Amazon.com
You probably enjoy eating codfish, but reading about them? Mark Kurlansky has written a fabulous book--well worth your time--about a fish that probably has mattered more in human history than any other. The cod helped inspire the discovery and exploration of North America. It had a profound impact upon the economic development of New England and eastern Canada from the earliest times. Today, however, overfishing is a constant threat. Kurlansky sprinkles his well-written and occasionally humorous history with interesting asides on the possible origin of the word codpiece and dozens of fish recipes. Sometimes a book on an offbeat or neglected subject really makes the grade. This is one of them.
Book Description
A delightful romp through history with all its economic forces laid bare, Cod is the biography of a single species of fish, but it may as well be a world history with this humble fish as its recurring main character. Cod, it turns out, is the reason Europeans set sail across the Atlantic, and it is the only reason they could. What did the Vikings eat in icy Greenland and on the five expeditions to America recorded in the Icelandic sagas? Cod--frozen and dried in the frosty air, then broken into pieces and eaten like hardtack. What was the staple of the medieval diet? Cod again, sold salted by the Basques, an enigmatic people with a mysterious, unlimited supply of cod. As we make our way through the centuries of cod history, we also find a delicious legacy of recipes, and the tragic story of environmental failure, of depleted fishing stocks where once their numbers were te fate of the universe. Here--for scientist and layperson alike, for philosopher, science-fiction reader, biologist, and computer expert--is a startlingly complete and rational synthesis of disciplines, and a new, optimistic message about existence.
Customer Reviews:
Strange, whimsical biography of a fish.......2007-10-15
Mark Kurlansky has made something of a reputation for himself, writing whimsical histories of things which usually don't merit books. His first book in this vein, Salt, was something of a bestseller, and he's written a book on oysters since the current volume. However, today we're writing about Cod, a book which recounts the harvesting, or fishing, of a species of fish mostly from the Atlantic Ocean.
Kurlansky spends most of the book recounting how these fish are caught, prepared, and consumed. The author spends considerable time dealing with the issues of over-fishing, the various controversies surrounding the ownership of the schools and shoals of fish. Each chapter concludes with a short section on preparing the fish, usually including an actual recipe, often from long ago.
I enjoyed this book. I found it unusual, perhaps even unique, and it's a fresh look at history from a really different angle.
A Tremendously Important Story Well Told!.......2007-09-23
Wars have been fought over it, revolutions have been spurred by it, national diets have been based on it, economies have depended on it, and the settlement of North America was driven by it!
There are few fish more important to man than cod and in this endlessly insightful and colorful history of our obsession with this fish, author Mark Kurlansky, a historian, food critic, and world traveler sheds light on a thousand years of human civilization.
Unfortunately, the vast schools of cod that once inhabited the world's oceans and seas have disappeared, the result of overfishing, and may never return again.
This is a tremendously important story well told!
Cod: a very important book.......2007-08-23
Kirlansky deals with history both in this book and in "Salt" like someone swimming in familiar waters. His approach is thematic and this theme ties continents and centuries together.
Would You Rather Be A Fish?.......2007-07-22
This short book suggests that there is more to the codfish than meets the eye - or the palate. It is not a biography; it traces the impact of cod on the economic history of North America and Europe, starting at about the time of Christopher Columbus or, more properly, the time of Columbus' fellow Genovese, John Cabot. It was Cabot who stumbled across the secret fishing ground of the Basques and who claimed it for England under the name "New Found Land." The waters at the tip of the Gulfstream were teeming with cod and the frigid weather was conducive to drying and salting processes that were necessary to preserve the fish on their journey to European markets.
Cod was a "money crop." It was also a source of nutrition that greatly extended the distances that ships could travel without resupply of food. Like other valuable commodities, the cod spawned greed on the part of fishermen, merchants and nations that wanted the money for themselves. Greed also drove the development of mechanized harvesting equipment that greatly increased the number of cod being taken from the sea. It never occurred to the cod industry that it was dealing with a limited supply of fish until that supply was depleted.
Cod presented a challenge to lawmakers who wanted to develop effective regulation of an international industry in a world that insisted on international waters being open to all nations. Precipitated by the regulation of cod, national waters were extended farther and farther from coastlines. National policies were challenged, economic, diplomatic and military as fishing vessels, coast guard cutters and naval warships skirted each other in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
The issue is still in doubt. Can the cod be saved? Think about it when you order fish and chips.
Recipes for cod dishes - most of them unappetizing - are sprinkled throughout the book. The final chapter is a collection of recipes. Also throughout the book are many quotations relating to cod.
The style of the book is very readable. The first portion is a bare-bones history with the author's views being stated in an ex cathedra manner that makes the reader wonder whether the author has a solid basis for those views or whether the facts have been stretched to meet the predetermined theory of the text. His statements with respect to the Catholic Church are suspect. Moreover, the involvement of cod is often described without any mention of other more substantial factors, resulting in a myopic view of what happened. For example, the author gives the impression that the American Revolution centered on the cod-fishing industry of Massachusetts and that the War of 1812 was won by seamen who attained their skills as New England fishermen. The last half of the book is written in the style of newspaper reporting which, although undoubtedly accurate, is not as interesting as the ex cathedra statements that may not be correct but that grab your interest.
I liked it.
Intriguing look at the the history and influence of cod.......2007-07-08
_Cod_ by Mark Kurlansky is an intriguing look at the influence on history of the cod and the history and future of the cod fishery.
