The Philosopher Fish: Sturgeon, Caviar, and the Geography of Desire

Book Description

From the acclaimed Rick Carey ("a humanist and a journalist of considerable depth" Washington Post), a fascinating chronicle of a fast-disappearing fish-and of the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on it.

Since the days of the Persian Empire, caviar has trumpeted status, wealth, prestige, and sex appeal. Today it goes for up to one hundred dollars an ounce, and aficionados will go to extraordinary lengths to get their fill of it. According to acclaimed writer Richard Adams Carey, that's just the problem. In this spectacular jaunt, Carey immerses himself in the world of sturgeon, the fish that lays these golden eggs. What he finds is disturbing: Sturgeon populations worldwide have declined 70 percent in the last twenty years, most drastically in the Caspian Sea. The beluga sturgeon, producer of the most coveted caviar, has climbed to number four on the World Wildlife Fund's most-endangered species list.

Armed with a novelist's eye for human eccentricity and an investigator's nose for trouble, Carey takes us on an illuminating journey across the globe to uncover the secrets of the sturgeon. On that trek we meet the fascinating real-life characters both profiting from its scarcity and fighting to save it. A high-stakes cocktail of business, diplomacy, technology, and espionage, The Philosopher Fish is, at its heart, the epic story of a 250-million-year-old fish struggling to survive.

Customer Reviews:

The Gilded Morsel.......2005-08-24

In THE PHILOSOPHER FISH, Richard Adams Carey has written an epic chronicle of the sturgeon--a fish species rapidly approaching extinction wherever it swims--as well as of its precious product, caviar. Selling for as much as one hundred dollars an ounce, caviar has become an icon of status and success, and as such, it has led to the inevitable decline of that curious and prehistoric fish: the sturgeon.

Carey exams both the fish as a species as well as the industry that seeks to exploit it. The fascinating and ancient phylogeny of the sturgeon notwithstanding, this fish is clearly in trouble. In the last two decades, sturgeon populations have shrunk to less than one third of what they were. Much of U.S. trade in caviar, as elsewhere, is illegal, but up until now, those who are working to save the sturgeon are largely ineffective. As in the drug trade, the potential rewards to be reaped by the caviar industry have led to energetic smuggling operations, the mislabeling of sturgeon species on caviar tins, as well as other shenanigans. Among the many storylines covered in THE PHILOSOPHER FISH, Carey follows the efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stymie the illegal trade in caviar, though as a result of 9/11, their resources have largely been diverted elsewhere.

Carey also follows several of the sturgeons' champions in this world as they seek to improve the fish's plight. There is some slight hope in the efforts of those that hatchery-spawn sturgeon species for aquacultural purposes and possibly for future restocking projects. In his search for every sturgeon-related experience he could find, Carey even ice-fishes for sturgeon in Lake Winnebago, one of the few places in the world where this can be done (strict quotas make the season as short as only 2 days a year), but he clearly feels conflicted about it (he didn't catch anything). He drinks vodka along the shores of the Volga River as he observes the trade, both legal and illegal, of the world's most famous caviar locales.

THE PHILOSOPHER FISH takes the reader around the world, from Sacramento to the shores of the Caspian Sea. Many of the stories involve intrigue and espionage of the highest order. Others are humorous or bitter-sweet. Still others offer hope. All are intensely interesting. I enjoy reading books that tell me more than I ever wanted to know about one circumscribed subject. THE PHILOSOPHER FISH is such a book, and I give it my highest recommendation.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

Sturgeon natural history is examined .......2005-07-06

The sturgeon has been associated with the luxury food caviar since the days of the Persian Empire, with both wealth and sex appeal associated to its ingestion over the centuries - but today it's a fast-vanishing fish, threatening to take with it the people who depend on it for a living. Sturgeon natural history is examined by Carey, who journeys around the world to uncover its habits, habitat, and those profiting from it. Anticipate more than a natural history alone though: international politics, economics, and world diplomacy are all deftly examined with the sturgeon at the heart of all issues.

The Food Of Gods...And the Rich........2005-06-27

Cavier is the choice of the rich. It is merely the sturgeon's eggs. Sturgeon populations have declined 70% in the last twenty years because of the gluttony of obese, wealthy connoiseurs of fish. It is now becoming a most-endured species.

Harvard grad Richard Carey informs us of the people both profiting from the cavier producing business and shows a high-stakes cocktail of business, crime, diplomacy, technology an dthe problems of conservation. As the public appetites gorw and more people now can afford this staple to their diets which was once a luxury, it soon may become extinct.

