Consider the Oyster (Paperback)

by M. F. K. Fisher (Author) "An oyster leads a dreadful but exciting life..." (more)
Key Phrases: New Orleans, New York, Hang Town Fry (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"I do not know of any one in the United States who writes better prose." -- W.H. Auden

"M.F.K. Fisher ... brings onstage a peach or a brace of quail and shows us history, cities, fantasies, memories, emotions." -- Patricia Storace, The New York Review of Books

"M.F.K. Fisher is our greatest food writer because she puts food in the mount, the mind and the imagination all at the same time. Beyond the gastronomical bravura, she is a passionate woman; food is her metaphor." -- Shana Alexander

"Poet of the appetites." -- John Updike

"She writes about fleeting tastes and feasts vividly, excitingly, sensuously, exquisitely. There is almost a wicked thrill in following her uninhibited track through the glories of the good life." -- James Beard

"She writes about food as others do about love, but rather better." -- Clifton Fadiman

"Since Lewis Carroll no one had written charmingly about that indecisively sexed bivalve until Mrs. Fisher came along with her Consider the Oyster. Surely this will stand for some time as the most judicious treatment in English."--Clifton Fadiman -- Review

"Since Lewis Carroll no one had written charmingly about that indecisively sexed bivalve until Mrs. Fisher came along with her Consider the Oyster. Surely this will stand for some time as the most judicious treatment in English..." -- Clifton Fadiman

Review

"Since Lewis Carroll no one had written charmingly about that indecisively sexed bivalve until Mrs. Fisher came along with her Consider the Oyster. Surely this will stand for some time as the most judicious treatment in English."--Clifton Fadiman

See all Editorial Reviews

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Product Details Paperback: 96 pages Publisher: North Point Press (October 1, 1988) Language: English ISBN-10: 0865473358 ISBN-13: 978-0865473355 Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies) Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews) Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,220 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books) Popular in these categories: (What's this?) #26 in  Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Meat, Poultry & Seafood > Seafood #73 in  Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Gastronomy > Essays

Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
An oyster leads a dreadful but exciting life. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New Orleans, New York, Hang Town Fry, New England, Marion Harland, Atlantic Coast, Country Cook Book, Pearls Are Not Good

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

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Citations (learn more)

This book cites 8 books:

• Martin Chuzzlewit (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens on page 20
• The Cook Book by Terence and Caroline Conran on page 56
• A Christmas Carol (Bantam Classic) by Charles Dickens on page 3
• Fairy Tales (Collector's Library) by Jacob Grimm on page 58
• Happy Days by Beryl Cook on page 56

See all 8 books this book cites

 

41 books cite this book:

• Conversations with M. F. K. Fisher (Literary Conversations Series) by David Lazar on 11 pages
• Poet of the Appetites: The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher by Joan Reardon on 5 pages
• Heaven on the Half Shell: The Story of the Northwest's Love Affair with the Oyster by David G Gordon on 4 pages
• The Art of Eating by M. F. K. Fisher in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Front Matter (3)
• A Stew or a Story: An Assortment of Short Works by M. F. K. Fisher in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)

See all 41 books citing this book

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	67% buy the item featured on this page: Consider the Oyster 4.7 out of 5 stars (7) $8.80
	12% buy The Art of Eating 4.8 out of 5 stars (27) $16.47
	7% buy How to Cook a Wolf 4.7 out of 5 stars (6) $10.20
	7% buy A Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in North America 5.0 out of 5 stars (8) $10.88

