Life of a Lobster - by Mark Kurlansky (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

From the award-winning, New York Times-bestselling author of Cod and Salt, a new global history of the mysterious, misunderstood, globally beloved crustacean.

When Mark Kurlansky was 17, he took his first job as a commercial fisherman in the Atlantic on a 45-foot, wooden-hulled, two-man lobster boat, thus igniting a lifelong fascination and kinship with the mysterious creature. Yet since that defining experience, the lobster's role in cuisine and culture have changed dramatically, as it has throughout history: once thought of as peasant food ("Lobster again?" some 18th century New Englanders are reported to have griped), the humble crustacean, a cornerstone of coastal cuisine and economies, is now considered a delicacy, an animal rights cause célèbre, and a scientific marvel.

In The Life of a Lobster, Kurlansky examines the lobster and its scientific, cultural, historical, and culinary identities throughout history and around the world, including fifteen historic recipes that bring to life eras and cultures devoted to capturing and cooking the crustacean.

Review Quotes

"An unraveling of the onion botanically, historically, medicinally, literally, economically and gastronomically around the world . . . a lively read." --Florence Fabricant, the New York Times "Front Burner" on THE CORE OF AN ONION

"There are few authors better suited to exploring the history of the onion than Mark Kurlansky . . . Kurlansky manages to make the cultivation and culinary use of the onion feel like an epic tale as he follows the beloved allium across history, across the globe, and of course, across our plates." --Eater, Best Food Books of Fall 2023 on THE CORE OF AN ONION

"Mark Kurlansky has made a name for himself with deep dives into singular ingredients." --Smithsonian Magazine, Best Food Books of the Year on THE CORE OF AN ONION

"Mr. Kurlansky is a veteran writer. Over the course of 34 books, he has come to be known for his ability to weave history, philosophy and personal experience into compelling narratives . . . [This] book offers fascinating chapters on the history of fly fishing and tackle?flies, rods, reels, lines, even waders. . . . The fishing trivia Mr. Kurlansky cites is often marvelous." --The Wall Street Journal on THE UNREASONABLE VIRTUE OF FLY FISHING

About the Author