COD; A BIOGRAPHY OF THE FISH THAT CHANGED THE WORLD (1997)

Before cod became synonymous with British fish and chip shops, it was the resilient protein that fuelled transatlantic navigation and sustained European empires. Kurlansky demonstrates how Basque fishermen guarded secret fishing grounds off Newfoundland, and how cheap salted cod kept Caribbean plantation economies functioning. It is a brilliant demonstration of how a single cold-water fish determined early trade routes, colonial rivalries, and modern maritime territorial laws.