"In THE SECRET LIFE OF LOBSTERS, Trevor Corson opens a portal onto a fascinating underwater world. Fishermen, gourmets, and environmentalists alike take note -- the lobster is a strange and quirky creature, and proof positive that the ocean can be harvested responsibly. One source -- comprehensive -- Lobster 101!"

-- Linda Greenlaw,
bestselling author of
The Lobster Chronicles

"Like the first man who decided a lobster was edible, the reader of this book is in for a surprise: It's fantastic! Trevor Corson has done something wonderful: he's revealed heretofore unsuspected depths of intrigue and mystery in the sex life of lobsters. It's hard to tell which is more remarkable, though, the secret life of the lobsters or the lives of the lobstermen. You'll never look at a lobster the same way again, but be assured that these lobstermen are doing it right, and not endangering the species they catch. This is the way natural history is supposed to be written; engaging, fascinating, brilliant."

-- Richard Ellis,
author of
The Empty Ocean
and No Turning Back

" THE SECRET LIFE OF LOBSTERS is so full of fun and fascination that you'll be almost embarrassed to think that for all these years all you ever knew about lobsters was how they taste. Lobsters do so many remarkable things that you just might conclude that the differences between people and lobsters are only skin deep. Prepare to awe your friends as you regale them with details from the depths -- this book will make you seem a genius at your next summer lawn party."

-- Carl Safina,
author of
Song for the Blue Ocean
and Eye of the Albatross

"I believe that cooking is not only a craft but also a sacred art. When we choose to kill and cook a lobster, it can be a way of paying homage to the animal's life. In THE SECRET LIFE OF LOBSTERS, Trevor Corson teaches us that the lobster has its own mysterious habits, sensitivity, and sensibilities, and that it deserves our respect when we bring it to our table."

-- Eric Ripert,
executive chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin;
author of A Return to Cooking and
Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four-Star Simplicity

"Forget those gothic novels, those promulgated 'beach reads,'... The Secret Life of Lobsters has it all, [and] will keep you glued to the page."

-- Portland Press Herald

"A fascinating story, blending science, politics and history . . . the writing is vivid."

-- USA Today

"Corson knows the lobster's secrets, and he'll tell. . . . The chapters are knitted together with rich stories about the people who catch lobsters, their families, the dangers they face."

-- New York Times

"Lobster is served three ways in this fascinating book: by fisherman, scientist and the crustaceans themselves. . . . Corson, who worked aboard commercial lobster boats for two years, weaves together these three worlds. The human worlds are surely interesting; but they can't top the lobster life on the ocean floor."

-- Washington Post

"[Corson] immediately captures and holds the reader's attention as he explains how lobsters live in their coastal environment -- as learned by scientists, as seen by himself."

-- Boston Globe

"An affectionate account of the relationship between Homarus americanus, its rocky habitat, and the men and women who brave long days on temperamental seas to earn a livelihood. This is a love story."

-- Christian Science Monitor

"In passages befitting a beach scene in a steamy romance novel, Corson writes about the rough-and-tumble affair [of lobster mating]. . . . Who would have thought lobsters were such passionate lovers?"

-- Associated Press

"Corson's sense of humor and ability to breathe a human sensibility into his crustacean characters enliven even the most esoteric details of how lobsters hunt, hide, fight, and mate in their natural habitat."

-- The Atlantic

"[In] the tradition of John McPhee . . . [Corson] seamlessly interweaves tales of lobster biology and ecology with ocean geology ocean geology and geography, alternating these with sketches of lobstermen and scientists whose livelihoods and careers depend on understanding Homarus americanus."

-- Science

"It is almost impossible to stop reading until one runs out of pages. . . . I can highly recommend this book as one of the best things you can enjoy without melted butter."

-- Natural History magazine

"Corson serves up a savory blend of history and science along with a satisfying course of lobster and human behavior."

-- Boston Herald

"Corson's readable portrait braids scientific history with a fisherman's view of a lobstering town, keeping one foot in the lab, one on the deck, and the other eight in the mysterious deep."

-- Boston magazine

"This investigation into society, science and sustainability leaves a complex, satisfying taste in your mouth"

-- Time Out New York

"Corson has fun with his material. The species has been well-served by his efforts."

-- New York Newsday

"Charmingly written, full of fascinating detail: a delight."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"[An] intriguing and entertaining book....Fascinating, especially when [Corson] juxtaposes human behavior and descriptions of the social life of lobsters."

-- Publishers Weekly

"Corson has skillfully interwoven the biological and personal aspects of these much loved, tasty creatures into an informative and fascinating book."

-- Library Journal

"Upbeat, witty, filled with dialogue, written in the style of a detective novel. . . . It's a fun read, and delivers, painlessly and with good humor, more information about lobsters than you thought existed."

-- Down East

"What a great book! This is a charming, funny, warm and informative look at Maine lobsters. . . . Treat yourself to this one -- you won't be sorry."

-- Kingston Observer

"A wonderfully addictive and page-turning book. . . . The little buggers are randy, and Corson gets into it in hilarious yet fascinating detail."

-- Ottawa Citizen

"Corson skillfully intersperses among the science discussion keen insights into the lives and livelihoods of the men and women who make a living along Maine's coast."

-- Ellsworth American

"Peppered with new and interesting facts, colorful descriptions of life on the cobbled bottom of the sea, exciting episodes in the day of a local fisherman or marine researcher, [and] intriguing political controversy. . . . Corson [is] an accessible, entertaining writer."

-- Bar Harbor Times

"The writing in The Secret Life of Lobsters is crisp, with the narrative flowing smoothly between episodes at sea and scenes in labs ashore or aboard a flotilla of research ships at sea. The book never bogs down; the fascinating tidbits and observations just keep on coming."

-- Mount Desert Islander