To Catch a Fish - by Mark Kurlansky (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

From the award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of Cod and Salt, To Catch a Fish is an entertaining and beautifully written illustrated collection of essays that explore a lifetime fascination with fishing.

For as long as there have been humans, there have been humans trying to catch fish. The two species--fish and man--live in constant tension. One chases the other. One tries to get away. Some of us--author Mark Kurlansky included--are hard-wired for that chase. Guiding readers through the waters and into the mind of the fish, Kurlansky considers who fish are and why they behave the way they do, and along the way delves into the many approaches to catching a fish, their ecology, and the ins and outs of cooking and eating your catch. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a novice, or simply want to explore the world of fish, the forty short essays in this collection and the dazzling illustrations by Bri Dostie, shed new light on these creatures and our relationship to them.

Review Quotes

"Kurlansky showcases his passions for fishing, writing about fishing, and fish cookery in this inviting collection of 40 pithy essays that mixes tales about fishing in different places and circumstances with instructions and tips... Kurlansky's instructive and inspirational essays are accompanied by vivid, finely detailed paintings by Bri Dostie, a nature-focused artist, teacher, and Registered Maine Recreation and Fishing Guide."--Booklist

"Kurlansky's research-filled love letter to fishing will appeal equally to seasoned fishers and complete novices."--Library Journal

"Lifting the hood on his deep, personal relationship with the ocean, Kurlansky reveals that fishing is, in the most profound sense, meditation."--Paul Greenberg, best-selling author of Four Fish

"Mark Kurlansky puts you in the angling moment as fully as anyone who has ever written about this wonderful pastime."--Peter Kaminsky, author of The Zen of Flyfishing

"This informative book is almost a guilty pleasure. It is perfectly paired with lovely illustrations that make reading about fishing even better than actually going fishing-at least until one finishes the book."--Carl Safina, PhD, author of Song for the Blue Ocean and Alfie & Me

About the Author

Mark Kurlansky is a former commercial fisherman, journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Cod, Salt, The Big Oyster, and dozens of other books of fiction and non-fiction. He's won numerous awards, including the James A. Beard Award, ALA Notable Book Award, and New York Public Library Best Books of the Year Award, and his writing has appeared in The New York Times Sunday Magazine, Audubon Magazine, Food & Wine, The Los Angeles Times, and more. He lives with his wife and daughter in New York City and Gloucester, Massachusetts.