#17793
Mentioned in 6 episodes
Why Fish Don't Exist
A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life
Book • 2020
This book is a blend of memoir, biography, and existential inquiry.
Lulu Miller, struggling with personal crises, becomes fascinated with the life of David Starr Jordan, a 19th-century taxonomist who dedicated his life to categorizing fish.
As Miller delves deeper into Jordan's story, she uncovers both admirable qualities and dark secrets, including his involvement in the eugenics movement.
The book reflects on the human attempt to impose order on a chaotic world, the dangers of such endeavors, and the beauty found in embracing complexity and uncertainty.
Lulu Miller, struggling with personal crises, becomes fascinated with the life of David Starr Jordan, a 19th-century taxonomist who dedicated his life to categorizing fish.
As Miller delves deeper into Jordan's story, she uncovers both admirable qualities and dark secrets, including his involvement in the eugenics movement.
The book reflects on the human attempt to impose order on a chaotic world, the dangers of such endeavors, and the beauty found in embracing complexity and uncertainty.
Mentioned by
Mentioned in 6 episodes
Recommended by Abby Bertics for its blend of biography, memoir, science, and philosophy, questioning the nature of categories.
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Recommended by Molly Herring , a beautiful, narrative, and scientific exploration of taxonomy and our attempts to order the wild world.
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