Eloquence of the sardine : extraordinary encounters beneath the sea

Eloquence of the sardine Extraordinary encounters beneath the sea

Bill François

Book - 2021

"Bill François' Eloquence of the Sardine is a charming narrative nonfiction book about the secret lives of fishes. If we listen to the ocean, what do we hear? What can it teach us? How can it change us? Written by a marine scientist (and winner of French eloquence competitions), this work of narrative non-fiction blends Bill François' personal story with that of sea creatures to create an original and exciting work. In poetic prose, he describes his unlikely journey from being a Parisian child, afraid of the water and crippled by self-consciousness, to an eloquent and self-assured young man with a passion for the ocean and all who inhabit it. In doing so, he tells the stories of sardines, anchovies, eels, suckerfish, and wh...ales (to name a few), and demystifies these creatures' fascinating conversations. A mix between science and storytelling from the past and present, Eloquence of the Sardine is an invitation to dive deep and learn from the secrets of the ocean"--

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Subjects
François, Bill.
Oceanography.
Aquatic animals.
Marine scientists > Biography.
Published
New York, NY : St. Martin's Press, an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group 2021.
Language
English
French
Main Author
Bill François (author)
Other Authors
Antony Shugaar (translator)
Edition
First U.S. edition
Item Description
"Originally published in France as Éloquence de la sardine in 2019 by Fayard"--Title page verso.
Translated from the French.
Physical Description
182 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
ISBN
9781250272430
  • Before
  • Any Fish Will Tell You So
  • The World Without Silence
  • Packed Like Sardines
  • Are Fish Good at School?
  • Cockles and Mussels
  • Daily Specials
  • Draw Me a Fish
  • Hold an Eel by the Tale
  • Sea Serpents
  • The Sea Is Your Mirror
  • Aquatic Dialogues
  • In Tune with the Tuna
  • The Tail End
  • Epilogue
Review by Booklist Review

François has written something difficult to categorize: a symphony, a paean, an ode expressing his love for everything to do with the sea. His childhood summers spent on the French Riviera and his lifetime of snorkeling and diving fueled his appreciation of the oceanic world. His scientific background allows him to understand its intricate workings, and to explain them to his readers. We learn about both the legends and the facts. François evokes the songs through which whales communicate over hundreds of miles. He explains the importance of lobsters and cod in history, and how Japan used to use all its tuna for cat food. His is an optimistic view of the ocean, focusing on its magic rather than its peril due to climate change and other nefarious dangers. It is a joy to read.

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Marine scientist François surveys underwater creatures of all sorts in his illuminating debut collection of 15 essays that lay bare his fascination with deep waters that teem with crab, shrimp, and "scarlet sea anemones didn't dare touch." In "Before," the author fondly remembers the first time he saw a live sardine, "shining and silvery, with an electric blue line like a garland along its back." "Are Fish Good at School?" sees François marveling at the brainpower of octopuses and facetiously comparing what he learned (or didn't) in classrooms with fish, who learn "all they need to know" without school. "In Tune with the Tuna," meanwhile, roughly charts the ubiquity of the fish as food, from school cafeteria tuna fish sandwiches to fatty tuna served in pricey sushi restaurants, and in"Hold an Eel by the Tale," François tags along with a "gang of Parisian street-fishers" who pick locks and trespass to get a look at the Seine's inhabitants. François's tone is conversational, and his passion and excitement are contagious: "Have you ever seen a live sardine? Few people know just how lovely a live sardine is." The result is a fun deep dive into marine life. Agent: Carole Saudejaud, Fayard. (Aug.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

As a child exploring in the water, François discovered a lone sardine. Its impossible survival captured his imagination and interest and propelled him into a lifelong love of oceanic creatures. Physicist François's debut shares his knowledge of the ocean, from the perspective of his hydrodynamics research, and tries to instill the same passion in readers. Each chapter or essay opens with three teasers hinting at its contents (e.g., "In which the most authentic Parisians are those who live under the Seine and have as many scales as clichés"). It then goes on to fulfill each promise through anecdotes, history, and research. Readers who appreciate nature stories will like this short, punchy book, although some transitions in the storytelling are bumpy, and readers will need some background knowledge in order to understand a few of the references. This pop science book is inflected with memoir, with François narrating his travels around the world and describing his friends in various subcultures (like the aforementioned subterranean Parisians), but there is little development of figures beyond the author. The book is really about François's connection with marine life. VERDICT For people who love the aquatic world and those who aspire to.--Elissa Cooper, Helen Plum Memorial Lib., Lombard, IL

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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