Fish has always been my favorite food since the days of cowboys movies around Market Square and the lunch at a diner, always fish. Being a Southerner, I love to eat catfish and hush puppies. Having no way to get to the specialty fish places in East Tennessee, I have to depend on Captain D's and Long John Silver's. Usually I go to the nearest, CD, but today I rode a long bus ride to rach LJS , and it was worth it. CD may produce a larger fish sandwich, but LJS tastes better.

Sturgeon was plentiful in the waters around the Persian Empire 250 million years ago. Today it has declined drastically in the Caspian Sea where it had survived against all odds. The large salaries of 2005 enable more gluttons to afford something which sells for $100 an ounce. It corresponds with sex appeal among the high and mighty.

The sturgean has seen more years when it first spawns than many fish see in a lifetime. In East Tennessee, the carp are enormous, and people don't have the rich tasts -- though you may find it at some of the gatherings of the social groups at KMA.

This was the pap of life, the milk of wonder as the food of the gods. They spawn only in rivers of a world without sin. Soon they will all die out, becaues some people don't practice restraint in their culinary desires. And there is no place on this earth without sin, and the presumptuous who think they know it all. Even though they certainly do not!

Impressive & Enjoyable!.......2005-06-06

Mr. Carey paints an interesting and informative portrait of the rich, sordid world of caviar production and of the sturgeon itself.

You don't have to be a lover of caviar to enjoy this book, but if you are it makes you more appreciative of the noble egg. I recommend the book highly and suggest Robbing the Bees as an additional title to check into if you like this one!

Book Description

Molecular Modeling is a powerful tool of computational chemistry and is widely used in many research areas, such as drug design or biotechnology. This volume publishes in printed form all articles on the subject published by the Journal of Molecular Modeling during 1995 online in the Internet. The printed version guarantees easy access to all articles without connecting to Internet; the accompanying CD delivers all articles including colour prints in postscript format and supplemental material not available online.

Molecular Modeling Annual 1996 (CD-ROM and Print Archive Edition Journal of Molecular Modeling) (Molecular Modeling Annual)

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Molecular Modeling Annual 1996 (CD-ROM and Print Archive Edition Journal of Molecular Modeling) (Molecular Modeling Annual)
Timothy Clark
Manufacturer: Springer Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

Printing | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Molecular Modeling is a powerful tool of computational chemistry and is widely used in many research areas, such as drug design or biotechnology. This volume publishes, in printed form, all articles on the subject published by the Journal of Molecular Modeling online in the Internet during 1996 . The printed version guarantees easy access to all articles without connecting to Internet; the accompanying CD delivers all articles including the multimedia applications and supplementary material not available online.

Molecular Modeling Annual 1998: Journal of Molecular Modeling

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Molecular Modeling Annual 1998: Journal of Molecular Modeling

Manufacturer: Springer-Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Molecular Modeling is a powerful tool of computational chemistry and is widely used in many research areas, such as drug design or biotechnology. This CD-ROM publishes in electronic form all articles on the subject published by the Journal of Molecular Modeling online in the Internet during 1998. The CD delivers all articles including the multimedia applications and supplementary material not available online.

Molecular Modeling Annual. CD-Rom and Print Archive Edition, Journal of Molecular Modeling, Volume 6

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Molecular Modeling Annual. CD-Rom and Print Archive Edition, Journal of Molecular Modeling, Volume 6
Ed. Tim Clark
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IUZRUA

Molecular Modeling Annual. CD-ROM Edition. Journal of Molecular Modeling Volume 6, 2000

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Molecular Modeling Annual. CD-ROM Edition. Journal of Molecular Modeling Volume 6, 2000
Tim, ed. Clark
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ITR5JW

Customer Reviews:

A Good Introduction to Matlab.......2000-08-15

"The Student Edition of Matlab Version 5 User's Guide" bring to us a pratical and easy way apresentation to Matlab. Its language is easy to know. But this book present same fauls for me. It doesn't have exercises for the readers pratice. It show us few examples and repetitives. But they are goods. And, finally, I would like to see more pages about the simulink and blocksets. But in my opinion this book is a good way to you know Matlab and its comands.

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The Student Edition of Matlab Version 5 User's Guide
Bruce Littlefield, Mathworks, MathWorks Inc. Duane Hanselman
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIT5XQ

Book Description

A dying sailor boards the Narcissus and acts as a memento mori upon his shipmates, eliciting pity and selfless compassion as well as fear, resentment, and a profound hatred. The powerful narrative technique captures every nuance of atmospheric tension for a compelling study of men's characters under conditions of extreme danger and stress.

