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Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed…
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Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World (original 1997; edition 2006)

by Mark Kurlansky (Author), Richard M Davidson (Reader)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
3,232684,072 (3.88)166
A microhistory on the history of Cod, which is not something I ever expected to care about, but this book was an enjoyable trek through history, how crucial it was to human exploration of North America and the trade. The book does leave one a bit sad ultimately, as it's clear that humans are overfishing Cod and other fish, and there is clearly no desire from the fishermen to reduce their catches. One of the best things to happen to Cod were the world wars where fishing was extremely limited for obvious reasons. I came away from the book with a hope that we could just leave the oceans alone for a while to let nature recover. ( )
  driscoll42 | Feb 28, 2022 |
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This book works on several levels. As a broader international history, as a conservation story and as a narrow social history. Plus, if you are looking for a good cod recipe-look no further. Enjoyed it. ( )
  cspiwak | Mar 6, 2024 |
Short interesting book. The story of the cod is about the age of exploration, American Revolution, economics of slave and all the way to the world of today. It’s about how man has learned to empty out the oceans to fill his belly and his pockets. Lots of good stuff ( )
  DonJuanLibrary | Mar 9, 2023 |
This is the best sort of book about geography and history. ( )
  mykl-s | Mar 2, 2023 |
Interesting, well-written history of the impact of cod fishing on the development of North America. Since this was published in 1999, it needs updating now. ( )
  jrtanworth | Jan 5, 2023 |
A microhistory on the history of Cod, which is not something I ever expected to care about, but this book was an enjoyable trek through history, how crucial it was to human exploration of North America and the trade. The book does leave one a bit sad ultimately, as it's clear that humans are overfishing Cod and other fish, and there is clearly no desire from the fishermen to reduce their catches. One of the best things to happen to Cod were the world wars where fishing was extremely limited for obvious reasons. I came away from the book with a hope that we could just leave the oceans alone for a while to let nature recover. ( )
  driscoll42 | Feb 28, 2022 |
What I liked: obtaining a better understanding of world patterns and history of cod consumption. Also, it's a good introduction to how modern man's technological prowess has enabled us to run a short-sighted over-extraction economy. See David Montgomery's King of Fish to see a similar story about Atlantic and Pacific Salmon. It was also interesting to think of a world without fisherman; it does seem a loss that overfishing may eliminate a longstanding way of life, particularly one which creates so intimate a connection with nature, weather, and seasons.

What I disliked: Kurlansky struggled with making the history come alive. There was a lot of bouncing around historically and geographically which seemed to impede my understanding of the history he was trying to relate. Also, I have to wonder if he overplays the role of cod in the American Revolution. Has it genuinely been overlooked in the popular narrative about taxation, tea parties and the colonial economy, or is Kurlansky going too far to serve his book? I'm not sure.

( )
  stevepilsner | Jan 3, 2022 |
This is an older title, but I didn't have a good grasp on the details of cod-heavy fishing communities in New England and wanted to know more. This delivered. On a first blush I would have thought the title was rather exaggerated, but Kurlansky makes a convincing case for how cod has made a major difference in geopolitics for several centuries, especially in northern Europe but also the younger nations of North America (mostly but not exclusively Canada and the US; even the Caribbean plays a role). Amazingly, I think it is still in print, plus the author wrote a companion children's book more recently.

The interstitial recipes are also a treat, to see how so many people across time differed in their preferred preparation for the ubiquitous fish, though excluding a few wouldn't have hurt. ( )
  jonerthon | Jul 3, 2021 |
Too many cooking recipes. ( )
  Paul_S | Dec 23, 2020 |
A fast, fun and informative read about the oversized influence a single fish has had on human history — and how humans managed to all but wipe out the fish once thought immune to overfishing due to its fecundity and toughness.

Lots of little factoid gems buried in the text, like:

• How Basque and English cod fishermen almost certainly had reached the Americas decades before Christopher Columbus' famous voyage (the fishermen kept their discovery a secret to keep monopolizing the magnificent fishing ground they had found)
• That the fortress town of Louisbourg on Cape Breton (which I had visited just days before reading this) was founded where it was not so much for its decent harbor but because it was on the same latitude as the French city of La Rochelle, and thus easy to find via the primitive navigational method of "easting and westing" — sticking to the same easy-to-calculate latitude across the open ocean.
• Cod's role in making Britain's North American colonies economically independent long before political independence. (Britain's mercantilist laws were worthless because New England fishermen brought back far more cod than the British market could absorb, forcing them to allow trade with other nations.)
• The existence of three miraculously non-fatal "Cod Wars" between Iceland and Britain over offshore fishing.

Nice color comes from the collection of cod recipes inserted at the start of each chapter and collected in a sizable appendix at the end of the book. I doubt I'll actually ever prepare any of them, but they were fun to read.

