'Slippery Beast' Review: A Slimy Fortune in the Mud.

In "Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels," science journalist Ellen Ruppel Shell explores the international eel trade, focusing on the American eel species. The book delves into the lucrative and sometimes illicit trade of glass eels, the juvenile form of American eels, which are harvested from the wild and sold as expensive seafood. The author provides extensive research and interviews, discussing the threats to eel populations and the historical fascination with these creatures. While not written with empathy and love like Rachel Carson's work, the investigation into the eel trade is intriguing and thought-provoking. [Extracted from the article]