Mr. Kurlansky did his homework. I enjoyed the book but didn't make it all the way through. I found the part about the history of the fish with the Catholic church particularly interesting.

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Well written. Very interesting look at history from the standpoint of a food source. Made me look for other books to cover bits of history mentioned in this one. Closes with a fine selection of useable, historic cod recipes.

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A really great little book and a wonderfully insightful history of cod and it's destruction by humans. The ending wasn't entirely inspiring but the book was overall great!

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From Library Journal
In this engaging history of a "1000-year fishing spree," Kurlansky (A Continent of Islands: Searching for the Caribbean Destiny, LJ 1/92) traces the relationship of cod fishery to such historical eras and events as medieval Christianity and Christian observances; international conflicts between England and Germany over Icelandic cod; slavery, the molasses trade, and the dismantling of the British Empire; and, the evolution of a sophisticated fishing industry in New England. Kurlansky relates this information in an entertaining style while providing accurate scientific information. The story does not have a happy ending, however. The cod fishery is in trouble, deep trouble, as the Atlantic fish has been fished almost to extinction. Quoting a scientist from the Woods Hole Biological Laboratory, Massachusetts, Kurlansky notes that to forecast the recovery of the cod population is to gamble: "There is only one known calculation: 'When you get to zero, it will produce zero.'" Highly recommended for all general collections.?Mary J. Nickum, Bozeman, Mont.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc

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A lot of history of the fishing for cod and the politics. It also shows another example of man overusing and ruining a resource for greed, money and food.

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Cod is a charming tour of history with all its economic forces laid bare and a fish story embellished with great gastronomic detail. A depetively whimsical biography of a fish.

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Surprisingly interesting.

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