The Atlantic cod, _Gadus morhua_, had been fished as far back as the Middle Ages by the Vikings, who were the first to cure cod, preserving them by hanging the fish in the winter air until the fish lost four-fifths of its weight and "became a durable woodlike plank," which could be broken apart and eaten like hardtack (without which the epic Viking voyages to Iceland, Greenland, and the New World would not have been possible). Medieval Basque fishermen had salt (which the Vikings lacked), and were able to salt their cod before drying it, making it last much longer (aided by the fact that cod is close to fat-free) and producing a vital trade good for a truly international market, aided by the Catholic Church, which declared Fridays, the forty days of Lent, and various other religious holidays as "lean days," forbidding worshippers to eat most animal flesh other than fish. Basque fishermen ranged so far and wide in search of cod that they discovered the New World before Columbus and were encountered in large numbers in North American waters by such early explorers as Jacques Cartier.
The cod is "the perfect commercial fish;" it thrives in cold waters, will eat just about anything (including young cod), and is found in huge schools in shallow waters and close to shore. Its flesh, prized for its whiteness, has very high protein content (18%) and when dried becomes even more concentrated (almost 80%).
There is little to waste on a cod. The throat (called a tongue) and small disks of flesh to either side (referred to as cheeks) are very flavorful. The air bladder (commercially called a sound) has been rendered into isinglass, which was used to make some glues and clarifying agents (though in the past was often eaten fried or in chowders). Roe is eaten, as is the female gonads, a two-pronged organ called the britches. Icelanders and Scottish Highlanders made sausage-like concoctions out of cod stomachs. Tripe is eaten in the Mediterranean. The skin is either eaten or cured as leather. The British were "great cod-liver oil enthusiasts," using it as a remedy for many ailments. The remaining organs and bones were used as fertilizer (though until the 20th century Icelanders softened the bones in sour milk and ate them too). By the way a number of historic cod recipes are included.
Codfish include ten families with more than 200 species, nearly all of which live in cold salt water in the Northern Hemisphere, though there is one tropical species (the tiny bregmaceros, of no commercial importance), one South Atlantic species, and one freshwater type, the burbot (enjoyed by lake fishermen). To the commercial fishermen, there are but five kinds of gadiform fish, the Atlantic cod, haddock, pollock, whiting, and hake (and increasingly a sixth form, the Pacific cod). The Atlantic cod is the largest, has the whitest meat, and is generally but not always the most highly prized (Icelanders prefer haddock, as do Nova Scotians and those in northern England and Scotland). Cod though "is the prize," in demand for centuries as a cheap, long-lasting source of nutrition and now as an increasingly expensive delicacy.
The Pilgrims settled was then called North Virgina, hoping to make a profit from the cod fishery. Cod shaped the economies of both Newfoundland and New England, though quite differently. The Newfoundland economy was built around Europeans arriving, catching cod for a few months, and then taking the fish back to Europe, but New England, with its ice-free harbors, longer growing season, and arable land attracted far more settlers. Additionally, cod spawned off the coast of southern New England in the height of winter while in the summer in Newfoundland (which would conflict with any Newfoundland farming season). Cod built Boston, as it was a product Europe and European colonies wanted and something that gave the population money to spend on European goods. Eventually Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, lacking internal markets or population, became fishing outposts serviced by and servicing Boston. Salt cod merchants of New England saw a huge market in the Caribbean for their wares, as food for slaves on sugar plantations, enabling the sugar industry to thrive and further enriching New Englanders. So rich did this trade make the colonies that England worried they would no longer need the mother country and sought to reassert control starting with the Molasses Act in 1733 and eventually the hated Stamp Act, one of several things that lead to the American Revolution. One of the seeds for another war was sown thanks to disagreements among American delegates following the war, as Southerners complained that the interests of nine states were being sacrificed by the demands of fishing rights to British waters by the other four, creating one of the first North-South splits in the U.S.
The cod stood little chance against an ever improving fishing industry. Kurlansky covered the evolution of cod fishing, showing how each new innovation -long lining, gill nets, the otter trawl, the steam engine, innovations in freezing food, the advent of the factory ship - allowed for ever larger catches of cod to be landed and sold but also in the end doomed the fishery. Not only were too many fish caught, some of the new methods were quite destructive, as some of the huge trawl nets devastated the seafloor, leaving behind deserts, bereft of cover or animal life.
Many early attempts at conservation failed. Mesh size was tried, but once a net became filled with enough fish, few fish of any size can escape. Quotas were issued, eventually for individual ships, but that was of no help as fishermen would radio the shore to find what the fish were worth and if the market price was too low, would dump the fish - all already dead - and save their quota for another day.
Product Description
Aquatic Biology and Natural History are subjects of interests to many, whether they be related to one's vocational education, one's avocation, or purely to one's appreciation for the living order of the world. This book has been written not only for entomologists, ecologists, and students of aquatic entomology, but also for sport fishermen, naturalists, and environmental assessment specialists. For those who may not have some vested interested in nature and ecology, this book will provide a pictorial introduction to some of the most fascinating life forms on earth and, hopefully, "wet" the appetite for understanding the aquatic insects, their environment, and their relationship to human life.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent insects!.......2007-02-12
I am very pleased with this text, as an up and coming fisheries biologist, I hope to use it in my future.
book review.......2006-02-25
This book is very detailed and gives accurate descriptions of all aquatic insects. The pictures with in each chapter also depict what the specimen look like. With all the information on the aquatic insects that is provide by this book it would be hard to believe that there is a better book out there.
