Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World
Where to buy Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World books online?
Product Description
The Cod – wars have been fought over it, revolutions have been triggered by it, national diets have been based on it, economies and livelihoods have depended on it. To the millions it has sustained, it has been a treasure more precious that gold. This book spans 1,000 years and four continents. From the Vikings to Clarence Birdseye, Mark Kurlansky introduces the explorers, merchants, writers, chefs and fisherman, whose lives have been interwoven with this prolific fish. He chronicles the cod wars of the 16th and 20th centuries. He blends in recipes and lore from the Middle Ages to the present. In a tale that brings world history and human passions into captivating focus, he shows how the most profitable fish in history is today faced with extinction.Amazon.com Review
You probably delight in 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 additional. 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, but, overfishing is a constant threat. Kurlansky sprinkles his well-written and occasionally humorous history with appealing asides on the possible origin of the word codpiece and dozens of fish recipes. Sometimes a book on an offbeat or neglected theme really makes the grade. This is one of them.
Buy Cheap Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World Online
Related posts:
- The Search for God and Guinness: A Biography of the Beer that Changed the World
- Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World
- Woman’s Institute Library of Cookery Volume 3; Soup; Meat; Poultry and Game; Fish and Shell Fish
- The 5000 Year Leap: A Miracle That Changed the World
- An Entirely Synthetic Fish: How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran the World

Inventiveness and jingoism are excellent things. Cod and his fishing also is. But that certainly isn’t by nothing excellent it’s to say that Basques are a special and nearly unique race in the World: jingoism are not jingoism neither terrorism. Kurlansky affirms Basques are excellent sailors and fishermen, and this is right, 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 reflect more than Al Capone in his Chicago days- and they have a excellent 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 simpler than cooking a Cod. This book is amusing, but the leader makes a dark, bitter mixture and so, an indigestible meal. Today the times need more care about what we write.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
One of the worst written books I have read in 2 years. The tale: for hundreds of years there were a lot of people catching and eating cod, but then they were overfished and there are no longer giant stocks of cod. Now you have no reason to get this book, as the leader does not add much to that sentence – but drags it out. A bunch of relatively unrelated fish facts and dull details of random fish tales – but no storytelling ability is present. Dull and repetitive.
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
I like to read (or listen to) non-fiction- but not tedious, weighed down non-fiction. This non-fiction book is not tedious! I have recommended (and at times bought) this book to copious friends. The book is enlightening, engaging and exceptional. A book to be relished (pun proposed). (Regretably, I cannot say this for the leader’s next effort.) I reflect Cod is one of the most fascinating, enjoyable books I have encountered. One fantastic book. I have no thought why it is shown as two stars when I gave it five!
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
This book has to be one of the most entertaining history texts in, well, history. I couldn’t place it down. What a joy!
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
“Cod the Fish etc.” is a breezy informative read especially for persons interested in some of the driving forces to early trade patterns between the continent, new world and West Indies. The ex- 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. Really 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.
Reader’s Rating: 3 / 5