Mark Kurlansky

The Climb

Mark Kurlansky’s early career moved restlessly and vividly across the page and the working world: playwright, commercial fisherman, dock worker, paralegal, cook, and pastry chef, before he became a foreign correspondent at The International Herald Tribune, The Chicago Tribune, The Miami Herald, and The Philadelphia Inquirer (1976–1991). Today, he brings that breadth of experience to the classroom as guest lecturer of Columbia University School of Journalism, Yale University, Colby College, and various other schools.

Signature

Mark's signature dishes include Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World, Salt: A World History, and The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell.

In Their Words “I sometimes think there is nothing really to be said about a novel but ‘read the book’.” “It’s so much easier talking about non-fiction than fiction anyway.”

Recognition

Mark's honors include James Beard Award for Food Writing, Dayton Literary Peace Prize (2007), and Bon Appetit’s Food Writer of the Year Award.