Thoughts on Lulu Miller’s Why Fish Don’t Exist

Posted On November 10, 2021

Hi Readers! How are you all doing? Well, I’m doing great! I have already read FIVE BOOKS in November & we’re only 10 days in! Recently I read ‘Why Fish Don’t Exist’ by Lulu Miller as part of the Nonfiction November trend. This was an overwhelming read. I will not be able to review it because of the sheer hugeness of its content. Instead, I just want to relay some of my thoughts.

~~GOODREADS DESCRIPTION~~

A wondrous debut from an extraordinary new voice in nonfiction, Why Fish Don’t Exist is a dark and astonishing tale of love, chaos, scientific obsession, and—possibly—even murder.

David Starr Jordan was a taxonomist, a man possessed with bringing order to the natural world. In time, he would be credited with discovering nearly a fifth of the fish known to humans in his day. But the more of the hidden blueprint of life he uncovered, the harder the universe seemed to try to thwart him. His specimen collections were demolished by lightning, by fire, and eventually by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake—which sent more than a thousand of his discoveries, housed in fragile glass jars, plummeting to the floor. In an instant, his life’s work was shattered.

Many might have given up, given in to despair. But Jordan? He surveyed the wreckage at his feet, found the first fish he recognized, and confidently began to rebuild his collection. And this time, he introduced one clever innovation that he believed would at last protect his work against the chaos of the world.

When NPR reporter Lulu Miller first heard this anecdote in passing, she took Jordan for a fool—a cautionary tale in hubris, or denial. But as her own life slowly unraveled, she began to wonder about him. Perhaps instead he was a model for how to go on when all seemed lost. What she would unearth about his life would transform her understanding of history, morality, and the world beneath her feet.

Part biography, part memoir, part scientific adventure, Why Fish Don’t Exist reads like a fable about how to persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail.

~~THOUGHTS~~

~~NEW FOUND LOVE FOR NONFICTION~~

I have always steered away from nonfiction books. This is mainly because whichever ones I read were more self-help books with an overflowing stream of advice which felt like it was screamed in front of my face. These books were Ikigai & The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. All the content in these books was something I already knew, so reading about it again was utterly useless for me. But, during my research for Nonfiction November Books, I found a whole big list of books separated is many SUB-GENRES! Being a voracious reader, I should have known that just like fiction, nonfiction was also bound to have its set of sub-genres. But because a few books greatly disappointed me, I never bothered to look into the genre as a whole!

I have read nonfiction books like ‘Maybe You Should Talk to Someone’ & ‘Why We Sleep’ which I absolutely loved. These were more towards the scientific non-fiction dumbed down for the average person. The writing style in these books made me feel like I was back at school learning, which I loved to do. Lori Gottlieb & Matthew Walker became my favourite teachers in the form of wonderful authors & I hung on to their every word. These were the top nonfiction book I recommended whenever anyone asked me. Reading ‘Why Fish Don’t Exist’ was a similar experience. Now I know that I can love nonfiction too only if it is laid down for me to explore instead of screamed at me. While the first two books were amazing, it is actually Lulu Miller who I will forever be thankful to for making me love nonfiction. I suppose Memoirs, History & Science sub-genres of Nonfiction will be my go-to and I am going to read more nonfiction going forward!

~~THOUGHTS ON WHY FISH DON’T EXIST~~

Just as there are several revelations in this book, I am glad I found a revelation of my own in discovering & loving nonfiction books. This was my key takeaway for my life. And when it comes to other key takeaways from the book, well, there is a whole list!

When I started reading this book, I was not expecting a lot. Even in the first few chapters, I was not entirely sure if I would be able to read it entirely. But when I it picked up, it soared! I loved so many many things about it. Even though this is a memoir, I liked how much the author studied David Starr Jordan & tried to mirror her own life to his. I also loved how she had mentioned something in the earlier chapters and then she picked that up in later chapters to sync with the then story to make it meaningful & wholesome.

Not only did I get to learn a lot about a David Starr Jordan (the good, the bad & the ugly), but I also loved the theories about Chaos & Order. I also loved the holistic perspective on perspectives! And the end was simply miraculous. For many hours after reading it, I felt lost wondering what is real and what isn’t. I was simply amazed at the universe consisting of so many organisms, concepts, perspectives, facts & just everything of everything & even more fantastic is how we don’t even know 10 percent of it! In mere 245 pages, Lulu Miller has covered so much about the world. Be it science or injustice or mysteries or patriarchy or basic human rights or segregation. A lot of very important topics are covered in this book backed by science & facts with a lasting impact.

I urge all of you to read Why Fish Don’t Exist no matter what your reading preferences are. Reading this book was a memorable learning experience which will stay with me for a long time. I have rated it at 5/5 stars!

Until next time,