Cook offers an absorbing portrait of a remarkable fish and the many obstacles it faces, while taking readers on a fast-paced fishing trip through salmon country.

This firsthand account – reminiscent of the work of John McPhee and Mark Kurlansky – is filled with the keen insights and observations of the best narrative writing. In sharing their stories, Cook covers all sides of the debate: the legacy of overfishing and industrial development the conflicts between fishermen, environmentalists, and Native Americans the modern proliferation of fish hatcheries and farms and the longstanding battle lines of science versus politics, wilderness versus civilization. Cook introduces us to tribal fishermen handing down an age-old tradition, sport anglers seeking adventure and a renewed connection to the wild, and scientists and activists working tirelessly to restore salmon runs. They are game fish, wildlife spectacle, sacred totem, and inspiration – and their fate is largely in our hands. At stake is nothing less than an ancient livelihood.īut salmon are more than food.

Reporting from remote coastlines and busy city streets, he follows today's commercial pipeline from fisherman's net to corporate seafood vendor to boutique marketplace. Cook journeys up and down salmon country, from the glacial rivers of Alaska to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest to California's drought-stricken Central Valley and a wealth of places in between. Langdon Cook goes in search of the salmon in Upstream, his timely and in-depth look at how these beloved fish have nourished humankind through the ages and why their destiny is so closely tied to our own. How has this once-abundant resource reached this point, and what can we do to safeguard wild populations for future generations? Fish hatcheries and farms serve modern appetites with a domesticated 'product' – while wild runs of salmon dwindle across the globe.

Long a source of sustenance among native peoples, salmon is now more popular than ever. Our fascination with these superlative fish is as old as humanity itself. For others still, it's the jolt of adrenaline on a successful fishing trip. For others, it's the catch of the day on a restaurant menu, or a deep red fillet at the market. From the award-winning author of The Mushroom Hunters comes the story of an iconic fish, perhaps the last great wild food: salmon.įor some, a salmon evokes the distant wild, thrashing in the jaws of a hungry grizzly bear on TV.

Upstream langdon cook