Richard Shelton is a respected fish(ery) biologist, and the thought of a scientist talking about heroism had me a little edgy before I started reading. Subtitled The Heroic Life of the Atlantic Salmon, this book is structured about the life-cycle of salmon, starting from the time and place when ‘a’ salmon turns away from feeding and heads back to freshwater. I like that Shelton avoided the cliché of starting with the egg – which immediately said to me that this book will be different.

That chapter opens with a description of ‘the kindly sun’ dipping to the far horizon, which is fine but it ain’t science. Then I read “he began to respond differently to what the sensory hairs surrounding the magnetite particles in his lateral line were telling the navigational circuits in his brain’ which is clearly based in scientific understanding.

In a nutshell, this leans towards poetic appreciation of salmon and their lives, but is informed all the way through by a keen and expert knowledge of the fish.

At times I found the marriage of the two tendencies clashed a little – but I read this cover to cover and really rather enjoyed it. I prefer the science and the explanation of the scientific findings to the more poetic passages.

The chapters, it seems to me, can be read as independent essays. I found myself returning to one or two, trying to glean more information. What becomes clear is that scientific understanding doesn’t make the evolution and life of a salmon any less remarkable. It also became clear that I have a huge amount to learn from biologists about salmon.

I’d say this became fascinating as I read it. The blend of science and faintly purple prose grew on me as I read more and read again. Interesting book – well worth a read!