The Secret Life of Lobsters is a fascinating layperson's look at lobster biology and ecology from the perspectives of both the scientific community and the lobstermen. Corson chronicles the discoveries about lobster behavior that have been made over the past thirty or so years as biologists, oceanographers, ecologists, conservationists, and lobstering communities have worked, both together and against each other, to make sure that the lobster fisheries on the New England coast don't go the way of other similar fisheries - cod, for example - that were overfished to the brink of extinction during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

Corson is as in love with the subject of lobsters as the people he talks to and works alongside throughout the book, and they are fascinating creatures in ways the ordinary lobster-savorer can't imagine. The book is also a great look at the way science progresses from hypothesis through testing and data accumulation to new understanding and new hypotheses, making mistakes and course corrections along the way as better techniques and more and better data become available.

Corson's book is much more focused on the lobster itself than Woodard's The Lobster Coast, which is really a socio-political and economic history of much of the same parts of Maine. Corson is much less concerned with the characterization of Mainers and the degree to which they hate you, though the lobster and its history are inevitably tied to summer people and the socio-economic tensions that have always existed between them and the generally less-well-off year-round residents. It's a much more engaging read in many ways, and a much clearer picture of the conservation efforts that have kept the lobster fishery in Maine sustainable for over a hundred and fifty years. ( )

I loved this book. It was interesting, informative, funny, and warm. The book is about Maine Lobsters, but it also gives information and insight into the fishermen and lobster scientists. The writing was very good, with the information presented as stories.

The behavior of the lobsters is presented from what they have learned in the labs. Priceless stuff, they pee in each other's faces to communicate. Who knew! It covers their lives, mating and social behavior and the life cycle from egg to armored bug.

The book looks at a small group of fisher families on Little Cranberry Island in Maine. It also gives the history of several lobster scientist and researchers. It shows how they came to be dedicated to the Lobster, and how they conduct experiments.

It looks at the controversy between fishers and scientists about the use of the Lobster as a resource. It makes a good case for the responsible self-stewardship by the fishermen in Maine, and for the limiting factor of Lobsters on the sea floor: sea temperature and current.

I also love to eat Lobsters, and the next time I get a whole one with the shell on, I am going to check out all the bells and whistles, now that I know what they do. ( )

This book was a book club choice. Most of us found this an intruiging choice. Alot of interesting information about the Maine Lobster Industry. You can compare the families of Lobster Men with the families of coal miners or farmers. The local folklore tales were the most interesting parts of the books as some of the more scientific information could really bog you down. The book really does get some good discussions going as many take the side of the Lobstermen and others take the side of the government scientists. ( )

Corson writes an engaging story about lobsters, the scientists who study them, and the folks who catch and sell them for a living. It's a very human-centric natural history, even though the author is strangely absent. Corson has a palpable respect for fishermen and women, and for scientific researchers, and a feel for the personal detail that makes a story (even a story about lobster research) compelling — even when he's writing about international lobster regulation negotiations, he puts in an anecdote about G. H. W. Bush not being able to order lobster for dinner because he's sick of the whole subject. ( )

I really enjoyed this book. Lobsters have the most amazing sex lives, very brutal, the biggest who can beat all the other males up gets sex; the females admire muscles. However, there's always the sly, sleek, attractive one who gets it on when the big one is recovering from his latest fight. Who knew? The book is written from three perspectives: fishing, the marine scientists and the lobsters' own complicated and interesting lives. Its as entertaining as it is interesting and if I did eat lobster (I don't, they taste like briny pencil erasers to me) I never would again. ( )