Book : The Book Of Eels Our Enduring Fascination With The...

-Titulo Original : The Book Of Eels Our Enduring Fascination With The Most Mysterious Creature In The Natural World

-Fabricante :

Ecco

-Descripcion Original:

About the Author Patrik Svensson is an arts and culture journalist at Sydsvenskan newspaper. He lives with his family in Malmo, Sweden. The Gospel of Eels is his first book. Los Angeles Times BestsellerIndieBound BestsellerOne of USA Today’s “5 Books Not to Miss”One of Forbes’ “Best Summer ReadsOne of the LA Times’ “21 New and Classic Books to Keep You in Touch with the Natural World”Part H Is for Hawk, part The Soul of an Octopus, The Book of Eels is both a meditation on the world’s most elusive fish-the eel-and a reflection on the human conditionRemarkably little is known about the European eel, Anguilla anguilla. So little, in fact, that scientists and philosophers have, for centuries, been obsessed with what has become known as the “eel question”: Where do eels come from? What are they? Are they fish or some other kind of creature altogether? Even today, in an age of advanced science, no one has ever seen eels mating or giving birth, and we still don’t understand what drives them, after living for decades in freshwater, to swim great distances back to the ocean at the end of their lives. They remain a mystery.Drawing on a breadth of research about eels in literature, history, and modern marine biology, as well as his own experience fishing for eels with his father, Patrik Svensson crafts a mesmerizing portrait of an unusual, utterly misunderstood, and completely captivating animal. In The Book of Eels, we meet renowned historical thinkers, from Aristotle to Sigmund Freud to Rachel Carson, for whom the eel was a singular obsession. And we meet the scientists who spearheaded the search for the eel’s point of origin, including Danish marine biologist Johannes Schmidt, who led research efforts in the early twentieth century, catching thousands upon thousands of eels, in the hopes of proving their birthing grounds in the Sargasso Sea.Blending memoir and nature writing at its best, Svensson’s journey to understand the eel becomes an exploration of the human condition that delves into overarching issues about our roots and destiny, both as humans and as animals, and, ultimately, how to handle the biggest question of all: death. The result is a gripping and slippery narrative that will surprise and enchant. Review “A masterful narrative that is part memoir and part scientific detective story.” - Smithsonian Magazine, “10 Best Science Books of the Year”“A beguiling chronicle.” - Nautilus“Svensson has, quite stunningly, discovered in the natural and human history of the European eel a metaphor for his father’s life and a way to explore questions of knowledge, belief and faith.” - Washington Post“Captivating . . . shot through with electric current. The book’s deadpan title perhaps undercuts its depth and complexity. Yes, this is a book about eels, those uncanny creatures, but in Svensson’s capable hands it is also a book about obsession and mystery, about faith and science, and about the limits of knowledge . . . Like Annie Dillard and Rachel Carson, Svensson knows the best nature writing is done with emotion and drive.” - Minneapolis Star Tribune“Fascinating.” - Whats Jordana Reading, Summer ReadsEnthralling. - Colorado Springs Gazette“Nature writing at its finest. Svenssons memories of eel fishing with his father speak to the intersection of life and science, and add to its heart.” - Shelf Awareness“Blending a wonderfully evocative and succinct timeline of scientific discoveries about eels with a memoir of his changing relationship with his father, Svensson has produced an extremely readable book on a fish that all have heard of but few (on our side of the pond) have actually seen.” - Booklist“An unusual and beguiling guide to an unusual and beguiling animal. . . . Svensson’s book, like its subject, is a strange beast: a creature of metamorphosis, a shape-shifter that moves among realms. It is a book of natural history, and a memoir about a son and his father. It is also an explora