Buy it for the pictures.......2005-08-16
This book is amazingly beautiful. The illustrations alone make it worth the money. As an aquatic entomologist who teaches an aquatic entomology lab to college students, I find this book to be an invaluable source of high quality images for use in my classes. The pictorial keys are also very helpful - they are very easy to follow and make it almost a simplistic task for a lay person to identify aquatic insects down to the family level. Some of these keys are a little outdated since publication of the book, but they are still helpful for the most part.
My only complaint with this book is that it doesn't go into as much scientific detail as is necessary for a serious student of entomology. Still, this isn't meant to be a textbook or an identification manual for complex identifications lower than the family level. If the book is used as intended by fishermen and ecologists, this is a very helpful book.
And did I mention the ilustrations are amazing?
Aquatic Entomology.......2005-08-10
This is a must have for fly fishermen looking to study entomology as it applies to fishing and fly tying. I saw this book at my local Orvis store (reference only) and one look told me I needed it in my library. The plates and drawings are fantastic. This is a detailed study, but not over the head of most fly fishermen. Match it with Gary Lafontaine's "Caddisflies", Shane Stalcup's "Mayflies - Top to Bottom" and/or Dave Hugh's "Matching Mayflies" and you have the start of a good entomology library for fly fishermen.
Aquatic Entomology even has sections marked by a small image of a tied fly, which are of special interest to the fisherman. Get this book!!
An oldie, but goodie..........2004-12-17
The book is now quite old. There have been several regroupings at the family level since this book has been published so even if you use it correctly, you can incorrectly identify insects. Also, if you are serious about identifying aquatic insects, the family-level keys of this book are insufficient to give your work credibility. Those are the two problems with this book... 1- it is a little out of date AND 2- it is a limited tool for identifying organisms.
All that aside, it is a very good book to teach the CONCEPTS of taxonomy to students. The keys have nice flow charts that teach students to make the kinds of decisions that they need identify insects.
Does it have legs? Or not?
Does it have wings? Or not?
Does it have one claw? Or two?
The keys use pictures so that the process does not become bogged down in terminology. Thus I highly recommend it to teachers and to parents that are helping there child build their own entomology collection. I keep a copy for work shops.
The color plates in the back are beautiful and help convey the appearance of specimens in life. Most of the book has nice grey-scale illustrations.
The Author is a mayfly specialist... one of THE mayfly specialists in the world...
If you are interested in this book there are other titles you may find interesting. Try Reese Voshell's book if you are interested in teaching insects to older kids, or for watershed monitoring groups. [2002: A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America]; it also contains lots of interesting ecologic information.
If you are interested general taxonomy of aquatic insects, try Merritt and Cummins 1996 [An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America]. It provides the best keys to genus-level for most insects. But be aware that a new edition should be out in 2 years or so... this book is not real friendly if you have not had a college-level entomology... but i heard a rumor that that there will be a nice glossary in the new edition that should make it more accessible...
of course not all aquatic invertebrates are insects... if you are interested in these critters (amphipods, snails, etc) try Thrope and Covich 2002 [Ecology and Classification of Freshwater Invertebrates]
Note that, for genus-level-taxonomy, the last two books will require access to a medium to High-quality dissecting microscope and may require a compound microscope. The Books by McCafferty and by Voshell do not require as much magnification...
If you would like further information you can email me and I will be glad to help. brett@thebugguy.org
Average customer rating:
- Okay book
- Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach
- A great text
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Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach (6th Edition)
James W. Nybakken , and
Mark D. Bertness
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ASIN: 0805345825 |
Book Description
*0-8053-4582-5, Nybakken, James and Bertness, Mark, Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach, Sixth Edition//-->
Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach, Sixth Edition approaches the subject of marine biology by emphasizing the ecological principles that govern marine life throughout all ocean environments and by acknowledging the differences between marine and terrestrial ecosystems. This unique approach adds real-world relevance by exploring how organisms interact within their individual ecosystems while also focusing on the significance of human impact on the sea.
Marine Environments, Plankton Communities, Oceanic Nekton, Deep-Sea Biology, Shallow-Water Subtidal Benthic Associations, Intertidal Ecology, Meiofauna, Estuaries and Salt Marches, Tropical Communities, Symbiotic Relationships, Human Impact on the Sea
For all readers interested in marine biology and marine ecology.
Customer Reviews:
Okay book.......2007-03-06
First let me just say that I love my Marine Biology class that I had to buy this book for. Now let me get down to it. I am sure there are better books out there if you are interested in the subject (if you have to buy it for class you don't have a choice). This book is sometimes interesting but I have found that at times they just try to put so much information in such a boring way that you just cannot learn it. This was particularly noticeable in chapter 2 about plankton. The book goes over about 10 different plankton species every other page and it is very boring. Other than that, the book is fine but nothing more than average.
Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach.......2005-05-18
Great text. Great price. Book arrived in excellent condition, in a timely manner, and Kevin Serkes, seller, was great with the follow up, and with addressing my concerns about other book orders I had placed. Thank you for a great job!!
A great text.......2000-05-10
Most marine biology texts on the market are designed to support lower division courses for non-majors. Nybakken's text, however, is designed with the upper division biology major as its primary audience. This book is, in my opinion, the best book on the market to support an undergraduate course in marine biology for majors.
