Book Review of "The Big Oyster" is now available on my blog

[NoahBriggs]

I have placed a book review of The big Oyster: History on the Half-Shell on my blog for your perusal.

http://acwotaku.blogspot.com

The Big Oyster is a concise summary of the history of New York City, from the beginnings when the New York area was the local Native American hangout, all the way to the glory days of the Twentieth Century.

The hitch, though, is that it's partially from the point of view of the oyster. That's right, Family Ostreidae, Crassostrea virginica. Those same oysters you pick up from the grocery store fresh seafood section, take home, shuck, and cuss 'cause your thirty dollar shucking knife from the yuppie kitchen store cannot get them open. . . .

Noah Briggs

[MBBursig]

Re: Book Review of "The Big Oyster" is now available on my blog

Basically, raw oysters were New York's nineteenth century equivalent to a "dirty water hot dog."

I read the book over the summer, and would have to echo Mr. Briggs' comments. Kurlansky is a pretty good writer, and his earlier books Cod and Salt prove that point as well. The Big Oyster is a great book for anyone interested in cultural and culinary history. More importantly the book speaks about the history of New York City and its surrounding areas (where there were oyster middens). For anyone doing a Bowery or dockworker impression the source would be very helpful. Sadly, I don't like raw fish, so I won't be working oysters into my consumption anytime soon.

Attached is a watercolor by Nicolino Calyo, an Italian artist, who painted and sketched NYC street scenes in the 1840's. Many of these are in the collections of the New York Historical Society and the Museum of the City of New York.

[redleggeddevil]

Re: Book Review of "The Big Oyster" is now available on my blog

I likewise enjoyed the book, although it was a bittersweet experience. I worked in Oyster Bay, New York for three years, and became in that time the number one predator of the local oyster population.

Now, living in Florida, the best I can find are Gulf Coast oysters-- great rubbery things the size, shape and texture of a discarded Dr. Scholl's cushioned insole.

Oh for the briny tang of a Pine Island oyster, washed down with a bountiful glass of Porter!

I grow weak...