My biggest frustration with the book was no fault of its own: it's nearly two decades old now, and I want to learn more about what's happened to the cod fisheries since its publication in 1999! ( )
  dhmontgomery | Dec 13, 2020 |
A decent enough read, if appropriately depressing, but by the end I felt like he was flailing for a way to wrap up the story effectively. ( )
  RJ_Stevenson | Aug 19, 2020 |
Fascinating. Everything you could possibly ever want to know about cod. ( )
  CatherineMachineGun | Jul 31, 2020 |
Didn't think I would like it, but a friend pushed it on me. Glad he did. ( )
  ShaneBX | Feb 4, 2020 |
This is a brief survey of the management of the Atlantic Cod fishery since the Middle Ages. I'm sure that there will be a revised edition bringing the story forward to 2019 from 1997, when this book was finished. The acidification of the oceans and the gradually warming waters may lead Mr. Kurlansky to a revised edition. As it stands it is a good exploration of how humans try to manage a declining resource. His prose is solid, and his picture is moving. ( )
  DinadansFriend | Oct 7, 2019 |
I often enjoy reading "microhistories": non-fiction that focuses on one very narrow subject but manages to tie that subject into much larger aspects of history and society. I think this may be one of the first books that really popularized this particular subgenre, back in 1997, which is what made it interesting to me. In this case, the narrow subject the book revolves around is the humble codfish, which, it turns out, has indeed played a massive role in human history, as well as telling us some important things about the effect of humans on the natural world today. It's decently written and informative (and also contains a large number of cod-related recipes from many different times and places, if that's something you're into). I will admit that, as someone who has very little inherent interest in fish -- I don't even eat them very much -- I sometimes had a little trouble staying entirely engaged even as I fully recognized the scope and importance of the subject, but I hardly feel like I can complain that a book about fish was a little too much about fish for me. ( )
1 vote bragan | Apr 23, 2019 |
I've enjoyed a number of Kurlansky's books, such as his ones on oysters, and on salt; this rather goes with them in some respects. It's an examination of the business of fishing cod, and how it affected the history of Europe and the United States, including the exploration of the New World. It's written in a light and entertaining style, and Kurlansky obviously enjoyed writing this. I think you'll enjoy reading it. Recommended. ( )
  EricCostello | Jan 6, 2019 |
An excellent book about the history of cod fishing and the depletion of this fish due to overfishing. ( )
  ffifield | Oct 23, 2018 |
Kurlansky charts the history of the world through one its most important resources; the fish that is the cod. Being Australian, my interaction with cod is minimal so I was astonished when I first heard about the Cod War between Britain and Iceland (and that Iceland won), and that cod has played such an important role in our history.

"Cod" covers the Basques, the Newfoundlers, the Icelandic, the British et al and the cod's role in their respective societies. Centuries of overfishing have led to a drastic drop in cod numbers, which terrifies the British, who have made cod and chips a significant part of their diet. Can we save the cod from extinction? After reading this book, I can only hope so. ( )
  MiaCulpa | Aug 19, 2018 |
Kurlansky is terrific at drilling down on a subject, exploring it in scientific and historical detail, while making it readable and digestible. Having said that, of his works, I think I prefer The Last Fish Tale. ( )
  kenno82 | Aug 20, 2017 |
Really good look at the human species, how we can see the unfavorable results of our decisions yet take zero responsibility and continue to make the same mistakes over and over ... ( )
  donhazelwood | Jun 25, 2016 |
This is a book about all things cod. Really. Beyond the historical and ecological significance of the fish there is etymology and art and music and of course, recipes. I have a student worker who is just amazed someone could write an entire book not just about fish in general, but a specific fish at that. Here's my reply: It's a concise book, but did you know that color of a cod fish depends on the local conditions? Also, the colder the water, the smaller the fish because cod grow faster in warmer waters. Better yet, there are fascinating tidbits not related to cod. For example, all English towns that end in "wich" were at one time salt producers. And did you know Clarence Birdseye of Brooklyn, New York held over 250 patents before his death and not all were related to freezing food? But, back to the cod: let's not forget about the historical significance this fish had on the American Revolution! Interesting, right? So, in the end one can safely say it's not just about a fish. ( )
1 vote SeriousGrace | Dec 9, 2015 |
This is essentially a history of the Atlantic nations told through the medium of cod. I'd never thought of the American Revolution in those terms. There are also some excellent saltcod recipes. ( )
  Lukerik | Oct 8, 2015 |
A hearty chowder of fishing lore, naval history, maritime law, traditional cookery, cod biology, and ocean ecology. Would make a nice boxed set with Kurlansky's earlier book, "Salt". ( )
  dele2451 | Aug 6, 2015 |
This wasn't quite as interesting as the author's book on salt but I was surprised that a fish I don't even eat has been so influential. ( )
  jimocracy | Apr 18, 2015 |
A fascinating look at the effects through the ages of cod. Complete with recipes. ( )
  velvetpaws | Jun 15, 2014 |
Highly recommend. ( )
  marshapetry | May 23, 2014 |
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