The Book of Eels cover art

The Book of Eels

Their Lives, Secrets and Myths

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The Book of Eels

By: Tom Fort
Narrated by: Richard Derrington
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About this listen

What has been the dish of kings, the subject of myths and the traveller of epic and mysterious journeys? The eel.

Beginning life in the Sargasso Sea, the eel travels across the ocean, lives for twenty or so years, and then is driven by some instinct back across the ocean to spawn and die. And the next generation starts the story again. No one knows why the eels return, or how the orphaned elvers learn their way back. One man discovered, after many adventures, the breeding ground of all eels – and he is the hero of this book.

Eels were being caught and consumed 5000 years before the birth of Christ – Aristotle and Pliny wrote about them; Romans regarded them as a peerless delicacy; Egyptians accorded them semi-sacred status; English kings died of overeating them. There are many strange practices among eel fishers all over the world, and many great fortunes based upon the eel harvest.

The Book of Eels, a combination of social comment, biography and natural history, is also a fascinating and witty account of Tom Fort’s obsession with the eel, his journeying to discover the eel in all its habitats, and the people he meets in his pursuit.

 Animals Biological Sciences Ecology Endangered Species Fishing Hunting & Fishing Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Witty Royalty Hunting

Critic reviews

Praise for The Grass is Greener:

‘Cultural history at its best.’ Country Life

‘This book is absolutely hilarious. Brilliantly written, a minor classic. A gem.’ The Field
All stars
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I loved this book on first listen, and am enjoying it just as much again now for a second time. Enlightening on the illusive magical lives of the Eel and their cultural and folkloric history. The book is narrated perfectly and at times had me laughing out loud, and getting tearful- highly recommend.

Such a wonderful book

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Feel misled by the cover. There is a lot more about the hunting of eels and far less natural history than I would have expected. First few chapters about the author’s history of killing and hurt eels are particularly unpleasant. Also contains some really upsetting descriptions of the cooking and skinning of eels alive

Treats the eel as an object to be killed and tortured

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