The Oysters of Locmariaquer

by Eleanor Clark

Book Overview

Winner of the National Book Award

"What an elegant book this is, starting with that most elegant of creatures, the Belon oyster. . . . [Clark's] fantastic blending of science and art, history and journalism, brings the appetite back for life and literature both." -- Los Angeles Times Book Review

On the northwest coast of France, just around the corner from the English Channel, is the little town of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060887427
• ISBN13: 9780060887421
• Release Date: May 2006
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

"The world's mine oyster...

which I with sword will open." Ms. Clark corrects our collective thinking on the most famous oyster metaphor in literature, indicating it has nothing to do with a pearl, or as she delightfully says, "but we would rather think not." Ms. Clark dazzles the reader, certainly this one, with her remarkable erudition, which she has focused on the raising of one seemingly simple sea creature, on the south coast of Brittany in France. Ecology, biology, sociology, history, zoology, literature are some of the intellectual areas that are drawn upon to create this one-of-a-kind book that made Locmariaquer an essential destination. But so much has changed, been lost, and yes, even improved since Ms Clark wrote her book at the end of the `50's, long before the coming of the TGV, and before the death of many of the species that she writes about. It was also long before the era of mass tourism. This area of Brittany has long been poor, noted for two things: the baby oysters, and the large prehistoric megaliths at Carnac. The author describes the Parisian gourmet's excitement with the arrival of the season's latest harvest, carefully listing the classifications and prices, but also contrasts this seemingly ephemeral interest with the harsh reality of producing this crop with an image hard to forget: an 18 year old girl wanted out - drank a bottle of muriatic acid, it took her half the afternoon to die, and "they had heard her screaming way over at Saint-Pierre." In chapter five Ms. Clark covers the oysters significance during the period of the Second Empire, giving the reader delightful dollops of history, and sociological insight from that period. Many of the greats from this period, as well as the lesser known make their appearances. It is the quality of her observations that also helps place this book in the unique category. Concerning the revival of Brittany's "folk culture," she says "...embarrassing revival of bagpipes, folk dancing, folklore, etc., as if the word "folk" used that way weren't a death warrant in itself." Also, for the late `50's, the prescient: "Let's face it, there are too many people. The shores of the temperate zones are simply not big enough to hold them in July and August." La Villemarque, a regional writer, is placed, as a pearl if you will, within the context of the national writers, Malraux, Sand, Proust, et al. Cassanova's famous exploits, and the "driving energy" are also wonderfully described. Though the species have now regrettably changed, and the flavor probably diminished, there is a wonderful "oyster bar" in Montparnasse that would be the ideal setting for digesting this masterful book in many settings. After the second glass of wine, one might also speculate what her life might have been like, with her husband Robert Penn Warren, known most famously as the author of "All the King's Men."

Behind the Oysters is the Landscape

The opening line of this book is: "WHAT YOU NOTICE in the month of May is the tiles, like roof tiles but white, stacked by thousands at one point after another along the shore." The last line on page 203 is: "BENEFICIENT Oyster, good to taste, good for the stomach and the soul, grant us the blessing of your further mystery." In between these 200 pages concerning oysters, Eleanor Clark wrote a definitive classic on the amalgamation of geography, human history, ecology, and commerce. One reads much of the mystery or the character of this mollusk at this Breton coast. It expresses itself through the human being just as it does through its own. These oysters of Locmariaquer can be appreciated or thought of in two ways. How they are farmed in this northwestern Breton Coast can be thought of as being incidental. The important thing, some argues, this is a place of scenary, good oyster eating, and tourism. Or one can see with an understanding eye, as the author wants the reader to see, at the landscape. This Locmariaquer landscape, with the oysters, is repleted with the rich voice of its ancestors, myths, history, and human foibles. Equipped with this behind the scene knowledge, the mystery of the Locmariquer mollusk is revealed. Now we can trippingly roll off our tongue why these Breton oysters are dear to the gourmet. Put on a few more dozens of these oysters on the barbie, won't you? No, not on the doll. *Note: This book was published in 1964. In the 1970s, some if not all of the oyster varieties named in the book had been devastated by parasites. Today, the region is cultivating the hardier Japanese oyster, the Japanese naissain (the Gigas) variety, to sustain the industry and a way of life.

A bad oyster....

I read the book with great anticipation. Bought some oysters as well to go along with the whole experience - some little French ones. Prepared them as Ms Clark suggested. Ate them with a chilled chablis. Half and hour later - sick as dog, sick as dog. Turns out the best way to prepare oysters is not (repeat not) to let them sit on the back porch in the sun all day. Never make a mistake twice and won't eat those Belon oysters again. But the book was quite good

A little cooking, a little history, a little poetry

About 25 years ago I stumbled upon Eleanor Clark's history of the oyster beds in Normandy, or her memoir of living near the oyster beds. It's been a long time, but it was simply the best combination of food writing, history, travel writing and poetry that I ever read (yes, I'm reviewing a book that I read 25 years ago, but it stayed with me). My sister and her family are going to be living in Normandy, so I have to buy it for them, and reread it myself. It's unique; it makes every other book about travel and food and "our life in ...." seem pallid.