Nybakken takes a community ecology approach to his discussions of the marine environment. There are chapters that address communities of the plankton, nekton, deep sea, nearshore subtidal regions, intertidal habitats, estuaries and marshes, the tropics and the poles, and so forth.
The photographs and illustrations are good, the text is well written, and examples are widely known. It may be true that Nybakken tends to pull more heavily on examples from the West Coast of the USA, but there are also ample numbers of examples from other areas of the world that support the text.
Each chapter is supported by a list of references from the professional (primary) scientific literature -- something a serious biology student would appreciate and use.
This is an easy book to teach from and to learn from. The information is excellent, the examples are clear, and the supporting graphics are good.
It is also notable that Nybakken not only discusses the biology of marine organisms, but he addresses the stewardship we have to conserve the planet's vital assemblage of marine resouces and biodiversity.
Amazon.com
British businessman and dedicated angler Paul Torday has found a way to combine a novel about fishing and all that it means with a satire involving politics, bureaucrats, the Middle East, the war in Iraq, and a sheikh who is really a mystic. Torday makes it all work in a most convincing way using memos, interviews, e-mails, and letters in clever juxtaposition.
Dr. Alfred Jones is a fisheries scientist in Great Britain who is called upon to find a way to introduce salmon into the desert in Yemen. The Yemeni sheikh will spare no expense to see this happen. He says:
It would be a miracle of God if it happened. I know it... If God wills it, the summer rains will fill the wadis... and the salmon will run the river. And then my countrymen... all classes and manner of men--will stand side by side and fish for the salmon. And their natures, too, will be changed. They will feel the enchantment of this silver fish... and then when talk turns to what this tribe said or that tribe did... then someone will say, "Let us arise, and go fishing."
Such is the sheikh's vision. He tells Alfred: "Without faith, there is no hope. Without faith, there is no love." Alfred has no religious faith and has been mired in a loveless marriage for twenty years, so these words seem fantastic to him.
Alfred and Sheikh Muhammad connect immediately through their mutual love of fishing, despite Alfred's misgivings about the viability of the project. The Prime Minister's flack man tells Alfred that he must persevere and succeed because Great Britain needs some positive connection to the Middle East, something other than a failing, flailing war. These kinds of political alliances are always shaky at best, and when things start to go sideways, allies have a way of disappearing. Alfred soldiers on, with the help of the lovely Harriet, Sheikh Muhammad's land agent, and the project is readied for opening day, when the Sheikh and the Prime Minister will have a 20-minute photo op.
All of the faith and good will in the world cannot overcome the forces ranged against them, bringing tragedy to everyone involved. Despite all, Alfred's interior life is changed immeasurably. He says in the end: "I believe in it, because it is impossible." --Valerie Ryan
Book Description
Dr. Alfred Jones is a henpecked, slightly pompous middle-aged scientist at the National Centre for Fisheries Excellence in London when he is approached by a mysterious sheikh about an outlandish plan to introduce the sport of salmon fishing into the Yemen. Dr. Jones refuses, but the project, however scientifically absurd, catches the eye of British politicians, who pressure him to work on it. His diaries of the Yemen Salmon Project, from beginning to glorious, tragic end, form the narrative backbone of this novel; interspersed throughout are government memos, e-mails, letters, and interview transcripts that deftly capture the absurdity of bureaucratic dysfunction.
With a wickedly wonderful cast of characters—including a weasel-like spin doctor, a missing soldier and his intrepid fiancée, and Dr. Jones’s own devilish wife—Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is the whimsical story of an unlikely hero who discovers true love, finds himself first a pawn and then a victim of political spin, and learns to believe in the impossible.
Customer Reviews:
Writing Style Reminds Me of Kingsley Amis -- Another Oxford Master.......2007-10-17
This book delivers a writing style which is both new and rejuvenating.
Classically loyal to the concept of bureaucratic ploy, the plot of the book delivers a contradictory premise: evidencing a government bureaucracy becoming involved and fulfilling a "dead at arrival" concept of infusing salmon (a cold water fish) to the hot arid lands of Yemen.
Conscripted by his government to aid in the development of a sheikh's passion to deliver fish of the northern hemisphere to his equatorial land, the protagonist, Dr. Alfred Jones, initially eschews the requests demanded of him. It is preposterous, he thinks -as does anyone else. To be called upon to deliver an act which would ordinarily be deemed an exclusive right for the almighty, Dr. Jones understands that he needs to keep his job and thereupon surveys the concept and architects the impossible dream. And, does it become realty? You will have to read it to find out.
The writing style is what makes this book both comical and seemingly relevant. It includes: numerous e-mails between Jones and his career-driven Oxford educated (he is too) wife who leaves his home for an opportunity to make even more money than he does (a fact she too often reminds him about in their e-mail correspondence); journal entries by the protagonist; articles from various newspapers; transcripts of television accounts; transcripts of interrogations relating to criminal and other acts; intergovernmental memoranda; intergovernmental e-mails; and (my favorite), transcripts of Parliamentary sessions which involve the salmon issue as well as lost soldier Robert - whose betrothed works with Dr. Jones.
The prose often delivers other delicious items. The dialogue of the rogue fishing-bitten sheikh displays enormously talented diplomatic statements which only trained diplomats or monarchs would recite - flawlessly and seemingly effortlessly.
