There’s a “Talk of the Town” note in this week’s New Yorker that mentions that oyster farming was invented in the 1830s. Who knew?
Reading this reminded me of my very favorite Joseph Mitchell story, “The Bottom of the Harbor,” which is about the end of the oyster catch in the waters surrounding New York City. You’ll need a subscription to read that link, but just having access to everything Joseph Mitchell ever wrote for the New Yorker is more than worth the price and you’ll still get a new magazine every week.
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The book was recently reissued in a smart-looking compact format.
Robert:
What’s the title? Is it _Up in the Old Hotel_ or did they actually re-release _The Bottom of the Harbor_?
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl/9780375714863.html
# Format: Hardcover, 320 pages
# On Sale: July 1, 2008
# Price: $23.00
# ISBN: 978-0-375-71486-3 (0-375-71486-3)
There is also a classic movie with Stanley Tucci, “Joe Gould’s Secret”:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0172632/