It’s the end of summer – time to eat lobster and corn. The library has acquired two new books about the lobster, Lobster: a Global History by Elisabeth Townsend and Lobster, by Richard King.
Townsend tells the story of our relationship with the lobster. From lowly pauper food to a status symbol of the rich, lobsters also became subjects for artists and writers. The author discusses today’s consumer’s concern about the ethics and controversies of eating lobsters. At one time, lobsters were fed to the poor and servants because it was cheap food. They were also fed to pigs and used as fish bait. By the 1800s, fishermen were overwhelmed by the demand for lobster in New York and in London, where diners ate potted lobster.
Richard King’s book, Lobster, provides a journey through the history, biology, cuisine and environmental status of lobsters throughout the world. There is a timeline of the lobster, from 1495 BC to 2011 as well as a list of associations and websites. Artists used lobsters in still lifes, as an indicator of wealth and a splash of red.
Check the Art Museum Image Database to find artwork that includes lobsters such as The Seafood Seller; 19th Century Francony, C
Linda Greenlaw, former swordfish captain, writes about life on the Isle au Haut and her return to home to become a professional lobsterman, find a man and settle down. You may recognize her from Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm. She chronicles life on the island, home to seventy year-round residents and her venture into lobster fishing on the Mattie Belle. See if all her plans come true as she revaluates everything about life, luck and lobsters.
Greenlaw, L. (2002). The Lobster Chronicles: Life on a Very Small Island. New York: Hyperion
King, R. (2011). Lobster. London: Reaktion.
Townsend, E. (2011). Lobster: a Global History. London: Reaktion.
King, R. (2011). Lobster. London: Reaktion.
Townsend, E. (2011). Lobster: a Global History. London: Reaktion.
