Upstream : searching for wild salmon, from river to table /
Material type: TextPublisher: New York : Ballantine Books, [2017]Description: 314 pages : illustrations, map ; 25 cmContent type:- text
- unmediated
- volume
- 9781101882887
- 1101882883
- 639.2/7560979 23
- SH167.S17 C68 2017
- NAT012000 | SOC055000
Item type | Current library | Home library | Collection | Call number | Copy number | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard Loan | Coeur d'Alene Library Adult Nonfiction | Coeur d'Alene Library | Book | 639.2 COOK (Browse shelf(Opens below)) | 1 | Available | 50610023731933 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
Finalist for the Washington State Book Award * From the award-winning author of The Mushroom Hunters comes the story of an iconic fish, perhaps the last great wild food: salmon.
For some, a salmon evokes the distant wild, thrashing in the jaws of a hungry grizzly bear on TV. For others, it's the catch of the day on a restaurant menu, or a deep red fillet at the market. For others still, it's the jolt of adrenaline on a successful fishing trip. Our fascination with these superlative fish is as old as humanity itself. Long a source of sustenance among native peoples, salmon is now more popular than ever. Fish hatcheries and farms serve modern appetites with a domesticated "product"--while wild runs of salmon dwindle across the globe. How has this once-abundant resource reached this point, and what can we do to safeguard wild populations for future generations?
Langdon Cook goes in search of the salmon in Upstream, his timely and in-depth look at how these beloved fish have nourished humankind through the ages and why their destiny is so closely tied to our own. Cook journeys up and down salmon country, from the glacial rivers of Alaska to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to California's drought-stricken Central Valley and a wealth of places in between. Reporting from remote coastlines and busy city streets, he follows today's commercial pipeline from fisherman's net to corporate seafood vendor to boutique marketplace. At stake is nothing less than an ancient livelihood.
But salmon are more than food. They are game fish, wildlife spectacle, sacred totem, and inspiration--and their fate is largely in our hands. Cook introduces us to tribal fishermen handing down an age-old tradition, sport anglers seeking adventure and a renewed connection to the wild, and scientists and activists working tirelessly to restore salmon runs. In sharing their stories, Cook covers all sides of the debate: the legacy of overfishing and industrial development; the conflicts between fishermen, environmentalists, and Native Americans; the modern proliferation of fish hatcheries and farms; and the longstanding battle lines of science versus politics, wilderness versus civilization.
This firsthand account--reminiscent of the work of John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky--is filled with the keen insights and observations of the best narrative writing. Cook offers an absorbing portrait of a remarkable fish and the many obstacles it faces, while taking readers on a fast-paced fishing trip through salmon country. Upstream is an essential look at the intersection of man, food, and nature.
Praise for Upstream
"Invigorating . . . Mr. Cook is a congenial and intrepid companion, happily hiking into hinterlands and snorkeling in headwaters. Along the way we learn about filleting techniques, native cooking methods and self-pollinating almond trees, and his continual curiosity ensures that the narrative unfurls gradually, like a long spey cast. . . . With a pedigree that includes Mark Kurlansky, John McPhee and Roderick Haig-Brown, Mr. Cook's style is suitably fluent, an occasional phrase flashing like a flank in the current. . . . For all its rehearsal of the perils and vicissitudes facing Pacific salmon, Upstream remains a celebration." -- The Wall Street Journal
Includes bibliographical references (pages 313-314) and index.
Coming out of the woodwork on Copper River day -- Thirteen seconds -- The case of the missing adipose fin -- Bridge of the Gods -- Of zombies and strongholds -- Last run of the Midnight Express -- A tenebrous future -- The reef netter's off season -- The ballad of Lonesome Larry -- Attack of the killer blob -- Cocktail hour on the Kispiox -- Make way for the floodplain fatties -- Herding the pinks -- Rhythm of the river -- Acknowledgments -- When a trout is a salmon : a note on taxonomy -- Selected bibliography.
