A review by ameyawarde
The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell by Mark Kurlansky

5.0

This author wrote "Salt" which is the book that got me hooked on micro-histories, which, along with loving NYC, is why I picked up this book, despite being a vegetarian who has never (TG) eaten any kind of seafood of any sort and is very happy about it. I did tune out when he read off recipes or particularly gruesome bits (I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT RAW OYSTERS ARE ALIVE AND PEOPLE ARE EATING LIVING ANIMALS, OMG. D: ), but I thought it was a really interesting book, and I enjoyed seeing the history of the city through such a specific lens (I have previously read the history of Bellevue as well which was similar, except through the lens of NYC hospitals instead of oysters..). Worth reading for anyone interested in NYC history or seafood or microhistories!