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___puddin's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
My rating does not reflect the amount of care, effort and devotion that clearly went into this book. I had hoped to have all my eely questions answered here but unfortunately in the world of eels, there's far more questions then answers.
Part memoir, part chronicle of the last remaining eelers this book would be a great read for anyone who enjoys fishing.
Part memoir, part chronicle of the last remaining eelers this book would be a great read for anyone who enjoys fishing.
ejthomas's review against another edition
2.0
This was not a particularly well balanced book.
The text starts with a laborious journey into where the author has fished and how some people like to eat their eels... Ugg... It was only at about chapter 5 (or was that 4? It's all a haze) that I perked up and became interested. The story about the how, who, when, and where the spawning ground for eels was discovered and the rivalry therein was well put forward and enjoyable. The rest of the book was forgettable, excluding a sprinkling of interesting titbits, and seemed to be an excuse for an avid fisherman to go an a jolly and meet others of his ilk.
I was disappointed at the heavy focus on the fishing community and only passing mention of any conservation effort and current research. Additionally a number of remarks were rather off base. Hoping that the Thames salmon doesn't make a comeback due to the increased red tape that would then come with fishing in associated waters, saying that if x number of elvers are transported to mature in a body of water then a similar number should reach adulthood (just no) and referring to research, research papers and the seminars and conventions yielding but "guesswork". The last one really gets me. The author is happy to utilize such resources for the purpose of his book and to give form to arguments and yet in one foul swoop implies that research efforts and peer reviewed papers are akin to a few college graduates chin-wagging over a pint at the pub. Whatever dude. Whatever.
The text starts with a laborious journey into where the author has fished and how some people like to eat their eels... Ugg... It was only at about chapter 5 (or was that 4? It's all a haze) that I perked up and became interested. The story about the how, who, when, and where the spawning ground for eels was discovered and the rivalry therein was well put forward and enjoyable. The rest of the book was forgettable, excluding a sprinkling of interesting titbits, and seemed to be an excuse for an avid fisherman to go an a jolly and meet others of his ilk.
I was disappointed at the heavy focus on the fishing community and only passing mention of any conservation effort and current research. Additionally a number of remarks were rather off base. Hoping that the Thames salmon doesn't make a comeback due to the increased red tape that would then come with fishing in associated waters, saying that if x number of elvers are transported to mature in a body of water then a similar number should reach adulthood (just no) and referring to research, research papers and the seminars and conventions yielding but "guesswork". The last one really gets me. The author is happy to utilize such resources for the purpose of his book and to give form to arguments and yet in one foul swoop implies that research efforts and peer reviewed papers are akin to a few college graduates chin-wagging over a pint at the pub. Whatever dude. Whatever.
rainbowrachel's review against another edition
Low-level background homophobia, racism, and classism made this feel slightly uncomfortable to read.
Content Warnings
Minor: Classism, Racism, and Homophobia
evelyn261999's review against another edition
1.0
A litany of things wrong with this book: the climate change denialism, the anti-conservation, the opposition to even basic tenets of science, the racism, the casual misogyny, the Old Etonian style homophobia, the bizarre attitude towards Native Americans, and the fact that I didn't even learn that much about eels :(
arohanui's review against another edition
5.0
Bizarrely beautiful. Never have I thought that I would be so engrossed by a book about eels. I was proven wrong.
A review on the cover of the copy of the ebook I read described this book as 'deeply peculiar' among other descriptors, and I have to agree. Deeply peculiar, yet singularly fascinating.
A review on the cover of the copy of the ebook I read described this book as 'deeply peculiar' among other descriptors, and I have to agree. Deeply peculiar, yet singularly fascinating.
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