Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World

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Summary: Cod is the key to western civilization.
Review: Cod links three necessities of life that are often written about with a slant: economics, politics, and environment. History is written from quite an alternative perspective with the focus on an industry and country negotiations rather than a person. Quite an eye-opening book.

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Summary: One of the best historical records I have read.
Review: "COD" This, without a doubt, is one of the best books on the importantance of the economics of the fishing industry I've ever read. It is also a good lesson about the damage we can do by trying to over achieve.

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Summary: The fish that changed the world.
Review: Cod is a story for the ages.Not only was it the way of life for many, it was a major reason European's set sail across the atlantic to reach America. Mark Kurlansky, the author of the book "COD", worked for many years on commercial fishing boats so he had a backround of fish before writting the book. Kurlansky's use of words in the book not only explains to you in detail the way of life of ancient Basque fisherman, but he makes you feel as if you were in the times of when Basque fishing was an uprising prominent respected job. The book is so intruiging the way Kurlansky sums up the history of cod, and describes it as an adventure of the century. To read this book would broden ones horizon of the history of our past and would enlighten the reader that cod not only changed the world but made it what it is today.

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Summary: World history without the testosterone heroics
Review: This book should be compulsory for all politicians to read and for all those people who cry "save our jobs".There will be no jobs if we don't look after the environment, the lesson is here in this beautifully crafted book.I will be sending a copy to our state premier who is advocating logging our old growth forests and replacing them with regenerated forests, the analagies hold true.

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Summary: A very interesting history of the Cod.
Review: After spending a few days in Newfoundland and seeing the many ways this fish was used and how important it was to their economy,I just had to read this book. I was treated to a local dish that, I was informed, was very important and tasty. It was Cod fish lips. After having to sell most of the fish for a living, the lips were kept for local consumption. Years ago it was not a classy dish but today a specialty. I was disapointed that it wasn't mentioned in the book.

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Summary: Frightening Wake-Up Call
Review: If you don't already think that commercial fishermen are an ignorant menace to the world, "Cod" will convince you. If the way we are abusing and manipulating Earth doesn't already have you scared, "Cod" will raise the hairs on the back of your neck.

I am distressed that so many of the previous reviewers missed what to me is the essential point of this book--mankind is destroying nature, Earth, the environment--whatever you want to call it--through his narrow-minded alteration of nature vis a vis overfishing, deforestation, littering, wastefulness, hyper-consumption, etc. For me, "Cod" establishes that the history of Cod fishing as a metaphor for and an example of how we have exploited our most precious resource--our planet.

Kurlansky made a point that had never occurred to me before--that our efforts to repopulate endangered and over-hunted species by releasing members born and bred in zoos, farms, etc. is only making matters worse. The only way for a species to grow successfully and thrive is to let Nature control the process. That way the strongest, best-adapted animals survive. Even our attempts to "fix" the damage we have done are creating more problems. Reading "Cod" has lead me to the conclusion that the only answer, at least when it comes to saving the seas, oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, etc. and all their inhabitants, is to ban all commercial fishing all over the world forever. Our demand for fish/seafood and fish/seafood by-products can be perfectly met via fish/seafood farming.

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Summary: One heck of a good history lesson.
Review: Great book. Written with humility and objectivity. You come away feeling that it's everybody's fault and nobody's fault. His description of proud fishermen and their loss of an age-old profession lends understanding as to how difficult it was and still is for many to just stop fishing and move on to other jobs. Whom are we to blame when so many are at fault over the ages? All I could think of when reading this was Garret Hardin's 1968 essay on the Tragedy of the Commons and how the story of the cod is its perfect example. Kurlansky should think about including it or excerpts from it in a prologue to future editions.

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Summary: Enhance your eating pleasure
Review: Whenever I eat cod now, I can't help but share a nugget of the history of cod with my tablemates. I've loaned this book to three other people and they all loved it. If you find it fascinating to know the history behind why things are as they are today, this book is for you.

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Summary: Querido amigo: leí tu libro y me encantó
Review: No se si este texto llegará a tus mano, ojalá asi fuese. Constato que con los años tu actividad literaria no cesa. Ánimo sigue. Recuerdo con nostalgia las muchas horas de conversación pasadas juntos y tu inmenso amor por mi pais. me enseñaste a quererlo un poco más.

Si tienes tiempo escríbeme: [e-mail]

Saludos: Víctor E. HIGÓN TORES

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Summary: Great prose, great story, must reading!
Review: Cod is a brilliant essay on world history, american history and natural history. Very well written and researched. Putting it down was hard to do. It is a mega example of what has happened to many other species of fish coveted for their commercial or sport value. Our history is not encouraging in this respect. Though some of these species have partially recovered, the cod has a very very hard row to hoe given the passions, pressures, and traditions standing in its way. This work filled me with dispair. As I read the last few chapters I was landing in, visiting, and leaving Providence, R.I. The lead story on the evening news was the fisherman's plight. Cod fishing was closed. I hope more is written on this and that scientists, fishermen, politicians, and the public can reach some reasonable compromise to bring back this great fish. Read this book!