Salmon

A Fish, the Earth, and the History of Their Common Fate

By: Mark Kurlansky

Narrated by: Mark Kurlansky

In what he says is the most important piece of environmental writing in his long and award-winning career, Mark Kurlansky, best-selling author of Salt and Cod, The Big Oyster, 1968, and Milk, among many others, employs his signature multi-century storytelling and compelling attention to detail to chronicle the harrowing yet awe-inspiring life cycle of salmon.

During his research Kurlansky traveled widely and observed salmon and those who both pursue and protect them in the Pacific and the Atlantic, in Ireland, Norway, Iceland, Japan, and even the robust but not as frequently visited Kamchatka Peninsula. This world tour reveals an eras-long history of man’s misdirected attempts to manipulate salmon and its environments for his own benefit and gain, whether for entertainment or to harvest food.

In addition, Kurlansky’s research shows that all over the world these fish, uniquely connected to both marine and terrestrial ecology as well as fresh and salt water, are a natural barometer for the health of the planet. He documents that for centuries man’s greatest assaults on nature, from overfishing to dams, from hatcheries to fish farms, from industrial pollution to the ravages of climate change, are evidenced in the sensitive life cycle of salmon.

Kurlansky’s insightful conclusion is that the only way to save salmon is to save the planet and, at the same time, the only way to save the planet is to save the mighty, heroic salmon.

Please pay for professional narrators!

I love Mr. Kurlansky's books and own many of them, but a couple have been degraded by the quality of narration. This is one of them. Mr. Kurlansky is a phenomenal writer and excellent storyteller, but his narration sounds like the most dry and boring history professor you ever had choking on his own mustache! This is a genuinely interesting, and arguably important, book about resource conservation, but I have to force myself to listen while trying to ignore the choppy un-nuanced narration. I would pay extra for another copy of this book read by a more dynamic narrator, it doesn't even need to be George Guidell! I have gotten into the habit of being hesitant to buy audiobooks if they are read by the author (this is more of a problem for American authors than British for some reason). This book would not have been purchased, after I listened to the preview, if it were by an author of less renown than Mr. Kurlansky. Do yourself a favor and buy the print copy.

Authors shouldn't read their own books

A college course on a fish. Is this really the same author who wrote Salt?

One of the most important books of 2020

Very important message that needs to be heard round the world. So goes the Salmon, so goes humanity.

More about people than salmon

This book highlight the biggest problem with people and their relationship with nature more than talking about salmon.

When I was in university hopefully studying to be a fisheries biologist, I change my mind when I went to the library and found how little knowledge there is about salmon. I changed course knowing that fisheries biology would be futile because people don't want to know about fish, they want to know how to cook them. This book brought me back to that moment in the library because nothing has changed.

This book barely gives any information on the life and habits of salmon. It doesn't even talk about white springs that have rich oily white flesh. It doesn't discuss what the difference species of salmon eat, where they go to feed, that Chinook salmon have breeds that come back to the river after many years (up to 8 year and 100 lb). It doesn't mention the ocean sport fisheries. This paragraph could go on forever with what is not included about salmon in this book. The reason book doesn't provide information on the life of salmon, is the reason salmon are in decline. People don't want to read (know) about salmon.

To buy a book on salmon a popular book buying person has to have a axe to grind regarding the way people treat the resource. But that outrage at other people wrecking the fishery is how to sell a book reportedly about salmon. And the problem is that person would not buy a book about salmon if it was what salmon do rather than what people do with salmon. That's the problem, most people won't understand it.

Beautiful, informative

Wonderful & well-researched overview of global salmon fishing history. A must read. Fabulous performance as well.