The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean

by Trevor Corson

Book Overview

In this intimate portrait of an island lobstering community and an eccentric band of renegade biologists, journalist Trevor Corson escorts the reader onto the slippery decks of fishing boats, through danger-filled scuba dives, and deep into the churning currents of the Gulf of Maine to learn about the secret undersea lives of lobsters. In revelations from the laboratory and the sea that are by turns astonishing and humorous, the lobster proves itself...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060555580
• ISBN13: 9780060555580
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 289 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Great book

Well written, informative book about lobsters and the people that chase them.

Highly Recommend "The Secret Life of Lobsters" by Trevor Corson

As a fan of nonfiction - often historical and deep ocean or survival related - I have read Linda Greenlaw's books (Hungry Ocean, Lobster Chronicles, etc.), Sabastian Junger's "Perfect Storm" and now look forward to getting into some pages of "Cod" by Mark Kurlansky. The Secret Life of Lobsters, by Trevor Corson, is among my favorites. Trevor's writing style conjures that of Sabastian Junger or Jon Krakauer -- even Jeff Shaara's -- with its laborious care and detail of humanity. I hope to read more of Mr. Corson's work and highly recommend to all lobster and seafaring fans and landlubbers alike.

Fascinating read. I really enjoyed this book.

As a recreational lobstermen myself, I became really interested in the critter. My kids enjoy seeing what comes up in the traps and we can only imagine what takes place down there when you see a 4# lobster with only one claw and the other is in the midst of regeneration. We talk about them for hours. This book sheds some fascinating facts and observations as well as a few funny stories. It even casues one to reflect on some "people-behavior" from a different perspective, as in some cases it is similar to the lobsters. Great stories and nice supporting web site. Sorry I missed the author at my local favorite bookshop last summer. Will catch him in 05' at a nearby bookseller. Best book I read in quite some time.

This is a great sleeper

Dust cover makes the book look old and worn, but this up-to-date book has astonishing new information, even for someone who has known about lobsters for decades. You won't believe the life of these interesting critters down at the bottom of the cold sea! But the story is almost equally about the scientists who study the lobsters and their stories are fun and interesting too. This book kept me turning the pages and chapters to find out more about the personalities under water and the guys on the surface.

I love lobster and love this book

Lobster is my "favorite" food. As a child my mother would always say that lobster was the most festive meal. We didn't have it often, but emotionally it took on great significance. That's why I picked up this book to read. It also happens that I love to read natural history, travel stories, and non fiction essays. "Secret Life of Lobsters" did not disappoint. Others have mentioned John McPhee, and this book certainly evokes his writing. It intertwines the lives of the fishermen, the ecology and behavior of lobsters, and the lives of the scientists who study the lobsters. It reads with the suspense and pull of a detective novel. My only criticism is that it does not follow a linear chronology and involves a myriad of characters; at time the threads become hard to follow. Someone criticized this book for being pro-industry propaganda. I seriously disagree. Yes, the government scientists are portrayed as basing their decisions on prejudice and a lack of information. I personally spent 10 years in the government, 5 of them as an attorney for the Department of the Interior, and I think the portrayal of the government scientists is pretty accurate. I do think though that it's unlikely that all lobster fishermen are quite as thoughtful about conservation or as scrupulous as the protagonists in this book. Overall though I think this book is a great read, and if you like natural history books you will not be disappointed.

truly brilliant!

Corson's technique of switching between the catchers and the studiers works really well. He has taken what could be a very dry, academic subject - or a totally fluffy one - and made it both spell-binding and human. I'm familiar with the lobstering end of his material, and knew he was right on target with it (though I was pleased to hear the father of his primary fisherman-character speaking enthusiastically about the book - no one is harder to please than a family member, I'm sure.) But I knew next to nothing about the life of lobsters or of the efforts scientists are making to study them prior to reading the book. Fascinating stuff, and told with great enthusiasm and even suspense. Every time I had to put the book down, I could hardly wait to come back.