An Entirely Synthetic Fish

I'm excited to announce that the book I have been writing for the last few years has finally been published: An Entirely Synthetic Fish: How Rainbow Trout Beguiled America and Overran the World. I've posted links, photos, extra materials at http://andershalverson.com

Synopsis

Suppose that more than a century ago, U.S. government officials became concerned democracy itself was at risk because men seemed to be less virile. And to reverse this trend they decided to populate streams, rivers, and lakes with “an entirely ‘synthetic’ fish”—quarry with which Americans could rediscover their abilities to capture and kill animals. And suppose that, up to the present, these creatures were still being produced and distributed on a massive scale, sometimes even being trained like gladiators and pumped full of the same supplements as the best human athletes so that they would provide a better fight.

Such is the true story of the rainbow trout. Sometimes vilified for their devastating effects on the native fauna, sometimes glorified as the preeminent sport fish, the rainbow trout is the repository of more than a century of America's often contradictory philosophies about the natural world. Exhaustively researched and grippingly rendered by award-winning journalist, aquatic ecologist, and lifelong fisherman Anders Halverson, this book chronicles the discovery of rainbow trout, their artificial propagation and distribution, and why they are being eradicated in some waters yet are still the most commonly stocked fish in the United States.

Reviews

A fascinating story of man’s urge to cultivate and disseminate a beautiful coldwater fish—at times to the detriment of native species but also the joy of anglers who would not otherwise have the opportunity to catch a trout. A gripping blend of early American history, discussions on taxonomy, and questions of how best to preserve wildness and the indigenous in a world where the human relationship to Nature is complex and always changing.
-  James Prosek author of Trout of the World

In this brilliant study, Anders Halverson illuminates the astonishing history of the rainbow trout, a native of the tributaries of eastern and western Pacific coastal rivers, but introduced to at least 45 countries, and every continent except Antarctica. But why does he call it 'an entirely synthetic fish?' You'll have to read this remarkable book for the answer.
-  Richard Ellis, author of Tuna: A Love Story and On Thin Ice: The Changing World of the Polar Bear

The historical research, personal interviews, and putting it together has produced an outstanding piece of work.
-  Robert Behnke, Professor Emeritus, Colorado State University, and author of Trout and Salmon of North America

Anyone interested in life as metaphor will find here the fascinating historical story of how different people saw their highest ideals and aspirations through the lens of a single, uncommonly compelling fish. And like democracy—but with perhaps more success—they spread it around the world. This unusually well-written, interesting book deserves a place of honor for everyone who sees in trout more than ‘just’ a fish.
-  Carl Safina, author of Song for the Blue Ocean, Eye of the Albatross, and The View From Lazy Point