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Meantime the Narcissus, with square yards, ran out of the fair monsoon. She drifted slowly, swinging round and round the compass, through a few days of baffling light airs. Under the patter of short warm showers, grumbling men whirled the heavy yards from side to sine; they caught hold of the soaked ropes with groans and sighs, while their officers, sulky and dripping with rain water, unceasingly ordered them about in wearied voices.

Customer Reviews:

The Nigger of The Narcissus.......2007-01-30

This book was one of three Conrad books I had ordered for my daughter who is in the U.S. Coast Guard. This was her absolute favorite. It arrived well before Christmas and was in excellent condition. Thank you. Che & Lawrence Martini

I agree, it's an interesting but not amazing reading.......2005-11-25

The nautical setting is interesting: Recognizable to those familiar with sailing, a learning experience for those of us who are not. One star.

The characters are interesting: Ranging from hardend sailors with strong work ethics to unpricipled slackers, with a mysterious black shipmate (who may or may not be faking illness) thrown in to shake them all up. One star.

What I didn't find interesting was Conrad's writing style. His descriptions contained far too many confusing similes, his run-on sentences and three-page paragraphs were tiresome, and his sudden switch from third-person to first-person narration was a bit bewildering. No stars.

Interesting, Not Amazing........2005-06-23

I came across Narcissus as a reference to one of Faulkner's inspirations in writing As I Lay Dying. As the latter book was superb, I suspected the former would perhaps shine as brightly. I was definately wrong.

It's not that the book is bad--certainly not. But the book, as a story, isn't all that riveting, and as a social commentary is not anything that most haven't seen time and again (that Conrad's work came before much of what we've seen is, of course, of some merit).

From an academic standpoint the book is probably worth a read. Historically, it's clearly important as it effectively captures the mood of an era long past. As a study in literature I found Conrad's employment of seamless shifts between the first and thrid person as subtle and deceptively powerful--clearly this is where Faulkner borrowed style from the work.

depressingly mean-spirited.......2004-02-07

This is the first Conrad novel I've disliked for its racism. "Lord Jim" and "Nostromo" were also about the struggle of racial empire, but more complex and rich in feeling. This one, like "The Secret Agent," seems propelled mainly by resentment. Here the "Nigger" of the title, and his white ally on the ship, are despised by the true-hearted English sailors yet have somehow learned to make the modern world work for them. The message seems to be that weak manipulators, racially corrupt, are taking over the empire. The action of the plot is more allegorical then consequential and lacks internal logic.

However the "Nigger" has the seeds of an interesting character, if we could only get to know him -- maybe on shore, and in good health.

A Great Work of Literature.......2003-01-19

In my opinion, Nigger of the 'Narcissus' by Joseph Conrad is one of the truly great novels in English. It goes on the list with such works as The Great Gatsby, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Passage to India, and Moby Dick. It is fascinating, gripping, deep, and entertaining. It defies description, analysis, or summary. (Nevertheless Doug Anderson in his review has done a pretty good job, so I won't even try.)

I don't feel competent to write reviews of great literary works, but not everyone may be familiar with Conrad's Nigger of the 'Narcissus' and what a wonderful novel it is. ... I had no expectations about it and was taken completely by surprise. Nigger of the 'Narcissus' is not just another good novel. It is a masterpiece of literature.

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Three Great Tales: Heart of Darkness, Typhoon, Nigger of the Narcissus
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Conrad, Joseph | Classics | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006AVCYM

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The Nigger of the Narcissus; Typhoon & Other Stories

Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Conrad, Joseph | Classics | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000I1K41G

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20th Century Interpretations Of The Nigger Of The " Narcissus"
Palmer
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JFDOV8

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The conditioned imagination from Shakespeare to Conrad
Michael J. C Echeruo
Manufacturer: Holmes & Meier Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
ASIN: 0841903301

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Conrad's "Nigger of the Narcissus" (20th Century Interpretations)

Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories
General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | Classics | Comic | Contemporary | Literary
General | Criticism & Theory | History & Criticism | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0136223400

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Conrad's manifesto: preface to a career;: The history of the preface to The nigger of the "Narcissus," with facsimiles of the manuscripts,
Joseph Conrad
Manufacturer: [Philip H. and A. S. W. Rosenbach Foundation]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Conrad, Joseph | Classics | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006BP0OY

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Conrad's manifesto; preface to a career. The history of the preface to The nigger of the Narcissus with facsimiles of the manuscripts edited with an essay by David R. Smith.
David R., editor. [CONRAD] SMITH
Manufacturer: (Philip H. and A. S. W. Rosenbach Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OXD9YC

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