Eloquence of the Sardine

Extraordinary Encounters Beneath the Sea

De: Bill François, Antony Shugaar - translator

Narrado por: Graham Halstead

If we listen to the ocean, what do we hear? What can it teach us? How can it change us?

Written by a marine scientist (and winner of French eloquence competitions), this work of narrative nonfiction blends Bill François’ personal story with that of sea creatures to create an original and exciting work. In poetic prose, he describes his unlikely journey from being a Parisian child, afraid of the water and crippled by self-consciousness, to an eloquent and self-assured young man with a passion for the ocean and all who inhabit it. In doing so, he tells the stories of sardines, anchovies, eels, suckerfish, and whales (to name a few), and demystifies their fascinating conversations.

A mix between science and storytelling from the past and present, Eloquence of the Sardine is an invitation to dive deep and learn from the secrets of the ocean.

©2019 Bill François. Translation © 2021 by Anthony Shugaar (P)2021 Blackstone Publishing

Delightful and thoughtful

This book will make you think about what is under the sea - that’s 71% of the earth’s surface after all. Narrative story telling woven with science and history. How do schools of fish navigate? What happened before that seafood arrived on my plate? What do we know, and what is yet to be discovered under the sea? Loved. This. Book.

Not as interesting uncompelling as I thought it would be.

This is more of a personal narrative and life experience bent than a truly scientific natural history, nonfiction book. As such I was disappointed. There’s a lot of literary embellishments and tangents that I don’t think really add to the book. In general I’m just not as interested in the authors fancies of interest or classroom experiences than I am in the facts about the animals and other life in the ocean. I’ve read lots better books, e.g. Lab Girl, that cover the science better while still being entertaining and personal.