'Who would ever think that a book on cod would make a compulsive read? And yet this is precisely what Kurlansky has done' Express on Sunday. The Cod. Wars have been fought over it, revolutions have been sparked by it, national diets have been based on it, and economies and livelihoods have depended on it. For the millions it has nourished, it has been a treasure more valuable than gold. This book covers 1,000 years and four continents. From the Vikings to Clarence Birdseye, Mark Kurlansky introduces the explorers, traders, writers, chefs, and fishermen whose lives have been intertwined with this prolific fish. He chronicles the Cod Wars of the 16th to 20th centuries. He combines recipes and traditions from the Middle Ages to the present. In this story, which brings global history and human passions into compelling focus, he shows how the most profitable fish in history is today faced with extinction.