The Book of Eels review by Josh

I’m really not sure how to rate this book, or even whether or not I liked it. Sometimes I did and sometimes I didn’t.

It’s not really a book about Eels. Or rather, it’s as much about Eels as Moby Dick is about whales.

There is a great deal of serious Eel content. The author has clearly done much research and given much thought to Eels (as Melville did with whales). But I wouldn’t put money on the accuracy of all of his claims. This is a meditation, not an academic study.

It’s also, as other reviewers note, as much about the author’s relationship with his father as it is about Eels. Both his father and Eels seem mysterious and fascinating to the author. This I suppose, justifies the form of the book. It’s a book about things that science and rationalism don’t seem to fully capture.

I think this is the sort of book that will be enjoyed by people who enjoy this sort of thing. Fans of The Alchemist, Life of Pi, and Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance will find much to appreciate. People who think those books are a load of crap will probably feel the same about this one.

My own view of these books depends on my mood. I suppose there is some wisdom in them, but I don’t find them as profound or mind blowing as some folks seem to.

I’m moderately irritated at how little I learned about Eels, but I guess it’s ok because a few hundred pages about nothing but Eels would probably be pretty boring.