"From the award-winning author of The Mushroom Hunters comes the story of an iconic fish, perhaps the last great wild food : salmon. For some, a salmon evokes the distant wild--thrashing in the jaws of a hungry grizzly bear on TV, perhaps. For others, it's the catch of the day on a restaurant menu, or a deep red fillet at the market. For others still, it's the jolt of adrenaline on a successful fishing trip. Our fascination with these superlative fish is as old as humanity itself. Long a source of sustenance among native peoples, salmon is now more popular than ever. Fish hatcheries and farms serve modern appetites with a domesticated "product"--While wild runs of salmon dwindle across the globe. How has this once-abundant resource reached this point, and what can we do to safeguard wild populations for future generations? Langdon Cook goes in search of the salmon in Upstream, his timely and in-depth look at how these beloved fish have nourished humankind through the ages and why their destiny is so closely tied to our own. Cook journeys up and down salmon country, from the glacial rivers of Alaska to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to California's drought-stricken Central Valley and a wealth of places in between. Reporting from remote coastlines and busy city streets, he follows today's commercial pipeline from fisherman's net to corporate seafood vendor to boutique marketplace. At stake is nothing less than an ancient livelihood. But salmon are more than food. They are game fish, wildlife spectacle, sacred totem, and inspiration--and their fate is largely in our hands. Cook introduces us to tribal fishermen handing down an age-old tradition, sport anglers seeking adventure and a renewed connection to the wild, and scientists and activists working tirelessly to restore salmon runs. In sharing their stories, Cook covers all sides of the debate : the legacy of overfishing and industrial development ; the conflicts between fishermen, environmentalists, and Native Americans ; the modern proliferation of fish hatcheries and farms ; and the longstanding battle lines of science versus politics, wilderness versus civilization. This firsthand account--reminiscent of the work of John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky--is filled with the keen insights and observations of the best narrative writing. Cook offers an absorbing portrait of a remarkable fish and the many obstacles it faces, while taking readers on a fast-paced fishing trip through salmon country. Upstream is an essential look at the intersection of man, food, and nature. Advance praise for Upstream "Salmon are the essence of the Pacific Northwest, and as Langdon Cook shows so powerfully, they are the key to its future. From the wild flats of Alaska's Copper River to the straitjacketed creeks of California, Upstream captures the myriad ways people and salmon are deeply intertwined."--Rowan Jacobsen, author of The Essential Oyster "Langdon Cook delivers a beautifully written portrait of the iconic salmon that blends history, biology, contentious politics, and the joy of fishing into a captivating and thought-provoking tale."--Eric Jay Dolin, author of Brilliant Beacons "In this fresh tale of an ancient wonder, Langdon Cook takes us on an inspired journey of discovery through the heart and soul of salmon country."--David R. Montgomery, author of King of Fish and Growing a Revolution "Cook takes the reader on a thrilling adventure through the mountains, rivers, farmlands, and kitchens where progress, against all odds, is being made."--Zeb Hogan, biologist and host of National Geographic's Monster Fish"--
Table of contents provided by Syndetics
- Map (p. xiii)
- Chapter 1 Coming Out of the Woodwork on Copper River Day (p. 3)
- Chapter 2 Thirteen Seconds (p. 17)
- Chapter 3 The Case of the Missing Adipose Fin (p. 36)
- Chapter 4 Bridge of the Gods (p. 55)
- Chapter 5 Of Zombies and Strongholds (p. 68)
- Chapter 6 Last Run of the Midnight Express (p. 91)
- Chapter 7 A Tenebrous Future (p. 120)
- Chapter 8 The Reef Netter's Off-Season (p. 146)
- Chapter 9 The Ballad of Lonesome Larry (p. 169)
- Chapter 10 Attack of the Killer Blob (p. 191)
- Chapter 11 Cocktail Hour on the Kispiox (p. 218)
- Chapter 12 Make Way for the Floodplain Fatties (p. 242)
- Chapter 13 Herding the Pinks (p. 264)
- Chapter 14 Rhythm of the River (p. 284)
- Acknowledgments (p. 307)
- When a Trout is a Salmon: A Note on Taxonomy (p. 311)
- Selected Bibliography (p. 313)
Excerpt provided by Syndetics
Reviews provided by Syndetics
Library Journal Review
Salmon have been prized for food and admired by many cultures for their remarkable migration pattern from rivers to oceans and back to the rivers of their origins. Cook (The Mushroom Hunters; Fat of the Land), who writes about wild foods and the outdoors and leads hikes in the Seattle area, starts his salmon journey at the Copper River in Alaska. He continues on to visit the fishing community of Cordova, AK, and explores the Rogue and Columbia Rivers in Oregon and Washington State, the Sacramento River system in California, and the Snake River in Wyoming. The author describes the species of wild Pacific salmon and the negative effects on their populations caused by logging, warming river and ocean temperatures, and the damming of rivers to provide hydroelectric power and irrigation. He further argues that habitat destruction, human population growth, and the effects of salmon hatcheries have altered the ecosystems on which the fish depend. Throughout, Cook deftly conveys his love of nature, the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and the delectable eating provided by fresh caught wild salmon. VERDICT Fishers, environmentalists, naturalists, and armchair travelers will enjoy this passionate and well-written account, as will fans of Catherine Schmitt's The President's Salmon.-Judith B. Barnett, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Kingston © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.Publishers Weekly Review