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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews 5 star:  (5) 4 star:  (2) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews 5 of 5 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Beautiful, July 30, 2007 By  neilathotep (San Mateo, CA United States) - See all my reviews This work is a beautiful piece of food writing. Fisher tells delightful tales of the oyster, both from a natural history and culinary history perspective. Integrated in to these stories are a fair mix of recipes and pieces of food advice. Embedded in all of this is a delightful sense of whimsy, which makes the reader think that while oysters are serious food, there is no reason to be completely serious about food. It had me craving oysters from page one, and it is now a goal of mine to make Oyster stew this year. Some of the other recipes seem a bit silly, but I'll try one of those at least. 2 of 2 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars Words are like musical notes, December 11, 2007 By  Harry Popsicle "goozman" - See all my reviews MFK Fisher is like the Bach of authors. I bought this book because I love oysters, but after reading this book I was transported to a time and place to an atmosphere of life that doesn't seem to exist anymore. And I became enamored with the author. It is hard to describe her work. Every word seems perfectly placed, like a musical note. This book is like a masterpiece in writing. I love oysters even more because of it. I have tried the recipes listed, and they have turned out incredible. The oyster stew was fantastic. There is a recipe for Ramos' Gin Fizz, a drink I have never heard of. I researched it, and the drink was invented in the early 19th century!! It doesn't give the recipe for the drink which is a shame, but I did find the recipe on line and I did try it. It was very good. There is a sense of food archeology with the book, as if you are Indiana Jones discovering a lost city. You must read it to understand what I'm saying. Every time I read this book, I feel transported in time to a happier place, where food was better. I feel like I'm tagging along with Fisher discovering hidden treasures of restaurants in remote locals. Pick up this book if you love oysters, also pick it up if you love great writing by a great author. 1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars A Charming, Poetic, Thoughtful Take On a Simple Treasure, June 7, 2009 By  Sussex Pond Pudding (Bodie , CA) - See all my reviews    This slim volume was given to me by a friend who knows of my great culinary passion for oysters. I had never heard of Fisher, was surprised that such a book existed, thanked him and then sat down to read it that evening. A couple of hours later I was a devoted M.F.K. Fisher fan. In an age where pleasure seems to be so complicated and few people can or are willing stop and smell the roses as they say, Fisher's analysis of the oyster is incredibly refreshing. It is a short, poetic reflection on the beauty of the oyster: from its remarkable biology and presence on Earth to simple recipes from her childhood. This is a truly joyous book that is essentially about the need for appreciation of the beauty, especially the simple beauty, to be found in life. Amidst the confusion of the modern world and the turmoil of the average man's life this book is a pause, a meditation, a prayer if you will to Nature and God, in whatever form He takes in your life. Needless to say, one need not like oysters to appreciate this book. I would be hard pressed to come up with a better way to spend a few dollars.		Ad feedback   Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars Oyster lovers classic. This book takes you back in time when America was raw and free.This ladys brutal truth is sexy. Published 3 months ago by Ross 4.0 out of 5 stars Fisher's Way with Words Reminded Me to Savor Food -and to Eat Oysters! M.F.K. Fisher wrote this conversational treatise -if that is not a contradiction in terms- about oysters in 1941. Read more Published 14 months ago by mirasreviews 4.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Amusing Hard to put down. She weaves her tales with recipes for oysters in such a way as to be thoroughly entertaining and which results in the inevitable desire to eat oysters. Published 21 months ago by D. Dblodgett 5.0 out of 5 stars Consider it a classic I am not a great fan of oysters, but I am a very great fan of M.F.K. Fischer, and she makes an extraordinarily convincing case for the humble bivalve. Read more Published on May 4, 2000 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: North Point Press (October 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865473358
• ISBN-13: 978-0865473355
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,220 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #26 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Meat, Poultry & Seafood > Seafood
  #73 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Gastronomy > Essays

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply Beautiful, July 30, 2007

By	neilathotep (San Mateo, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This work is a beautiful piece of food writing. Fisher tells delightful tales of the oyster, both from a natural history and culinary history perspective. Integrated in to these stories are a fair mix of recipes and pieces of food advice. Embedded in all of this is a delightful sense of whimsy, which makes the reader think that while oysters are serious food, there is no reason to be completely serious about food.

It had me craving oysters from page one, and it is now a goal of mine to make Oyster stew this year. Some of the other recipes seem a bit silly, but I'll try one of those at least.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Words are like musical notes, December 11, 2007

By	Harry Popsicle "goozman" - See all my reviews

MFK Fisher is like the Bach of authors. I bought this book because I love oysters, but after reading this book I was transported to a time and place to an atmosphere of life that doesn't seem to exist anymore. And I became enamored with the author.

It is hard to describe her work. Every word seems perfectly placed, like a musical note. This book is like a masterpiece in writing. I love oysters even more because of it. I have tried the recipes listed, and they have turned out incredible. The oyster stew was fantastic.

There is a recipe for Ramos' Gin Fizz, a drink I have never heard of. I researched it, and the drink was invented in the early 19th century!! It doesn't give the recipe for the drink which is a shame, but I did find the recipe on line and I did try it. It was very good. There is a sense of food archeology with the book, as if you are Indiana Jones discovering a lost city. You must read it to understand what I'm saying.

Every time I read this book, I feel transported in time to a happier place, where food was better. I feel like I'm tagging along with Fisher discovering hidden treasures of restaurants in remote locals.

Pick up this book if you love oysters, also pick it up if you love great writing by a great author.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Charming, Poetic, Thoughtful Take On a Simple Treasure, June 7, 2009

By	Sussex Pond Pudding (Bodie , CA) - See all my reviews

This slim volume was given to me by a friend who knows of my great culinary passion for oysters. I had never heard of Fisher, was surprised that such a book existed, thanked him and then sat down to read it that evening. A couple of hours later I was a devoted M.F.K. Fisher fan. In an age where pleasure seems to be so complicated and few people can or are willing stop and smell the roses as they say, Fisher's analysis of the oyster is incredibly refreshing. It is a short, poetic reflection on the beauty of the oyster: from its remarkable biology and presence on Earth to simple recipes from her childhood. This is a truly joyous book that is essentially about the need for appreciation of the beauty, especially the simple beauty, to be found in life. Amidst the confusion of the modern world and the turmoil of the average man's life this book is a pause, a meditation, a prayer if you will to Nature and God, in whatever form He takes in your life. Needless to say, one need not like oysters to appreciate this book. I would be hard pressed to come up with a better way to spend a few dollars.