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Summary: Not just a book about a fish
Review: This is not just a book about a fish--the groundfish or cod. It is also and primarily a work of economic history. Each chapter suggests an entire subject. Examples: The role of the Hanseatic League in the development of Atlantic fisheries, and the similar role of the European Union; The role of New England merchants in the slave trade through providing the sustenance for Caribbean slaves; the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the degradation of the Atlantic fisheries; the role of international bodies in the 20th century, both in elevating environmental issues to international prominence and in providing a forum for lesser national interests such as Iceland and Canada. Aside from these issues and their human focus, the book is also about a fish, and the role that such a creature can play in our lives. It is a very interesting book.
Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating history of a formerly ubiquitous fish
Review: So you thought the spice trade was important in the history of exploration and discovery? It may run a close second to the cod. Kurlansky writes a compelling history of the role that cod has played in everything from the American revolution to European wars between trawlers and coast guard vessels to the 50s Friday evening fishsticks.
At the same time, Kurlansky also uses the cod to describe how our increasingly "efficient" exploitation of fishing resources is rebounding against us. These methods have nearly killed off a tough, prolific breeder that eats almost anything. The days of hunting fish may be behind us; fish farms may be all that we have in our future.
The book is also filled with interesting recipes from the past and the present, including ways of restoring dried, salted cod to succulence. Hammers, lye and slow soaking all make an appearance. On the side of fresh cod, everything from eastern Canadian fishcakes to Daniel Webster's address to Congress on how to make a proper chowder are included.
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Summary: This book will grab you hook, line and sinker.
Review: I don't even like fish, but I thoroughly enjoyed this wide-ranging socio-economic (and gastronomic) study of how one single food source moved people and nations over the centuries. Kurlansky has an engaging style, and combines a sense of humor with a sense of urgency in looking at man's relation to the natural world--or what is left of it. My one quibble is that he looks at evolution in terms of species survival rather than individual survival (might I suggest to Mr. Kurlansky that he dip into The Selfish Gene?). But that is a small quibble. Here is the real history of the exploration and exploitation of the North Atlantic as that greediest of all species spreads its nets ever wider, gobbling up everything in its path
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Summary: I liked this book about.....Cod?
Review: I did. Not many people would write a book about Cod and before I read it, I wouldn't have considered myself one who would read the biography of a fish. But, it's more of a history lesson than a biography and I was surprised at how convincingly the author argued that Cod have, in fact, changed the world
Rating:
Summary: Well worth the reputation
Review: This book was a recommended book by T.C. Boyle, by far my favorite author (sorry A. Hagy and M. Albrecht). My assumption is he was herded towards it because his forthcoming novel, "A Friend of the Earth" is to be about ecology, environmental issues, and the like.The book came out in 97 and was one of the New York Times top 25 books of the year. For good reason. Kurlansky writes in a very easy to read manner, well written, informative, at times even humorous. Even sprinkled with dozens of cod recipes. The history of Cod is the history of the world, the history of North America, a political essay, an ecological history, and of course, natural history. There are no footnotes, so I am assuming that the book was well researched by the attention to detail Kurlansky exhibits. North America was found due to cod. The Vikings were able to follow Cod from Europe to Nova Scotia and Greenland. It allowed them to have food the entire journey and not have to turn around. The U.S. revolution was partially due to Cod and the trade of it. There is an underlying message about the environment, as the Cod has become very endangered, as well as endangering many people, cities, lands that rely (relied) on Cod for income. Technology allowed us to get ahead of the natural production of this fish and numerous others according to the author. (Once discovered as a delicacy, Orange Roughy almost disappeared after only five years). Read in between the lines and one finds that it is the government subsidizing the fishing industry. The last few chapters are almost painful as entire chunks of Canada and Northeastern U.S. watch hopefully for Cod replenishments so they can go back to their old lives. In a short 264 pages, Mr. Kurlansky delivers 5 stars worth of information. Heavily recommended.
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Summary: Perfect For Detail Junkies
Review: Cod is not for every reader, reflecting as it does the author's deep interest in history, and how individual foods relate to history. What the book gives to thoughtful readers is true context along with its detail. Kurlansky drives home a real point: you cannot separate the fish from the men who risk and lose their lives to extract it from the sea, nor can the food be divorced from the dollars it represents. In culinary terms, I was inspired to start cooking with dried cod; it's the kind of thing you don't notice in your supermarket until something--this book in my case--sticks it into your consciousness with no going back. As a real "foodie" and an incurable history buff, I am thankful that writers like Kurlansky go to the trouble of applying their talents to subjects like this. Food writer Elliot Essman's other reviews and food articles are available at www.stylegourmet.com
Rating:
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: hungry for a lost fish
Review: A purse-sized history of the cod fishery, from the Basques & vikings to the fishes' modern decimation by large scale bottom-dragging. The social & historical ramifications spawned (no pun intended) by the international quest for this fish are incredible. Kurlansky's book weaves historical accounts in choronological order with hundreds of years of recipes for preparing cod. Though the book was well-written, concise, and highly interesting, I found it oddly incongruous to read about the vast decimation of this species yet find myself hungry for the very same fish after reading the next page's recipe for it.
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Summary: Much more than fish!
Review: Finally a widely recommended book that live up to expectations!
If one was just to take a quick glance at the cover their hesitancy to read a book seemingly only about a fish would be understandable but such a face value evaluation of the book sells it far too short!
Far than just looking at Cod this book rangers across the ocean of human experience and can teach us much. The struggles of finding a place for the past within modernity was a major theme throughout the work with a constant stream of unemployed or underemployed fishermen. It isn't often that those of us who grew up thinking that food just magically appeared in our downtown supermarkets are confronted with the question of what responsibility we have to those groups of people who's work made modernity possible - but who have since become marginalized by that same force; namely fishermen and farmers. This is not the major purpose of the book and no easy answers are given but it was certainly a striking aspect to me personally because of what a mess of a problem it is and how many factors get tangled up in it from political to environmental concerns.
Likewise I believe my fellow supermarketers will get a new perspective on man's relationship with food throughout history. Today I decide what I want to eat based largely on whimsy - what I want I can get; in the past the process was inverted with the supply driving the equation not demand. Cultures were shaped by not just the availability of food sources but by the types of food that were available. So interesting seeing the differences between those "fish cultures" and more agrological ones.
Don't let the fishy subject matter deter you from reading this wonderful book if you aren't really of the outdoors persuasion. While like most kids growing up I have done my share of summertime fishing I wouldn't consider myself a fisher by any stretch of the imagination but it didn't matter because this book is about so much more. The writing style is also very engaging, I never got the feeling that Kurlansky was reaching to fill up an entire book about Cod - if anything I felt that he could have gone on a lot longer but restrained himself for literary purposes.
The amount of trash being published these days makes this book's excellence stand out all the more! A must read!
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting and informative , but ...
Review: This book is another interesting and informative, but narrow subject history book of the type this author prefers to write. In some sections it poses as a cookbook. I was irritated by the amount of text actually devoted to Codfish recipes, when what I purchased was a historical type book . The author has a very good writing style. The book covers the early history of some cultures that took advantage of this bottom dwelling fish prized for its unique white meat. The Codfish affected these early cultures as it still does today, where regional and national economies are suffering from the impact of worldwide diminishing Codfish stocks in spite of some sporadic conservation measures.
This reader recommends ignoring the all too frequent codfish recipes interspersed with the good historical information. This book makes for a fine compact interesting history of man's relationship with the Codfish. Ignore the historical section and I suppose it would be a passable Codfish cookbook.
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