Fisherman Mark Spitzer takes readers on an action-packed
investigation of the most fierce and fearsome freshwater grotesques
of the American West ever to inspire both hatred and fascination.
Through the lenses of history, folklore, biology, ecology, and
politics, Beautifully Grotesque Fish of the American West depicts
the environmental destruction plaguing the most maligned creatures
in our midst while subtly interweaving Spitzer's experiences of
personal tragedy and self-discovery. Join Spitzer as he noodles for
flathead catfish in Oklahoma, snags paddlefish in Missouri,
trotline- and electro-fishes American eels in Arkansas, studies
razorback suckers in Arizona, bounty hunts for pikeminnows in
Washington State, attends a burbot festival in Utah, stirs up Asian
carp in Kansas, and breaks the state record for the largest yellow
bullhead ever caught in Nebraska. By examining freakish links in a
vital chain and working with specialists in the field, Spitzer
portrays a planet in environmental crisis and dispels the illusion
that our actions don't result in long-term, toxic consequences.
Spitzer offers models for fisheries and provides other sources of
hope in this informative epic of redemption that ultimately
celebrates the wild and resilient beauty and remaining
possibilities of the American West.Watch a book trailer.
Visit the Where in the West is Mark Spitzer? blog series for
additional reading and a look at more photographs not included in
the book.
