Bestsellerová senzace ze Švédska
Od útlého dětství chodil Patrik s tatínkem chytat úhoře. Celé hodiny mlčky číhali na tuto nejpozoruhodnější rybu světa. Proč se úhoři rozmnožují zásadně jen kdesi v Sargasovém moři? Jak je možné, že na dlouhé cestě z Evropy nezabloudí? A co by nám rozluštění úhoří záhady mohlo prozradit o domovu, světě a lidském životě? Vydejte se s Patrikem Svenssonem na dobrodružnou plavbu vodami plnými vzpomínek, existenciálních záhad a… úhořů.
The Book of Eels is both a meditation on the world's most elusive fish-the eel-and a reflection on the human condition. Remarkably little is known about the European eel, Anguilla anguilla. So little, in fact, that scientists and philosophers have, for centuries, been obsessed with what has become known as the "eel question": Where do eels come from? What are they? Are they fish or some other kind of creature altogether? Even today, in an age of advanced science, no one has ever seen eels mating or giving birth, and we still don't understand what drives them, after living for decades in freshwater, to swim great distances back to the ocean at the end of their lives. They remain a mystery. Drawing on a breadth of research about eels in literature, history, and modern marine biology, as well as his own experience fishing for eels with his father, Patrik Svensson crafts a mesmerizing portrait of an unusual, utterly misunderstood, and completely captivating animal.
Part H Is for Hawk, part The Soul of an Octopus, this work is a meditation on the elusive European eel, Anguilla anguilla, and a reflection on the human condition. The eel question—where do eels come from, what are they, and their mysterious life cycle—has captivated scientists and philosophers for centuries. Remarkably, no one has ever witnessed eels mating or giving birth, and their instinct to return to the ocean after decades in freshwater remains unexplained. Drawing on extensive research in literature, history, and modern marine biology, along with personal experiences fishing for eels with his father, Patrik Svensson crafts a mesmerizing portrait of this misunderstood creature. The narrative introduces renowned thinkers like Aristotle, Freud, and Rachel Carson, who were equally fascinated by eels, and highlights the efforts of scientists like Danish marine biologist Johannes Schmidt, who sought the eels' birthing grounds in the Sargasso Sea. Blending memoir and nature writing, Svensson's exploration of the eel transforms into a profound inquiry into human existence, addressing themes of roots, destiny, and the ultimate question of death. The result is a captivating narrative that enchants and surprises.
Nach dem Bestseller „Das Evangelium der Aale“ lässt Patrik Svensson uns eintauchen in die Geheimnisse des Ozeans und der Menschen, die ihn erforschen. „Der Himmelskörper, den wir den unseren nennen, ist eigentlich ein Planet des Meeres.“ Für Patrik Svensson ist die blaue Welt untrennbar mit seiner Mutter verbunden. Sie war es, die ihm einst von rätselhaften Tiefseefischen erzählte und so die Neugier auf das Unerforschte weckte, die sein Schreiben bis heute prägt. Nach ihrem Tod begibt sich Svensson auf die Spuren ihrer gemeinsamen Faszination. Ausgehend von Ebbe und Flut erzählt er von den wundersamen Rhythmen der Natur, er folgt den Routen der alten Seefahrer und lauscht den Unterhaltungen der Pottwale. „Die Chronistin der Meere“ ist eine zutiefst persönliche Geschichte des Meeres und der Neugier – denn für Svensson ist der Blick in die Tiefe zugleich ein Blick in die eigene Vergangenheit.
