{"product_id":"fish-on-friday-9780786722334","title":"Fish on Friday","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow fisherman beat Columbus to the New World, all fueled by the European appetite for fish. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“Brian Fagan weaves a detective story of Friday fish-eating.”—Jared Diamond, \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e bestselling author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eGuns, Germs, and Steel\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat gave Christopher Columbus the confidence in 1492 to set out across the Atlantic Ocean? It would be convenient to believe that Columbus and his men were uniquely courageous. A more reasonable explanation, however, is that Columbus was heir to a body of knowledge about seas and ships acquired at great cost over many centuries. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eFish on Friday\u003c\/i\u003e tells a new story of the discovery of America. In Brian Fagan's view, that discovery is the product of the long sweep of history: the spread of Christianity and the radical cultural changes it brought to Europe, the interaction of economic necessity with a changing climate, and generations of unknown fishermen who explored the North Atlantic in the centuries before Columbus. Encompassing ancient mythology, medieval religion, boatbuilding, commerce, and cutting-edge climate science, this dazzling and wide-ranging book shows the intricate tapestry of history in all its fascinating, astonishing complexity. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Basic Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67927702110386,"sku":"9780786722334","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0536\/7418\/0786\/files\/9780786722334.jpg?v=1794114250","url":"https:\/\/shop.hachettebookgroup.com\/products\/fish-on-friday-9780786722334","provider":"Hachette Book Group","version":"1.0","type":"link"}