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caseys927's review against another edition
5.0
Please read this book so we can talk about its deeper meanings and the human language and perception of the world and reality. The philosophy behind this story is burned into my brain and I think about it all the time.
liz_svo's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Child death, Death, and Classism
Minor: Car accident
jsoakes's review against another edition
4.0
Very confusing at first, but it all comes together. This is mostly a philosophical journey, but it's also a memoir, a social commentary, a biography, and a bit of scientific exposition. The drawings/even ching's are trippy and help set the mood for this book as something nonstandard.
Definitely got a bit of whiplash between topics, but they do all end up being somewhat connected in the end. Overall, interesting, but a bit haphazard.
Definitely got a bit of whiplash between topics, but they do all end up being somewhat connected in the end. Overall, interesting, but a bit haphazard.
chelsbels's review against another edition
5.0
This was a fascinating book.
I have certainly no way of classifying this book, which if you read the book is perfect. The book is part memoir, part biography of David Star Jordan, part physiology, part biological science and the history of eugenics.
They all weave together, not to the point of being lost or a melting pot. Instead this book is like a beautiful tapestry in which no part can be cut out with our ruining the entire masterpiece.
The part, as some like me already know, that fish don’t exist is late in the book. It is not a book about how we came to this conclusion but rather it’s a book about chaos and coming to terms with chaos. It talks about our need to collect, or order things, or leads to suicidal thoughts.
The way the biography part of Jordan is written is brilliant, he goes from an glorious hero and role model to someone the author and read questions if he should be honoured, or still have statutes and buildings in his honour.
But there are trigger warnings of this book, slavery, Eugenics, rape, forced sterilization, mental disorders, suicide, murder are all visited at various parts of this book.
And this book often reads as a self help book, or that a self help book of someone’s experience. Either way it’s a fascinating read.
I have certainly no way of classifying this book, which if you read the book is perfect. The book is part memoir, part biography of David Star Jordan, part physiology, part biological science and the history of eugenics.
They all weave together, not to the point of being lost or a melting pot. Instead this book is like a beautiful tapestry in which no part can be cut out with our ruining the entire masterpiece.
The part, as some like me already know, that fish don’t exist is late in the book. It is not a book about how we came to this conclusion but rather it’s a book about chaos and coming to terms with chaos. It talks about our need to collect, or order things, or leads to suicidal thoughts.
The way the biography part of Jordan is written is brilliant, he goes from an glorious hero and role model to someone the author and read questions if he should be honoured, or still have statutes and buildings in his honour.
But there are trigger warnings of this book, slavery, Eugenics, rape, forced sterilization, mental disorders, suicide, murder are all visited at various parts of this book.
And this book often reads as a self help book, or that a self help book of someone’s experience. Either way it’s a fascinating read.
emmagamble's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
A reminder to stay humble and open to expansion of the world around me
wanderflash_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
these past few days i have been experiencing language in a deeper way. i have had this fascination with it for as long as i can remember even to a point of trying to learn some and also ranting about how it's a shame that our brains does not have at least 2 to 3 language readily available to us to use at birth.
after reading why fish don't exist, it made me realize that the beauty of language comes from this. the excruciating and challenging way that we have to dedicate a large portion of our energy and our time to learn them. how even after all that it still has its limit and even then we use these words to limit others.
the power of language is vast and ever expanding and it is in our hands, to be moralistic about it. to weild these power for the greater good. to see the world not through these labels but to see past it. to experience the world as the earlier humans did, day by day, soaking up everyday experience and seeing that these no matter the chaos, are what make living worthwhile. not the division, not the boxes, not the words we mark on something, someone, but our similarity with them. our capacity as humans to empathize and to feel infinitely, deeply, and maybe through this, finding hope. finding happiness.
after reading why fish don't exist, it made me realize that the beauty of language comes from this. the excruciating and challenging way that we have to dedicate a large portion of our energy and our time to learn them. how even after all that it still has its limit and even then we use these words to limit others.
the power of language is vast and ever expanding and it is in our hands, to be moralistic about it. to weild these power for the greater good. to see the world not through these labels but to see past it. to experience the world as the earlier humans did, day by day, soaking up everyday experience and seeing that these no matter the chaos, are what make living worthwhile. not the division, not the boxes, not the words we mark on something, someone, but our similarity with them. our capacity as humans to empathize and to feel infinitely, deeply, and maybe through this, finding hope. finding happiness.
lexsven's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
I honestly forgot I put a hold on this book at the library. I vaguely remember requesting this book back in May or something so it came as quite a chock when I was let know it was my turn to check it out. I first saw this book around October of 2023 and was very interested in the cover and what it was about but it was not included in the buy one get one half off deal so I didn't end up buying it but clearly couldn't forget about it if I ended up checking it out.
This book started a little slow for me. I was interested in the concept of following the story of David Starr Jordan but wasn't sure if it would just be following his life as a biography based on his autobiography. Then the author mentions a piece of her own life and I was interested but curious how it would fit in. As the story unravelled it became more apparent and intriguing. I understood the main tone that even the people we see as amazing have flaws and some can be quite dire. At the end of the day we are all human and we all err.
The narrative then shifts away from having the main focus on David Starr Jordan and onto more tragic topics of eugenics, which was also touched on earlier in the book. The individuals the author spoke with were very endearing and a story of hope and moving on from terrible experiences and that coping comes in many forms. Whatever gets you through that doesn't harm people should be loved and respected.
While all through the book was very interesting and well fleshed out, the last half hour really struck me and made a lasting impact. It was a beautiful story of resilience. Fish really don't exist.
(I also love and audiobook read by the author! bonus points for the Easter Egg for audiobook listeners at the end.)
This book started a little slow for me. I was interested in the concept of following the story of David Starr Jordan but wasn't sure if it would just be following his life as a biography based on his autobiography. Then the author mentions a piece of her own life and I was interested but curious how it would fit in. As the story unravelled it became more apparent and intriguing. I understood the main tone that even the people we see as amazing have flaws and some can be quite dire. At the end of the day we are all human and we all err.
The narrative then shifts away from having the main focus on David Starr Jordan and onto more tragic topics of eugenics, which was also touched on earlier in the book. The individuals the author spoke with were very endearing and a story of hope and moving on from terrible experiences and that coping comes in many forms. Whatever gets you through that doesn't harm people should be loved and respected.
While all through the book was very interesting and well fleshed out, the last half hour really struck me and made a lasting impact. It was a beautiful story of resilience. Fish really don't exist.
(I also love and audiobook read by the author! bonus points for the Easter Egg for audiobook listeners at the end.)
quarcusrubrum's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Murder
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Car accident