Salmon

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

De: Mark Kurlansky

Narrado por: Mark Kurlansky

Duración: 10 h y 38 m

Resumen del Editor

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.

©2020 Mark Kurlansky (P)2020 Random House Audio

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.

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.

Authors shouldn't read their own books

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

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.

Eye opening

Loved this book. An eye opening insight to our past through the eyes of different cultures. I would highly recommend this book.

Another wonderful examination of a species and it’s importance

Much like with “Cod” Mark Kurlansky expertly tackles the intricacies of salmon, their environment, and the fisheries. As a former fisheries biologist, fisherman, and fishing enthusiast I was delighted to see a book that so accurately captures the beauty, nuances, and issues of salmon and their fisheries.

Good overview. Poor narration.

The content is what I needed in a book about salmon. Kurlansky takes a politically divisive topic and guides the reader through its historical and social context. While it doesn't have the cohesive feeling and flow of Ben Goldfarb's book on beavers, the book succeeds in providing an overview on an important topic in the Pacific Northwest. I learned a few new things, and I appreciate the research and writing effort.

At times the content feels like the writer did a web search for "salmon" and then forced every search result into the text regardless of how it moved the story forward. It succeeds as a review of the social context of salmon, but stronger editing would provide a more engaging book. The repetitive narrative that non-native humans are bad for the environment may be accurate, but the assertion is too often only supported by an individual's story or an old news article. Better integration of scientific evidence would have been preferred. I'll likely read more about fisheries as his evidence took me in the opposite direction of his conclusions. Finally, I felt some controversial subjects were underexplored (gillnetting and predators/seals)--he provides a couple of fisherman stories about preserving their way of life, but not much else.

The author narrates this book and it sounds self-produced. Kurlansky possesses an above average speaking voice reminiscent of 1970s animal documentaries, but the production value is low. He consistently mispronounces Oregon. His energy levels ebb and flow throughout the reading. The poor editing/unprofessional narration included sections were he speaks through belches, audibly yawns, deals with distracting nasal congestion, and slurs words as though tired or inebriated. For unfamiliar words, he introduces an awkwardly long pause while he reviews his notes. Detail to proper pronunciation is appreciated, but this style was jarring.

I recommend the print version for anyone trying to get a sense of salmon's place in current Pacific Northwest political and environmental discussions.

The author cannot pronounce the word "Oregon".

This may strike non-Oregonians as a petty criticism, but I promise you, for resident of that state, to hear the word mispronounced "Or e GONE" again and again is more than a little grating. Yes, we know that this mispronunciation is common outside of the state, but a professional ought to get this right. Confusingly, he gets the pronunciation right in the afterword. He even manages to mangle "Oregonian", which he pronounces "Or e GONE ian". He mispronounces a number of other NW place names, such as "Yakima". I would think that preparing to narrate a book would involve researching the proper pronunciation of the words in the book, and isn't there an editor involved? Does nobody listen to this book before it is released to the public?

For the record, locals say "OR e gun" and "Or e GOAN ian". There are even bumper stickers that locals use to spell out the proper pronunciation for visitors.

Who hears the fishes when they cry?

How many different links in the biosphere relys on the Salmon? How many links in the Earths Biosphere 🌎 are humans devastating without asking how to maintain record levels? Because reccord levels were the thousand year norm for the Native tribes who maintained and cultivated the river systems. Sustainability? Perhaps 40+ THOUSAND years of PRISTINE wildlife management left an impact on Native culture... Surely we could BEG THEM to resume sustainably practices and reverse the bio-cide of "industry" and "progress".