Upstream

Searching for Wild Salmon, from River to Table

By: Langdon Cook

Narrated by: John H. Mayer

Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's summary

Finalist for the Washington State Book Award

From the award-winning author of The Mushroom Hunters comes the story of an iconic fish, perhaps the last great wild food: salmon.

For some, a salmon evokes the distant wild, thrashing in the jaws of a hungry grizzly bear on TV. For others, it’s the catch of the day on a restaurant menu, or a deep red fillet at the market. For others still, it’s the jolt of adrenaline on a successful fishing trip. Our fascination with these superlative fish is as old as humanity itself. Long a source of sustenance among native peoples, salmon is now more popular than ever. Fish hatcheries and farms serve modern appetites with a domesticated “product” - while wild runs of salmon dwindle across the globe. How has this once-abundant resource reached this point, and what can we do to safeguard wild populations for future generations?

Langdon Cook goes in search of the salmon in Upstream, his timely and in-depth look at how these beloved fish have nourished humankind through the ages and why their destiny is so closely tied to our own. Cook journeys up and down salmon country, from the glacial rivers of Alaska to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to California’s drought-stricken Central Valley and a wealth of places in between. Reporting from remote coastlines and busy city streets, he follows today’s commercial pipeline from fisherman’s net to corporate seafood vendor to boutique marketplace. At stake is nothing less than an ancient livelihood. But salmon are more than food. They are game fish, wildlife spectacle, sacred totem, and inspiration - and their fate is largely in our hands.

Cook introduces us to tribal fishermen handing down an age-old tradition, sport anglers seeking adventure and a renewed connection to the wild, and scientists and activists working tirelessly to restore salmon runs. In sharing their stories, Cook covers all sides of the debate: the legacy of overfishing and industrial development; the conflicts between fishermen, environmentalists, and Native Americans; the modern proliferation of fish hatcheries and farms; and the longstanding battle lines of science versus politics, wilderness versus civilization.

This firsthand account - reminiscent of the work of John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky - is filled with the keen insights and observations of the best narrative writing. Cook offers an absorbing portrait of a remarkable fish and the many obstacles it faces, while taking readers on a fast-paced fishing trip through salmon country. Upstream is an essential look at the intersection of man, food, and nature.

©2017 Langdon Cook (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Invigorating... At the heart of Upstream is a journey - the oldest shape in literature.... In tracing the history and life cycle of these iconic creatures, Mr. Cook embarks on a series of his own journeys - fourteen nicely episodic chapters that explore how and where such fish still survive in the modern world, despite the threats of logging, dams, the diversion of running water for domestic and commercial uses, overfishing, and climate change. It is a saga that has been told before but seldom with such immediacy and panache.... Throughout these sorties, Mr. Cook is a congenial and intrepid companion, happily hiking into hinterlands and snorkeling in headwaters. Along the way we learn about filleting techniques, native cooking methods and self-pollinating almond trees, and his continual curiosity ensures that the narrative unfurls gradually, like a long spey cast.... With a pedigree that includes Mark Kurlansky, John McPhee and Roderick Haig-Brown, Mr. Cook’s style is suitably fluent, an occasional phrase flashing like a flank in the current.... For all its rehearsal of the perils and vicissitudes facing Pacific salmon, Upstream remains a celebration.” (The Wall Street Journal)

“Upstream is first-rate literary journalism, a deep dive into surprisingly disparate milieus united by a passion for the king of fish. Cook pivots easily from place to place, and aficionado to aficionado. The characters he renders are both salty and refined, and the connections between fishers, farmers and conservationists are drawn taut, with real tension at times. Upstream is also a classic commodity narrative, à la John McPhee’s Oranges. We learn how Pacific salmon ultimately migrate to a fine restaurant or home kitchen, and we even learn the secret to preparing them.” (High Country News)

“It’s flat-out a really good read.... Cook is a natural storyteller. He fuses introspection, science, a dab of wry humor, a professional chef’s nutritional and food preparation sensibilities, a rigorous historical perspective and the writing chops of John McPhee into a tasty blend of wordplay that leaves you turning the pages well past your bedtime.” (Trout Unlimited)

An interesting listen

Depressing, but hopeful, all at the same time.
Mr Mayer wasn’t my favorite; his inflection kinda got to me.

A great story

A great story about the ups and downs of resource over-use, conservation and hard conversations about how to move forward in complex difficult situations.

Really interesting book

This is a really informative book. You don't have to enjoy fishing or live on the west coast to be interested in this topic.

Excellent overview

This book answered and raised many questions on Wild salmon. I appreciated its current focus on events and policies that are pertinent in 2019. That said like McPhee the author tells a great tale of the people and environment as relates to salmon.

Bravo!

Okay, the subject is smack in the middle of my roundhouse. Do fishing for anadromous fish, with a fly, and conservation of same. The author has become one of my favorites, and presents the subject so thoroughly, and on an enjoyable, and informative manor. Thank you, Langdon. Also, Tom Meyer, the narrator, a Masterful presentation. I ll be revisiting this title, often. Will recommend this to any and all of my group. Thanks.

Not as good as his Mushroom book

I enjoyed the book, but while I relisten to Langdon Cooks mushrooming book regularly, I think it less likely I will do much relistening here.