As the book evolves, the characters dive deeper and deeper into bitter sweet alliances, trysts and victories. And, you just have to continue as the writer lures you to see "if it all works out."
For anyone wanting a quick and delightful read, I recommend this book.
I loved this book.......2007-10-07
As I read the previous reviews, I find that I share some of the criticisms of the people who hated the book. And from the reviews, it appears you either love or hate this book. I was intially put off by the style, that is that the book is told in emails, diary entries, etc. I find that unnerving and disjointed, and it causes the reader to have to constantly switch gears, so to speak, and I find that much more difficult to read than a straight narrative. By opening the book with emails, with all that to/from/what time information, I think the writer violated that first of all literary commands: Hook 'em from the beginning. ("It was a dark and stormy night...")
However, there is a point at which you do get hooked, if you can slog through the beginning. So it seems to me that the people who hated the book do so on issues of style. The people who love the book, including me, do so on issues of content.
There is a great deal of humor in the book, not always subtle as one reviewer suggested. The Quiz Show scenario, in which a Yemeni citizen wins a dishwasher to take to his non-existent, bombed-out, electricity-free village, is an example. But the rest of the humor is the kind that makes you smile, rather than laugh out loud.
Ultimately, the book does a stunning job of bringing home the point that none of us know what will happen tomorrow. We live, love, dream, and make plans based on hope that we will be there to see the dreams and plans come to pass. But if we don't, the life lived with those hopes and dreams is reward in itself. The book has an unexpected climax that is quite shattering. And uplifting at the same time. So...read this book. Go for content. Style is the author's perogative.
"It was such fun to be going off to fish for our country.".......2007-09-23
(4.5 stars) One of the most delightful and original satires I've read in ages, this debut novel pokes fun at every aspect of British society, from government spin-meisters and crass politicians to marriages of convenience, TV interview programs, consumerism, and the belief that many of the world's problems would be solved if only other people were "more like us." This satire is particularly refreshing, however, since the author writes it with a smile on his face, preferring to prick balloons with his witty needling, rather than wield a rapier in a slashing attack.
The absurdity begins on the first page, when mild-mannered and unimaginative Dr. Alfred Jones, a fisheries specialist, receives a letter asking for his participation in a project to introduce Scottish salmon and the sport of salmon fishing into the wadis of the Yemen during the yearly rains. Alfred finds the whole idea ludicrous and ignores the letter, until the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and eventually the prime minister weigh in. The PM's office favors this effort for its "environmental message," the new links it will forge to a Middle Eastern country, and not incidentally, the huge, positive news story that may push stories of Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia off the front page.
Through letters, e-mails, memos, diary entries, newspaper articles, records of the House of Commons, interviews, and even intercepted al-Qaeda e-mail traffic, the story of Alfred's efforts to create a suitable environment for salmon in the mountains of western Yemen unfolds. Gradually, Alfred becomes intrigued with the research possibilities of the project, and his contact with His Excellency Sheikh Muhammad ibn Zaidi bani Tihama, an avid salmon-fisherman who lives part of the year on a Scottish estate, broadens his vision and stimulates his imagination.
Within the framework that includes the salmon project, Alfred's love life (or lack of love life, since his wife lives in Geneva), and the sheikh's broad vision of a more peaceful world achieved through fishing, the author pokes fun at modern life--government officials who take credit for all Alfred's work, foreign policy which reflects the belief that the Middle Eastern poor hate the British because they do not have TV and material benefits, and even a communications expert who proposes a "Voice of Britain" TV channel with a quiz show in which poor Iraqi contestants can win dishwashers. Not even the British army's "Bereavement Management Center" escapes the author's sharp eye.
As Alfred accepts the sheikh's "belief in belief," he grows emotionally, and when the prime minister insists on going to the Yemen for the first release of ten thousand young salmon into the wadi, the scene is set for a grand finale. Filled with timely observations, an entertaining cast of characters, and a unique and well-developed story line (though the conclusion is a bit weak), this novel breaks new ground. There are not many satires that can be called "charming," and there may be even fewer novels about salmon fishing that can completely captivate those of us who have never climbed into a set of waders. Mary Whipple
I enjoyed the questions for discussion at the end of the book more than the book itself!, .......2007-09-09
I got used to the story being in the form of letters, e-mails, interviews and diary entries and it seemed to get easier to read as the story moved along. However there were sections I skim read that I found plain boring.
Although I could see the political satire in the story I would have to question the description that it's a `...feelgood comedy...' as suggested on the back cover.
The intelligent conversation and observation came mainly from Sheikh Muhammad who was a likable and respected figure. I liked his observations on the class snobbery in Britain...maybe that WAS the comedy ;)
When we first meet Dr Jones (Fred) he has `...moved on from religion...' and gives talks on 'Why God cannot exist'. As the story develops he learns about faith from both the Sheikh and the Yemen project. However, although I appreciated his personal journey, I never got to really like him, I just felt sorry for him.
All in all it was 'okay'. A little dull, but readable.
Thankfully though, there are plenty more books on the shelf ;)
.....east meets west, or vica versa.......2007-09-08
....mr torday has clearly seen the disconnect between the thought patterns of east and west and wittyly puts the two together in a funny story. as yemen is a low literacy society however he doesn't manage to match up the "behind the scenes" communications there as he does in the antiquated empire-remnant british segements of the book. a nice read but not compelling, more so if you've ever visited yemen and can visualise the ironies, or been involved in the bureaucratic niceties of modern britain.
