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Four Fish: The Future Of The Last Wild Food (2010)

by Paul Greenberg(Favorite Author)

3.93 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1594202567 (ISBN13: 9781594202568)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Penguin Press HC, The

review 1: This is an excellent book if you are fully devoted to learning about fish. If you are like me, and are only somewhat interested in fishy knowledge, it is still worth your time, although the narrative might strike you as a little too meandering at times. The conclusions at the end tie together the author’s thoughts nicely. The book is an argument for sustainable fish eating (add efficient, nondestructive fish to our diets while removing inefficient fish that have a higher ecological impact; lift subsidies that promote overfishing and overconsumption of fish; etc.) Above all else, the author argues that we ought to, in all ways, respect ocean dwelling creatures as much as we respect land animals. We are not, to the author, treating these animals in a way “commensurate wi... moreth the contemporary battles of the food-reform and land-based environmental movements."
review 2: Like “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” but for fish*, this book sheds light on the opaque-to-consumers world of aquaculture, commercial fisheries, and the past, present, and future of our ocean’s health in the context of humanity’s increasing appetite for fish. It sounds like a dry and dreary topic, but the author’s enthusiasm for his topic is infectious. And while you might expect a book like this to paint an alarmist, universally dreary picture, there is a lot of nuance and possibility of hope mixed in (except maybe when he talks about bluefin tuna; those guys seem pretty fucked). “Four Fish" is a must-read for any responsible person who eats fish and has any concern for our oceans. Or anyone who has an interest in sustainable food systems. Or for anyone who wants to understand what fish farming is and has a vague sense of it being usually “bad” and not really knowing why. I fell into all three camps, so I got a lot out of it. I bet it would also appeal to people who liked “Cod” or “Salt” or any of those other one-word-titled microhistories.*Okay, I made the easy comparison to Michael Pollan. But unlike Pollan, Paul Greenberg actually grapples with the difficult path forward, not just in the realm of feel-good personal choices, but actually examining national and international fisheries management and attempting to put forth a vision of a more sustainable fishing and aquaculture future. This is what elevates the book to a higher level than most other "sustainable food" books I have read so far. less

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