«Kurlansky’s great ability is to chose a single element as a prism through which to view the development or degeneration of culture; in this book he takes his readers from the 16th century to the present day, encompassing biology, commerce, the politics of race, history, literature, and, of course, gourmandise»

Erica Wagner, The Times

From the bestselling author of Salt and Cod comes a fascinating history of New York and the oyster – its influence on four centuries of cultural, economic, and culinary trends – with recipes throughout