Average customer rating:
- chemical oceanography
- A valuable synthesis on marine chemistry: worth buying
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Chemical Oceanography
Frank J. Millero
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Biological Oceanography
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Dynamics of Marine Ecosystems: Biological-Physical Interactions in the Oceans
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The Ocean Basins: Their Structure and Evolution, Second Edition (Oceanography)
ASIN: 0849384230 |
Book Description
From Harvard University to the University of Miami, the first edition of Chemical Oceanography was a great success as a textbook. Now you can own the fully updated second edition. Each chapter has been expanded and/or updated in accordance with the current state of knowledge about the chemistry of oceans.
Customer Reviews:
chemical oceanography.......2000-01-17
first i think that this one is avery good book, i review in master sciences in unam mexico, is agreat helpfull, but sometimes is confuse, have some text that are not so ease to understand, your book is one of the mas important in the chemical oceanography, and have to be more easy to learn, the first time that i read this book (the first edition) was in the basic sciences, and was very dificult to my undestand this new knowledge, but anyway i guiyou thakns for this book.
A valuable synthesis on marine chemistry: worth buying.......1998-10-06
This book contains a wealth of state-of-the art reference data, e.g. thermodynamic constants and other physico-chemical properties, which would otherwise be difficult to find together. It is therefore very useful as a source of data for quantitative calculations related to the chemistry of seawater.
PLUS: - detailed numbers - ion-pair and Pitzer models applied to seawater (explained with worked examples) - data on carbonate equilibria in seawater - chapter on circulation pattern - chapter on pH measurement of seawater
MINUS: - text style sometimes not concise - numbers frequently given without references - poor illustration quality
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The oceans of the world rank foremost among humankind's last great frontiers, and their climatological and ecological workings remain mysterious to all but specialists. In this lively, well-written survey, marine scientist Carl Safina encourages readers to take a wider interest in the oceans, especially because so much of that great blue expanse is now threatened by human progress. Safina notes, for example, that the North Atlantic's tuna population has fallen by more than 90 percent in just the last few decades. It has gone the way of cod and herring and pilot whales thanks to a combination of changing global temperatures, overfishing, pollution, inland watershed and delta destruction, and other causes--many of them attributable to human activities. Even now, he notes, many Pacific fishing fleets use cyanide to catch fish, a process that destroys sensitive marine ecosystems. Safina's tour of the world's waters may inspire readers to press for changes in the way that fish is brought to their tables, and to take a more careful look at the natural processes that govern this watery planet.
Book Description
Part odyssey, part pilgrimage, this epic personal narrative follows the author's exploration of coasts, islands, reefs, and the sea's abyssal depths. Scientist and fisherman Carl Safina takes readers on a global journey of discovery, probing for truth about the world's changing seas, deftly weaving adventure, science, and political analysis.
Customer Reviews:
Absolute poetry.......2004-08-06
I'm only about halfway through this book, but it's so moving that I decided I needed to rave now. Carl Safina uses an amazing grasp of language to paint mental pictures of what he writes about. I work in the scientific community and have spent a lot of time on that water, and his writings are not only objective and scientifically sound, he constructs them in such a way that they are beautiful. You will have a thirst for each topic and region of which he writes. I borrowed this book from the library and had vowed to buy it before I'd finished the first chapter. It has only improved as I've proceeded.
Beauty beyond compare.......2004-04-29
This is one of the most beautiful, powerful books I have ever read. Safina's journey encompasses the entire world and all points of view. His words have inspired me to pursue my dreams and opened up new worlds of knowledge. Now, every time I hear of politicians doing something stupid to the oceans or rivers, I just shake my head and say "'Song' should be required reading for them before they can draft a piece of legislation dealing with the oceans."
McPhee on Red Bull.......2002-07-01
This book would be twice as good if it were half as long. Evidently the only editors were fawning friends of the author, who must have felt that every observation, no matter how offhand or trivial, needed to be included in the bloated text. This is too bad, because he is a decent writer, knows and cares about fish and fisheries, and the story is compelling. Imagine John McPhee full of Red Bull and vodka and you get the idea.
Also, a book that uses the silly word "waitron" without irony, and "heregia" twice in a hundred pages can be a little precious.
Entertaining Science.......2001-05-10
Is it a novel, a journey through the seas, or a scientific work describing the demise of fishes around the world while offering policy suggestions? It doesn't matter what kind of book it is- it may be all in one. What matters is that Carl Safina has written a book, Song for the Blue Ocean, which tells the story of living oceans; a book that catches your attention through adventure and interesting characters, witty writing, strong emotion, and terse opinions strewn amongst simple science.
In the preface, Safina mentions that he will be our guide and interpreter, but ultimately we have to make our own decisions regarding what the oceans and their inhabitants really mean to us. Nonetheless, I feel quite comfortable following Safina's lead. After receiving his doctorate in ecology and starting a career as an academic, Safina decided that he needed to take a stronger stand on conservation and scientific policy regarding the world's imperiled fish. He founded and now directs the National Audubon Society's Living Oceans Program, and wrote Song for the Blue Ocean merely 10 years after graduate school. Safina has a unique and open perspective on the state of the world's fishes, once as a commercial and sport fisherman, and now as a world-renowned scientist. Personally, I feel quite comfortable allowing Safina's guide and interpretations to influence my own opinions.
