First published 2007
Mark Kurlansky examines New York City's development by following the fate of its most iconic shellfish. The author demonstrates how oysters shaped the city from its seventeenth-century origins through the early 1900s, when these bivalves served as Gotham's primary export, fed all social classes, and naturally filtered the harbor waters. Kurlansky moves from the oyster cellars in the notorious Five Points neighborhood to the elegant dining rooms of Manhattan's wealthy elite during the Gilded Age. He chronicles the decline of the oyster beds and connects their disappearance to the emergence of America's environmental movement. The book combines cultural analysis, historical narrative, and culinary exploration, supplemented with period recipes, maps, illustrations, and photographs. Kurlansky reveals how a single species influenced urban development, commerce, and daily life across centuries. The work offers readers an unusual perspective on metropolitan growth, environmental change, and the intricate relationships between cities and their natural resources.
Genres: history, 20th-century, non-fiction, 21st-century, american-history, culinary, food-history
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-analysis, historical-narrative
Setting: New York City, Five Points
Period: 17th Century, 19th Century, Early 20th Century
336 pages · Spiral-bound · Random House Publishing Group