The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell Paperback – Illustrated, January 9, 2007

Mark Kurlansky blends two great histories: New York City and NYC's Oysters. In addition to in-depth research on both the city and oysters, maps show the New York City area, verbatim diaries, journal writings, book excerpts, and authentic oyster advertisements of the day. Even recipes for "oyster pie" and oyster soup and numerous other oyster dishes from those times are included. You will learn the evolutionary strengths and the anatomy of oysters.This Kurlansky's style brings the city residents, the eaters of oysters, workers who gathered them, and the restaurants and food stands that sold them. The reader can go back in the past and relive New York back in the days when the Dutch controlled it. The laws, taverns, population, and rural aspect of then-Manhattan come to life. And you learn than oysters are not only durable but pretty intelligent, considering that they are, well, bivalves.With the popularity of oysters and the harvesting came the necessary rules of who and when they could be harvested, and territorial areas were legally assigned by the local governments then. New York and New Jersey had to co-operate on who could harvest where as certain areas were disputable.*The Bronx borough was named after a Swedish-born sea captain named Bronck.*The Battle of Brooklyn was the largest land battle of the Revolutionary War.*In 1773 there were 396 Taverns in Manhattan*In 1750 NYC was the leading American city for oyster and alcohol consumption.*Gangs such as the "Swamp Angels, Dead Rabbits, and Daybreak Boys" fought lethal and violent battles against one another, and gang fights could involve 1,000 gang members in the fights.*The 1863 anti-draft riot involved 50-70,000 rioters with killings, torture, gangs, and burning.*Oysters can live without water for days, and even longer if sprinkled with oatmeal for food.*The word "cookies" comes from the Dutch word "koeckjes"As for lifestyle, Manhattan was not as austere as the Puritan areas to the north, thanks to the first controllers, the Dutch. Captain Kidd lived in Manhattan was a celebrity there. He went up to Boston where he was arrested, sent to England, and hanged. "Boston, was never New York."Not only were oysters ubiquitous in the vast waterways of the entire New York region, but they were very affordable, provided protein and food for the poor. All classes frequently ate the oysters.The book ends at present day, and many of the oyster beds (and numerous fish species) have succumbed to the toxic chemicals and pollutants. Environmental groups in the latter 20th Century did take action against the most blatent offending companies polluting and even cited some of the oldest environmental laws on the book dating to the 17 and 1800s.A quick, upbeat, writing style supplanted with lots of research and stats. This informative, well written and enjoyable read by Mark Kulansky motivates me to read his other works.

"O oysters" said the carpenter,"you've had a pleasant run! Shall we be trotting home again?"But answer came there none-And this was scarcely odd,because They'd eaten every one.'Such was Tweedledum and Tweedledees discourse to Alice in Carrolls' well known work.They'd eaten every one, ah yes; a common lament of oyster lovers everywhere because the once abundant stock in New York waters are essentially gone forever.The Big Oyster, a work of enormity with regard to the tiny creatures history, and a good one at that, is fantastic.The greatness and economic well being,the essence of affordable sustenance for both the poor and the rich of early New York and also the world began with the bottom dwelling,succulent mollusc called by science, 'Crassostrea Virginica' the most popular variety it seems.Kurlansky has put together a comprehensive and at times a jumpy but focused history of a sometimes gritty New York as a city and its environs in relation to oysters as a leading core of its burgeoning greatness.From the first encounter by Henry Hudson to the local Delaware indians,the first New Yorkers by rights, thrived on them as evidenced by the enormous piles of shells found called middens, to the developing cultures that dominated for a time only to be replaced by yet another country and culture.These aspects right up to the revolutionary war and beyond is clearly examined and dissected.Millions,probably billions of oysters were there for the taking and we made sure we took and took and took some more, depleting a natural depository which spanned hundreds of thousands of years to develop.It seems that New York harbor and the surrounding waters were paradise for them to live,breed and provide us with an abundant, almost unlimited cheap resource.The downfall was man and his pollution,greed and population growth which unfortunately did away with this perfect food harvested in New York waters we now view as a delicacy.Everything you need to know about the oyster from its anatomy,harvesting preparation with an abundance of recipies I'd never try,shucking, promotion and distribution world wide and locally, as well as an enlightening,colorful and comprehensive history of New York is presented here.You will finish this book far more informed than you began and quite possibly know darn near everything there is to know about early New York and the Oyster that made it famous.You will be drooling for sure.I had recurring dreams of two dozen on the half shell which would not abate until I got them,wolfed them down with the pleasure only a fellow oyster eater would know after a prolonged absence from our little friends.I did have one little exception which was amusingly disturbing. Kurlansky states that George Washington's thirty four year old son Philip was placed in charge by him, to redistribute New Yorks' property following the end of the revolutionary war.George did no such thing and by that time both of Washington's adopted children were dead.He never even had a relative called Philip.What happened to the fact checking prior to publishing? Good lord, for a writer of history this could end a career as a reliable source. It can only lead to suspicion of all your other works and their accuracy. I don't have time to check other items as I hear there are other discrepancies as well.Please be carefull in the future Mark.However,aside from the above, I will still recommend this book for its novelty.It's a joy to read from an oyster lovers perspective. As a New Yorker, our city's history is also refreshingly enlightening.My home town of Staten Island is clearly represented and I can only hope that the abundance that once was will one day return to its sandy ground former glory.As a New Yorker reviewing this sometimes gritty and hardscrabble history, I'm not ashamed to say,pushed my thoughts toward the Oyster Bar and Grill for its variety and notoriety. But, to truly enjoy my treat closer to home I make a beeline to Lobster House Joe's where I can relax with a couple dozen on ice with horseradish and an ice cold beer.Nothing can match it.After reading The Big Oyster the compatriotism is quite evident and allows me to savor them even further.The book is quite thorough and worthy of purchase. If you live in New York, buy it to learn your city's history. If you like oysters, buy it to widen your knowledge. If your both, lucky you.This is just what you need after a long day at work.Keep the history alive and keep eating but not too much!To make extinct our local favorite, Bluepoints, would be too much to bear. Oysters rule!!!