Song for the Blue Ocean is split into three distinct sections: the Northeast, the Northwest, and the Far Pacific. In addition, each section focuses on an imperiled species, namely the Giant Bluefin Tuna, pacific Salmon, and coral reefs; nonetheless, Safina is able to depict the bigger picture of the world's fisheries and common problems with these three examples. Not only does the reader get an inside look at fishing culture and the conservationist culture, but we also learn about the bigger picture of fisheries, i.e. externalities of fishing like by-catch, various fishing styles (from spear fishing to cyanide poisoning), the state of these fisheries, and the huge political aspects of fishing. Safina artfully intertwines information about national and international agencies involved in the conservation of fisheries, like CITES and the Endangered Species Act, without it sounding like a lecture. We learn about various species of sponges and coral reef fish, or the difference between steelhead trout and Chinook salmon, during the while we are enchanted by Safina's adventures floating down an icy Northwest river or almost dying of nitrogen narcosis while SCUBA diving 160 feet deep in the Palau islands.
The book flows very smoothly. Safina builds up the story, grasps ahold of your attention, and then leads you through the steps until he has made his point clear. For instance, Safina talks of the beautiful large and diverse trees in the Pacific Northwest, then introduces the concept of a snag- a tree that has died, but continues to stand upright for many years. Once it finally falls, hundreds of species move in, under, through, and around the fallen log. Finally, we understand that clear cutting and second growth forests near rivers do not provide adequate habitat for spawning salmon, which rely on the deep pool behind the fallen snag to deposit their eggs. All the while, this simple chain of events is presented in a very romantic and mysterious way, and it all seems so important. Safina also captures my attention with the conversations between the amazing characters in his book. They are funny, disturbing, happy, sad- they are martyrs, antagonists and clueless. They provide much of the information in the book, but they also provide relief from the continuous science and bleak outlook on the state of the fisheries.
Truthfully, there is not much about Song for the Blue Ocean that I did not enjoy, but Safina does tend to dwell on the past, with a few too many "back in the good old days" stories. This type of talk can be fun and contagious, nonetheless too much of this babble is unhelpful in the context of conservation. Similarly, Safina slips from time to time with sarcastic remarks. Some may find this witty, but I find it ineffective. Enjoyment of this book also depends on what your expectations are, some may find it too political, or others may not find it scientific enough. Safina approaches his journey with an open mind- and this is also the best way to approach his book.
Safina's unique perspective lends itself to an original story. He is a weary scientist in the middle of a debate over the state of the world's fisheries, who wants to discover the truth for himself. His journey takes him to all corners of the ocean, where he meets and listens to real people whose livelihood depends on the fish. His book therefore portrays all angles of the story, which allows the reader to form her own opinion (as Safina wanted). Safina does distinguish between fact and opinion on a regular basis; nonetheless he is not afraid to express his opinion, sometimes very strongly.
This book is for anyone- scientists and non-scientists. Young and old alike. People who want to learn more about the worlds imperiled fisheries will get their fill. Others who are mildly interested in fish, or fishing, or the world's oceans will be entertained. Even people who just pick up the book without any preface will find the writing, unique characters, and Safina's journeys across the Atlantic and Pacific extremely refreshing. This book really is all-in-one. Safina has mastered the art of hybridization, with perfect proportions of science, policy, and adventure.
Song for the Blue Ocean - a phenomenal book.......2001-02-18
I could not put this book down. It is well written and well- balanced. Dr. Safina describes three different areas of the world, the North Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest and Palau, east of the Phillipines. He describes in detail how intricate ecosystems are, and all the complicated relationships between fish , man and the environment. He describes in wonderful detail the biology of the bluefin tuna and salmon. More importantly, he impressed me with how devastating certain fishing techniques have effected fish. I think this book should be read by everyone who cares about wildlife and the environment.
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An Arctic Whaling Diary: The Journal of Captain George Comer in Hudson Bay, 1903-1905
Manufacturer: Univ of Toronto Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0802056180 |
Book Description
North Carolina State University, Raleigh. Problem-based textbook on the diagnosis and treatment of disease in fishes. Uses a systems-based approach (water/environment, skin, gills, internal organs) rather than by pathogen. Case studies. Color and halftone photographs. For students or fish health specialists.
Customer Reviews:
the BEST.......2007-06-11
Dr. Noga is the leading authority on fish diseases that those of us in the aquarium industry deal with on a daily basis. This book is full of knowledge and wonderful pictures as well that make diagnosis easier and treatment quicker. We use this book so often that this is the third copy that I have purchased. Definately a must have for any fish geek's book collection and/or reference shelf.
Systemic Approach.......2003-07-14
This book has been very helpful as I begin my hobby in aquarium science. Fish will get sick and I like the systemic approach that this book takes. Many books on fish disease barely cover the surface and don't discuss anything but the most common ailments. Well done, well referenced.
Well done....the best book I've ever seen on fish health!.......1998-12-17
This is an excellent book for fish health professionals and students alike. It contains methods for diagnosing fish diseases as well as detailed biology, life history, and the current most effective treatment regimen for each organism. The book covers environmental problems, as well as bacteriology, virology, parasitology, and nutritional deficiencies.It is well written and organized making it a good resource book for the laboratory.
Book Description
Picking up where Cod left off, an "invaluable" (Financial Times) look at the global crisis of overfishing.