In this insightful book, Cook (The Mushroom Hunters) clearly outlines scientific information about the species of fish commonly known as salmon, giving details on the salmon's life cycle, distribution, preferred habitat, and physical appearance. But the focus here is less on facts and research and more on how "Pacific salmon culture in North America is a dance between fish and humanity." Cook connects with chefs, fishermen, ecologists, fish wranglers, reef netters, Native Americans, a "bearded masturbator of fish," and countless others to get their perspectives on the state of dwindling salmon stocks and the impact on them of fish hatcheries, commercial fishing, dam building/removal, and wildlife conservation. The answers can be a little depressing at times, especially considering that the salmon's troubles are almost exclusively man-made. But Cook also finds a lot of hope for salmon's recovery in places such as the Elwha River in Washington State, where dams had been removed; in Seattle's urban pink-salmon fishery, the Duwamish River; and in experiments such as the Nigiri Project, which ties flooding for sushi-rice production to increased California salmon habitat. In the end, Cook acknowledges that salmon's recovery, just like its demise, will come from people. As one set-in-his-ways rancher tells Cook, "It's gonna take a while. Because a bunch of people my age still need to die." That may be the case, but for those who want to live to see the salmon recapture its former glory, this work is a great place to learn what needs to done-and an entertaining view on the positive and negative connections human have with the natural environment. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.Booklist Review
Cook (The Mushroom Hunters, 2013) tackles a Pacific Northwest icon in this wide-ranging exploration (from river to table) of the region's most famous fish. From the opening pages, bearing witness to shoppers at Pike Place Market and considering the outrageous marketing success of the annual Copper River salmon season, Cook proves himself equally at home fishing in the wildest of rivers and chatting with salesmen and chefs. There is no villain to be found here no one wants to see the death of the salmon but there is some controversy and opposing sides, especially on the topic of hatcheries. Cook travels the salmon's home waters and finds that the culture of the fish is interwoven with communities and economies in several states that celebrate its determined journey and delicious taste. Cook's salmon travelogue easily appeals to anglers, salmon eaters, nature lovers, and everyone in between. The Pacific salmon is a great American fish, and by writing about it with such care and curiosity, Cook establishes its ecological importance and tells a great American story.--Mondor, Colleen Copyright 2010 BooklistKirkus Book Review
A tale of a species on life support and the ramifications for people, nature, and place.While Cook's (The Mushroom Hunters, 2014, etc.) earliest memories of salmon stem from his New England childhood, he first encountered them in the wild during summer swims in Oregon's Rogue River. He was in his early 20s and had moved across the country to take care of a remote homestead in the mountains. Drawn to the wild as a source of rejuvenation and sustenance, the author learned to fish for salmon and to ponder their relationship to people and place. Intoxicated, he began pulling at a thread that would take him on a journey across the Pacific Northwest, including stops at Seattle's Pike Place Market, the country's first sustainable sushi restaurant, a state forestry meeting, a First Foods ceremony, fish hatcheries, dammed rivers, and gill-netting operations. Cook was guided along the way by a diverse, colorful cast of characters, including ecologists, conservationists, activists, chefs, restaurateurs, commercial fishermen, and others, each sharing their stories, politics, passions, and philosophies on the state of the world and pathways for the future. Exposing striking human-salmon parallels, these stories tell of settlement and cultural clashes, of life cycles and migrations, of deforestation and industrial agriculture, of racism and gentrification, and Cook skillfully illustrates the interconnectedness of it all. Seeking the wild in a landscape fraught with man-made alteration and annihilation, the author interrogates the nature of wildness, posing urgent, provocative questions. Can we disentangle human and natural landscapes? Is it possible to restore nature? Can humans move from markets and mitigation to reconciliation with nature and with each other? If we know better, will we do better? How might we imagine new ways of living and being in the world? Blurring boundaries and complicating the oversimplified, Cook provides a moving, artfully layered story of strength and vulnerability, offering glimpses of hope for growing humility and reverence and for shifting human-nature relationships. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.Author notes provided by Syndetics
Langdon Cook is the author of The Mushroom Hunters: On the Trail of an Underground America, winner of the Pacific Northwest Book Award, and Fat of the Land: Adventures of a 21st Century Forager . His writing has appeared in numerous newspapers, magazines, and online journals. A nominee for the 2016 James Beard Award, Cook lives in Seattle.There are no comments on this title.