and from one time period to another as well. There is no real weaving of a story line here....it's as if he wrote each chapter on a whim. However, I especially like the inclusion of recipes in this book. It gives a "human" side to the cod and allowing readers to view recipes from Europe and North America is a great way to end the book. If you have any desire to read "Cod", I would suggest reading it first before going on to "Salt".
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Food History Book
Review: Mark Kurlansky manages to squeeze quite a bit of information into this rather short book, and yet it doesn't feel like he left anything out. It is truly amazing what an impact cod has had on our world. What at first seems to be a fairly insignificant little fish with an unappetizing name, is shown to be the entire driving force of the economy of several different nations and communities. Mark explains the importance of cod to the world economy, why wars have been fought directly and indirectly over cod, how the cod trade not only supported but also perpetuated the slave trade, and the ramifications of greedily over-fishing. This book is highly recommended for anyone who has any kind of interest in where their food came from, even if they've never eaten cod before. Many things about the cod industry have parallels in other food insustries, such as beef, pork, and poultry production.
Rating: 
Summary: A delightful read
Review: An excellent example of the delightfull surprizes that reward an addiction to browsing. I would not have gone out of my way to search out a book on the history of cod, or even think of cod very often, but upon seeing such a book - how can anyone pass it by - its one of those books you didn't know you needed to read. And it lives up to all expectations. I love books like this one, that reveal all kinds of unforeseen connections between diverse areas of knowledge. My readings of sailing and North Atlantic exploration, European and American history, marine biology, sport fishing, will all be that much more exciting and vivid, after learning how cod changed the world. My only complaint is that it is such a quick read, a couple of airline flights and a layover or two and it was over.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, somewhat informative and a little exaggerating
Review: The best thing about this book is perhaps the unusual subject matter. If people like The Nanny's Fran Desher get to have their autobiographies, why not write one about THE most popular fish in the world? It makes a good read; Prior to reading this book, I had never imagined that one day I would call a book purely about fish a "page-turner". Kurlansky's writing style is very light and highly readable. Although it would claim to be a history book, I highly doubt that it would stand as such under scrutiny. Don't get me wrong, this book is highly informative, and I do not doubt the historical accuracy of the content. In my opinion, a history book will have to be non-judgmental and impartial, and its purpose is to lay out the facts without injecting any personal opinions or overtones. Kurlansky's writing is rather heavy-handed occasionally, he seems rather busy pushing the blame of overfishing in every direction. At times, it is to the point of being comical, as if the fish is writing its own story and out looking for our sympathy. Look what they did to us...... The recipes are fun to read at first, they provide refreshing breaks between chapters. It got ridiculous when I found out that they make up a good 20% of the book. Overall, I would recommend this book as a leisure read. It could have been one that could make an impact on both the industry and the readers, just like Eric Schloesser's Fast Food Nation made me evaluate my eating habits. Instead, it ends of being a book that is rather hard to take too seriously.
Rating:
Summary: Fishy Recipe for History and Evolution
Review: There's a cartoon in Matt Groening, the nine types of professors. One is the single-minded type, as in "The country that controls magnesium controls the world!" His main drawback is that he could be right. Cod sort of reminds me of that. You may not have known how important or popular this particular fish was to most of our ancestors in Western civilization, but, according Kurlansky, Cod was practically like bread. It was easy to fish, there was a ton of it, and once Europeans learned the various ways of drying it (with cold and/or salt) all people could think about was trading this staple. Yes, Kurlansky's book is single-minded, and at times you might forget this is a fish tale. When the Vikings found America, what where they looking for? And how did they manage to sustain themselves through the long ocean voyage? The answers are of course, cod. Kurlansky also has a few outlandish things to say about another favorite topic of his, the Basque, who it appears had been regularly fishing for Cod in Newfoundland long before Columbus found America. They were really good at keeping a secret, you see. Fortunately, there's a serious, or, at least more socially acceptable side, to Kurlansky's fish story. The fishing trade really is threatened. You can no longer practically walk on Atlantic cod. Even Icelanders who found their entire economy changing from one of sustenance to a first world service economy, during the two world wars, have a difficult time protecting their dwindling stock. If Aldous Huxley's grandfather, Thomas, asserted in the 19th century that cod would never become extinct, it was only because he could not imagine the rapid technological changes which would turn fishing into harvesting, and the classic practice of drying fish into freezing it, on board the fishing boats themselves. Good bye bacalao, hello fishsticks. It's a sad tale as ways of life dwindle and change, and even the very essentials of human existence that have lasted for thousands of years go unheard of by the post-industrial society. But are we really evolving into something better? Kurlansky peppers his narrative with quotes from notables throughout the ages and interesting, if often archaic, recipes.
