Stronghold: One Man's Quest to Save the World's Wild Salmon

This book was recommended for my nonfiction bookclub and I was definitely skeptical, but now I am a believer. I learned so much about this tremendous species and was fascinated by Guido and by his path to activism. There were parts of the book that seriously made me sweat - the rickety helicopter rides and rapid runs down wild rivers, not to mention messing with powerful oligarchs in far eastern Russia. Guido is incredibly passionate, the perfect protagonist, and Malarkey is a beautiful writer; she made really complex material accessible and interesting. For someone who never knew much about ecosystem conservation or cared much about fish I took a huge leap in knowledge and started reading more about the Wild Salmon Center and even made a donation. It's had more impact on me than any book for a long time.

This book is a must read for anyone who cares about California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Japan, Siberia, or the Kamchatka peninsula. In other words, the last regions of temperate rain forest left on our planet. Oh yeah, also if you care about the oceans of the world, our fisheries, or any of the vast amount of products you use or consume that rely on the ecosystems sustaining theses areas and their inhabitants. Other than that, the author has little to say.

While I learned a lot about salmon and the rivers they inhabit, I was hoping for more from this book. The writing is clear and yet not inspired. I was never moved by the phrasing. There are interesting stories here but by the end you have a blur of adventures and misadventures. The question of whether fish are harmed by catch and release is broached but no opinion or science is presented to answer. Despite Guido's efforts, the state of salmon conservation is murky at best. I'm left with two conclusions: 1) Conservation of the natural world is only possible with the near total exclusion of human presence; 2) This degree of exclusion is only possible in totalitarian regimes and democracy with laissez-faire capitalism is an abject failure and the primary reason for the extinction of so many species in the last two centuries.

Tucker Malarkey has done a magnificent job of chronicling the wonder and plight of wild salmon and one man's quest to save them by protecting "Strongholds" where salmon are already thriving. Malarkey mixes science and adventure to tell the compelling story of how Guido Rahr, her cousin, became one of the foremost experts on wild salmon. The reader is drawn in with tales of harrowing helicopter rides in Russia, rafting down unmapped rivers, and spending idyllic summers on the Deschutes. Along his journey, Guido meets many interesting characters including Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, Tom Brokaw, and Russia oligarchs.Guido makes the case for why we need to save the salmon strongholds. As a "keystone species", wild salmon are critical to the balance of the entire ecosystem. Time is running out to protect these strongholds from poachers, roads, and the encroachment of man. In order to convey the importance of these strongholds, Guido brings influential people to these wild rivers where they experience them firsthand, share in the adventure and Guido's passion for these fish.Whether you are a fly-fisherman, naturalist, just like a good tale of adventure, or are all three, like me, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. I was honored to receive a free copy of this book by Random House in consideration for an honest review. I truly enjoyed this read and will be giving copies to my fishing buddies.

Interesting and wonderfully written story of one person’s endeavor to save native wild salmon. Must read for anyone concerned with saving or wild salmon.

Having been born and lived in a coastal town in Washington, I can understand the demise of salmon in all the rivers. And specifically, in our local river. The river that sustained them died within my lifetime. During the 1930’s, my brother and I would go camping and fishing there. The river at the time was so pristine, we drank from it directly with no consequences. Then the evergreen trees of its watershed were clear cut – which changed the ecology.What I didn’t know but learned from the book is how it affected the wild salmon. Their need of cold water to sustain their life cycle. How the hatchery salmon has changed their genetic makeup and replaced the wild salmon. The book explains why the Columbia River salmon have gotten smaller. They no longer need the muscle and energy to travel miles and miles to the spawning grounds of their ancestors at the headwaters. Because the hatchery salmon after passing the Bonneville dam would go up the first cold water tributary.There is a precedent – the extinction of the Atlantic salmon. It is absolutely necessary to have strongholds to preserve the Pacific wild salmon. This book explains the solution.

I loved this book so much that I’ve bought it for good friends. As a recently graduated zoology major In 1989, I headed to Alaska’s Prince William Sound where I worked at several fish hatcheries run by the PWS aquaculture corporation. I had no idea at the time how harmful they can be to native populations. Later as an Alaska teacher in 1993, my colleague and I took students to Magadan, Russia where we met Russian teachers and students who joined us on a 4-week remote wilderness adventure of a lifetime on the Kamchatka Peninsula. So much of Stronhold reminded me of my life when I was more connected to the world of salmon. I learned so much about Siberian Russia and salmon’s history and biology by reading Stronghold! I had similar wilderness experiences in Russia where the equipment was vintage WWII and there was no 911. I am still amazed that I made it out of Russia alive. The book rang true and it deepened my appreciation for both salmon and my time in Russia.

This is the inspiring true story of one man's mission to conserve wild salmon. It left me with a fresh appreciation of the international interconnectedness of the ecosystems that sustain life on our fragile planet, and the profound importance of conservation above geopolitics. It is also a story of hope, and the possibility of one man's vision to change the world. It is extraordinarily and beautifully written by Tucker Malarkey; at times, like an action thriller, and at others, deeply personal, lyrical and numinous. I couldn't put it down. It has changed the way I understand the world and will remain with me forever.

Absolutely wonderful and inspiring book.Full of rascinarmting information and nicely written