Gourmands and health-conscious consumers alike have fallen for fish; last year per capita consumption in the United States hit an all-time high. Packed with nutrients and naturally low in fat, fish is the last animal we can still eat in good conscience.
Or can we?
In this vivid, eye-opening book—first published in the UK to wide acclaim and now extensively revised for an American audience—environmental journalist Charles Clover argues that our passion for fish is unsustainable. Seventy-five percent of the world's fish stocks are now fully exploited or overfished; the most popular varieties risk extinction within the next few decades.
Clover trawls the globe for answers, from Tokyo's sumptuous fish market to the heart of New England's fishing industry. He joins hardy sailors on high-tech boats, interviews top chefs whose menu selections can influence the fate of entire species, and examines the ineffective organizations charged with regulating the world's fisheries. Along the way he argues that governments as well as consumers can take steps to reverse this disturbing trend before it's too late. The price of a mouth-watering fillet of Chilean sea bass may seem outrageous, but The End of the Line shows its real cost to the ecosystem is far greater.
Customer Reviews:
A must read for anyone who wants to know about the state of our world fishery resources.......2007-06-06
For those of you who are concerned about the state of our fisheries and declining fish populations worldwide, I would suggest a newly published book, "The End of the Line," by Charles Clover. As The Independent suggests, his book is "the maritime equivalent of Silent Spring." Clover takes the reader on an unbiased tour of many of the most important fisheries throughout the world from Africa to Iceland, offshore to nearshore. His appraisal and commentary of fishery management is candid and insightful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves trying to contemplate the disequilibrium between fishery management and sustainability. The book ends with some positive examples of fishery management of which there are sadly too few, and he has some helpful tips for all of us to do our part to ensure fish stocks for the next generation.
Highly Informative... A Must-Read!.......2007-01-03
"The End of the Line" is a well-written, highly informative book which addresses a serious global issue.
"Imagine what people would say if a band of hunters strung a mile of net between two immense all-terrain vehicles and dragged it at speed across the plains of Africa.... left behind is a strangely bedraggled landscape resembling a harrowed field... this efficient but highly unselective way of killing animals is known as trawling... it is practiced the world over every day, from the Barents Sea in the Arctic to the shores of Antarctica and from the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the central Pacific to the temperate waters off Cape Cod."
Overfishing is a serious problem that must be addressed. The statistics are staggering. As journalist Charles Clover shows in his global exploration of the destruction caused by overfishing, we have inflicted a crisis on the oceans in a single human lifetime greater than any yet caused by pollution.
The rape of the oceans by commercial fishing.......2006-08-22
This is one of the most important books I've read. I have purchased several copies of this book to give away. It speaks up on behalf of those denizens of the oceans that we think should belong in cans and sandwiches or pies or curries, or pet food - yielding their flavoursome goodness of Omega 3 oils - with plenty more replenishing themselves without end. I did know in the back of my head that something was wrong when we put faceless tuna into cat food and no one discusses byecatch on a can except for a "Dolphin Friendly" logo. The appalling horror of millions of tonnes of these things being hoovered up with up to 50 to even 90% of the take being discarded back to the ocean because they are not the target species is spelled out in this book along with the moribund state of just how little we as a species care for the oceans or engage in managing its most vital food resources.
As usual much of the blame falls flatly at the feet of politicians and fishing interests as well as the consumers abject ignorance that advertisers and chefs have been milking and continue to milk. When the oceans belong to us all, to enjoy recreationally - they have become the preserve of fishing interests that continue to suppress so much biodiversity. This is a story of greed gone mad with absolutely no safeguards in place by the very people who are in charge of doing anything about it.
Japan and the EEC come out as some of the most environmentally tarnished political units - the madness of the EEC fishing policy is revealed in all its glorious folly.
Tuna and swordfish, the most magnificient bony fish in the sea get a special mention along with the poor critically endgangered mega sharks that are often bycatch in tuna catches.
This is such a powerful book speaking up for dumb fish that I will try and do everything in my power to at least highlight the problem to others. So well written in this with Chapter 14 showing us some fine solutions from New Zealand - that you ought to buy this book now and share it with any of your concerned friends.
Charles Clover from the London Daily Telegraph has done a fantastic job of highlighting our superpredatory theft from the seas.
If you love eating fish, you should buy this book!.......2006-07-26
It is a fascinating, very well written book on a subject most people forget about in spite of how important it is: the food resources of the sea. When I first saw the book I wondered how the author could make an interesting topic out of it...when I started to browse it, I discovered a great amount of information about the wonderful world of the seas, about what so many companies are doing to our resources, about the repercusions hardly anyone is aware of.
I bought it and read it immediately.
One of the best non-fiction books I have read in the last few years.
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Fish Nutrition
Manufacturer: Academic Press
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Nutrition and Fish Health
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The Physiology of Fishes, Third Edition (MARINE BIOLOGY)
ASIN: 0123196523 |
Book Description
This third edition of
Fish Nutrition is a comprehensive treatise on nutrient requirements and metabolism in major species of fish used in aquaculture or scientific experiments. It covers nutrients required and used in cold water, warm water, fresh water, and marine species for growth and reproduction. It also highlights basic physiology and biochemistry of the nutrients and applications of these principles to scientific and practical diet formulations and to manufacturing techniques for major species used worldwide in aquaculture.
*Nutrient requirements for dietary formulations for fish farming
*Digestive physiology
*Comparative nutritional requirements of different species
*Fish as unique animals for certain metabolic pathways
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