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By: GOVER 005
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2025-06-08 09:05:54 |
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We all enjoyed learning about eels, but only one of us finished the book. It was quite slow and we just didn’t get into it. Maybe it was about it being a translation or perhaps the swapping of narrative but we all just had other stuff we would rather read. |
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By: NELS 090
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2025-03-12 10:06:54 |
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Very informative, we were fully engaged in the author's human story, and the cultural and mystical stories. Some found the cruelty to eels confronting. The narrative style of switching between eel information, then the author's life, rather discombobulating. |
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By: NELS 002
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2024-12-05 10:11:45 |
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Very enjoyable - relevant to N.Z. too. |
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By: WELL 100
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2024-08-05 12:54:26 |
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The group found this fascinating. |
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By: WAITAT 004
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2024-07-22 13:58:53 |
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Much discussion from all of us on this one. We loved it. So many stories about eels ensued from reading this. |
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By: NELS 044
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2024-04-17 13:44:50 |
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We would highly recommend this book. Such a clever blend of personal memoir and natural history of this interesting creature. Accolades also to the translator Agnes Broome, for capturing the simple depth of the family relationship, as well as the scholarship, and history of scientific research. |
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By: WELL 020
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2023-10-04 12:20:38 |
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We all enjoyed this book and spent more time discussing it than most other books we have had over the years! |
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By: CHCH 549
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2023-06-01 08:53:42 |
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Our all-male group had a range of views about this book, scoring from 1 to 4 stars, with most around 3. Positives were the wealth of information about this mysterious fish, the ease of reading, the short length, and the social insights from his father's story. Negatives were the lack of a global perspective on eels, the rather tenuous links to some of the people in history (e.g. Freud), the lack of a strong storyline in the relationship between father and son, and for some the lack of a clear purpose of the book. |
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By: ASHH 001
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2023-03-23 12:48:41 |
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A couple of members didn't read this, but all those that did were pleasantly surprised. Everything the reviews promised.... interestingly structured with the balance between natural history and memoir working beautifully. |
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By: HAMIL 053
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2023-03-16 14:39:25 |
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"The Gospel of the Eels' on the whole was an interesting book. We felt the first third of the book was very interesting with regard to the research that had been carried out over many years. After this there was a loss of engagement overall. While everyone finished the book and did get something from it on different levels, overall we felt it scored a 3. |
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By: MAPUA 001
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2023-02-27 12:39:58 |
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We all enjoyed this book and learning more about the enigmatic eel. We liked the combination of science and family story. Some of us felt he stretched the eel connection a little too far at times and also that he repeated himself in the science sections. Overall these are small things that didn't detract from our enjoyment. |
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By: GORE 007
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2022-11-25 14:16:12 |
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A mixed reaction to this book. Some of us were fascinated by these elusive creatures' life cycle, and others read a little of the book and decided "not for me". |
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By: NELS 022
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2022-09-21 14:17:42 |
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Fascinating. We learned so much we didn't know. Many people found the book difficult to start with but all persevered and most got a lot from it. Very very comprehensive and wide ranging. Comments included, "I felt like it was a full meal - a good meal...I learned so much", "It's a thinking book". |
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By: TAUP 005
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2022-06-29 10:01:06 |
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Most of the group found the book an interesting read considering the subject. The underlying family message was very engrossing. |
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By: TAUP 004
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2022-04-27 16:22:43 |
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Comments included "I learnt a lot about eels!". "Enjoyed reading about father/son relationships, but the history was the most fascinating". "A fascinating account...to learn about the Sargasso Sea, arrival of the Mayflower and eel gift, Rachel Carson, the eel trip upsetting the balance of power". " I didn't know how much there is yet to learn about eels". We had an interesting discussion about NZ eels. |
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