Cod

In Mark Kurlansky's book, the humble cod becomes a central character in world history. For the sake of cod, Europeans began crossing the Atlantic – and it was thanks to cod that such long voyages became possible. Wars were fought... and revolutions began over cod; it served as the basis of the diet of entire nations, the economies of different countries depended on it, and the colonization of North America happened largely because of it. The author introduces readers to people whose lives are closely connected with this unique fish – researchers, merchants, writers, chefs, and of course, fishermen. He tells about the cod wars of the 16th and 20th centuries, shares recipes from different eras, and shows us the cod itself – its habits, evolution, and ultimately, tragedy. For centuries, cod has fed humanity, but now it needs our help: the fish stocks that once seemed inexhaustible have nearly run dry.