Rating:
Summary: a modern ecological problem given a thin historical veneer
Review: _Cod_ is an entertaining book, especially when Kurslanky reaches more solid ground in his discussion of the more recent problems of overfishing. The first section, which purports to give a 'history of Cod' is, to my eyes, far more problematic. His thesis about the Basque discovery and utilization of North American fisheries long before Columbus strikes me as uncritical acceptance of basque legend rather than historical fact. As another reviewer has noticed, Kurlansky's willingness to cite his sources leaves much to be desired. Despite these criticisms, however, the book is worth reading. Kurlansky's account of the Icelanders' "wars" with the British fishing fleet in the 1970s is gripping (and on far surer ground than the earlier history). His comments about the effects of over-fishing on the economy of the Maritime Provinces and New England are also accurate and moving. The book is also littered with entertaining annotated recipes for preparing Cod. None of these tempted me to put down the book and pick up a spoon, but they do add color to his narrative. My recommendation is thus a guarded one - I have trouble believing all of the pre-1900 'historical' material, but I have no trouble with his moving portrayal of the current problems facing the noble Cod and its hunters.
Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: People think I'm out of my mind when I say the book I most enjoyed recently was the history of the codfish. Read it and you'll understand.
Rating:
Summary: Great fish story
Review: If you enjoy popular nonfiction such as The Perfect Storm, Longitude, or A Walk in the Woods, you'll enjoy this book. The connecting thread is that in each of these, the author uses an interesting narrative angle to describe historical trends and scientific facts without being overly pedantic or dry.
Rating: 
Summary: beware with explosive fish
Review: Originality and patriotism are good things. Cod and his fishing also is. But that definitely isn't by nothing good it's to say that Basques are a special and almost unique race in the World: nationalism are not patriotism neither terrorism. Kurlansky affirms Basques are good sailors and fishermen, and this is true, but he forgets to say Basques weren't nothing withouth the money the Crown of Castilla used to pay him for these labours from the XIIIth century. Basques used to isolate when later Spain declined and turned poor and delayed, and moreover, today, Basque, by means of ETA terrorism have produced until now from 1964, about 1000 people murdered in Spain -I think more than Al Capone in his Chicago days- and they have a good autonomic regime plenty of liberty. Franco's repression was the same in all provinces of Spain, Basques or not. But it seems that to live by the gun is easier than cooking a Cod. This book is amusing, but the author makes a dark, bitter mixture and so, an indigestible meal. Today the times need more care about what we write.
Rating:
Summary: Let's Kill All the Cod
Review: "Cod the Fish etc." is a breezy informative read especially for those interested in some of the driving forces to early trade patterns between the continent, new world and West Indies. The former two desired sugar, mollasses and rum and the latter used the cod to feed to the slaves who,in turn, were fed to the sugar cane fields. More anecdotal than statistical,"Cod the Fish that Changed the World" could have expanded on the slave trade and the economy of early New England (or New Virginia)but is,nonetheless, a pleasure to read. Actually went out and ate some;I had forgot the taste. Oh yes. We ate most of the Cod, and many fishing dependent areas have gone wanting and the industry has far too much capacity.
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