To Catch a Fish: Essays on the Joy, Frustration, Curiosity, and Allure of Fishing

A beautifully illustrated little book on the ways of catching and the ways of preparing fish.

For as long as there have been humans, there have been humans trying to catch fish. But to catch a fish, you have to think like a fish. In these 40 short essays, Mark Kurlansky explores the secrets of who fish are, why they behave as they do, and the many ways of catching them. Touching on everything from cooking and eating your catch to ecology, the best stories about fish, and the best spots to fish from, this collection will delight seasoned anglers and novices alike.

Mark Kurlansky is a former commercial fisherman, a journalist, and The New York Times best-selling author of Cod, Salt, The Big Oyster, and dozens of other books of fiction and nonfiction. He lives with his wife and daughter in New York City.

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Reviews

“This new informative book is almost a guilty pleasure. It is perfectly paired [with] lovely illustrations that make reading about fishing even better than actually going fishing-at least until one finishes the book.”

Carl Safina, PHD, author of Song for the Blue Ocean and Alfie and Me

“Lifting the hood on his deep, personal relationship with the ocean, Kurlansky reveals that fishing is, in the most profound sense, meditation.”

Paul Greenberg, best-selling author of Four Fish

“Mark Kurlansky puts you in the angling moment as fully as anyone who has ever written about this wonderful pastime.”

Peter Kaminsky, author of The Zen of Flyfishing