Eels : an exploration, from New Zealand to the Sargasso, of the world's most amazing and mysterious fish

From Publishers Weekly Ask your average North American: eels, those slimy snakelike creatures, are generally held in poor regard. For nature writer Prosek (Trout; Fly-Fishing the 41st), however, they are a compelling mystery, and in his riveting synthesis of cultural, geographical, and botanical sleuthing, he investigates their reputation at home and abroad. The author--for whom the eel was once merely bait for bass--delves into the closely held traditions of the Maori of New Zealand, where eels are revered; into the beliefs of the Micronesian island of Pohnpei, where eels are considered members of a tribal clan; into the heart of the largest seafood market in the world, in Japan, a nation that consumes more than 130,000 tons of eels each year; into the reclusive world of Eel Weir Hollow in the Catskills, where fisherman Ray traps and smokes as much as one ton of eels a season; and to the fabled Sargasso Sea, where eels are thought to start their trek to the world's lakes, rivers, and streams--though, even now, no one knows precisely where the world's population of eels spawns, an enduring scientific mystery awaiting a solution. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist The freshwater eel is born in the Sargasso Sea, makes its way at random to a freshwater stream in Europe or the U.S. (and doesn’t make a mistake and end up on the wrong continent), and after many years makes its way back to the Sargasso to spawn and die. A baffling fish, there are 15 species of freshwater eels found all over the world. Prosek (Trout: An Illustrated History, 1996) points out that eels are not an easy fish to like; they’re snakelike and don’t act like normal fish (they can slither through the grass on wet nights to find food or new bodies of water). But his fascination with eels took him to New Zealand, where the longfin eel can live more than 100 years and grow to more than 80 pounds. Eels are big business in Japan. The tale of Ray Turner, a man who still fishes for eels the traditional way with a hand-built weir, is at the heart of the book, tying the mythology, the mystery, and the commerce of eels together into his story. --Nancy Bent

they Are The Only Fish That Spawn In The Middle Of The Ocean But Spend Their Adult Lives In Freshwater. They Can Overcome Seemingly Insurmountable Obstacles And Even Cross Over Land. They Are Revered As Guardians And Monster-seducers By New Zealand's Maori And Have Inspired Origin Myths Throughout The Pacific Islands. Often Viewed With Disgust In The West, They Are A Multibillion-dollar Business In The Asian Food Market. And They Are Often Mistaken For Snakes. They Are Eels—one Of The World's Most Amazing And Least Understood Fish. (yes, Fish.)

James Prosek Offers A Fascinating Tour Through The Life History And Cultural Associations Of The Freshwater Eel, Exploring Its Biology In Streams And Epic Migrations In The Ocean, Its Myth And Lore, Its Mystery And Beauty. Prosek Travels The Globe To Tell The Story Of The Eel—from New York To New Zealand; From Europe To Japan And The Small Island Of Pohnpei In Micronesia, Where Freshwater Eels Are Worshipped By Members Of The Eel Clan. Along The Way He Introduces Individuals Whose Lives Are Most Connected With The Eels' Story—including Fishermen, Conservationists, And Scientists Seeking To Uncover The Eels' Elusive Home In The Sargasso Sea And Their Spawning Places In Other Oceans Of The World. Though Freshwater Eels Have Been Here For Hundreds Of Millions Of Years, Populations Are Rapidly Declining, Due Largely To Dams, Overfishing, Pollution, And Perhaps Even Global Climate Change.

Illustrated With Original Etchings By The Author, eels Is A Mesmerizing Biography And History Of This Intriguing And Mysterious Creature. It Is Also A Telling Look At Humanity, The Will To Persist, And The Ever-changing Relationship Between Man And The Natural World.

the Washington Post - Mark Berman

if You Consider The Eel Only When You're Ordering In A Sushi Joint, You Might Not Think The Creature Warrants An Entire Book. James Prosek's Breezy And Entertaining eels, Devoted To The Slimy, Snake-like Freshwater Fish That Spawns In The Ocean, Proves Otherwise. It's Less An Exhaustive Scientific Examination Than Part Travelogue, Part Cultural Examination And Part Scientific Exploration…prosek's Writing Is Fluid And Relaxed, Exploring How Different People Approach Eels Rather Than Overwhelming Us With Data Or Recipes.

“Eels [is] more than a fish book. It is an impassioned defense of nature itself. . . . [Prosek] passes on the truth that the often disdained eel, like all migratory fish, is vital and mysterious and worthy of our full effort to bring it back.” — New York Times Book Review “A wonderful account of far-flung travels in pursuit of the secrets of the earth’s most mysterious fish. . . . Fascinating and beautifully rendered.” — Peter Matthiessen Famous for his deeply informed, compulsively readable books on trout, James Prosek (whom the New York Times has called “the Audubon of the fishing world”) takes on nature’s quirkiest and most enigmatic fish: the eel. Fans of Mark Kurlansky’s Cod and The Big Oyster or Trevor Corson’s The Secret Life of Lobsters will love Prosek’s probing exploration of the hidden deep-water dwellers. With characteristically captivating prose and lavish illustrations, Prosek demystifies the eel’s unique biology and bizarre mating routines, and illuminates the animal’s varied roles in the folklore, cuisine, and commerce of a variety of cultures. "Tour through the life history and cultural associations of the freshwater eel, exploring its biology in streams and epic migrations in the ocean, its myth and lore, its mystery and beauty. Prosek travels the globe to tell the story of the eel -- from New York to New Zealand; from Europe to Japan and the small island of Pohnpei in Micronesia, where freshwater eels are worshipped by members of the eel clan." "A resonant look at that most mysterious of fish, the eel--including their biology and epic migrations, unusual place in today's world, their myth and lore, and ultimately their mystery and beauty."--Publisher's description