Introduction -- A hunted fish -- A quicksilver fish in a strange world -- Fortunes won -- To eat a sardine -- Fortunes lost -- Cultural sardines -- Prospect -- Timeline
Summary
"The sardine is a paradoxical fish. Seemingly insignificant, its exploitation has made fortunes for some and, when stocks have collapsed, caused hardship for many. Its status has shifted from utilitarian food to gourmet's delight. Trevor Day travels across four continents to meet the sardine in its natural environment, and he traces the fish's journey from miniscule egg to item on the dinner plate. 'Sardine' interweaves the story of the fish with the rise and fall of fishing industries. 'Sardine' is a scientifically and culturally wide-ranging exploration of the cluster of fish species called sardines, yet these silvery slivers are fast-breeding and opportunistic enough to elude their hunters. Whether swimming free as a shoaling fish at the mercy of predators, or tightly packed in tins -- an image used frequently as a metaphor for overcrowding -- sardines represent conformity and vulnerability. The biography that emerges will beguile readers fascinated with marine life as well as those who have eaten this familiar yet under-appreciated fish."-- From the rear cover
