A Geography of Oysters
by Jacob Rowan
This is my oyster bible– ground zero for my blog inspiration. Rowan’s book is incredibly informative and fun to read. You’ll be able to truly appreciate why a specific oyster tastes the way it does through his elegant explanation about the terroir and growing conditions. I actually took this book to the oyster bars and used it as a tasting guide during the first few months of my newly-activated oyster obsession.

The Big Oyster
by Mark Kurlansky
This is a must-read for New York oyster lovers. I’m not a big history fan, but found myself completely engrossed in learning about the history of New York City and how the oyster was such a vital part of the Hudson River Estuary and the native/local food culture. Amidst the fun anecdotes and surprising facts, Kurlansky also throws a handful of oyster recipes from centuries ago. It’s a wonder how the oyster’s significance to NYC has been so lost and forgotten; I’m glad that it’s been summarized and preserved in such a fantastic read.

Considering the Oyster
by Patrick McMurray
Eye-candy-filled, organized, and a permanent edition to my coffee table book collection. I think that this is a wonderful book for enthusiastic oyster lovers. It’s an all-in-one package that features wonderful photos, easy-to-digest information, extensive US oyster bar guide, and even a detailed flavor profile wheel–which I love–to help you express what you’re tasting.

Sex, Death & Oysters
by Robb Walsh
Hilarious, eye-opening, and sprinkled with interesting recipes. The stories in this book made me laugh out loud and motivated me to search out oyster bars wherever I go. It also gives a distinctive Texan point of view, which is certainly not like your run-of-the-mill oyster snob’s.

The Living Shore
by Rowan Jacobsen
My second book by Rowan Jacobsen also did not disappoint. This book is all about the quest to demystify the elusive Olympia oyster, a native of the Pacific coastline. Once available form Alaska to Mexico, overharvesting and pollution have nearly wiped the entire population out. Jacobsen recounts his adventures with a team of marine scientists and never forgets to drop in the vivid details of the environment. It makes me pine for trip up to British Columbia, which is definitely now a goal of mine in 2011.

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Other food/food issues books that I’ve enjoyed…

The Story of Sushi
by Trevor Corson

The Secret Life of Lobsters
by Trevor Corson

The Omnivore’s Dilemma
by Michael Pollan

The End of the Line
by Charles Clover

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Still on my “to read” list…

Consider the Oyster
by M. F. K. Fisher

Apples to Oysters: A Food Lover’s Tour of Canadian Farms
by Margaret Webb

Heaven on the Half Shell
by David G. Gordon

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Reading right now…

Shucked
by Erin Byers Murray

The Oysters of Locmariaquer
by Eleanor Clark

The Immigrant Oyster
by E.N. Steele

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Favorite Oyster Quotes

“Eating an oyster is like French-kissing a mermaid.” — Tom Robbins

“Never even gave them a chance before, but I’m acquiring a taste. It’s like eating a mermaid.” — Don Draper

“He was a bold man who first ate an oyster.” — Jonathan Swift

“Obviously, if you don’t love life, you can’t enjoy an oyster.” — Eleanor Clark

“The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell.” — Andrew Carnegie

“There is nothing in Christianity or Buddhism that quite matches the sympathetic unselfishness of an oyster.” — H. H. Munro