Zeb Hogan

Chasing Giants: In Search of the World's Largest Freshwater Fish is a captivating book that takes you on a journey with Zeb Hogan, a biologist and host of the National Geographic television show Monster Fish. The book, told from Hogan's perspective, is co-written by Stefan Lovgren a journalist and filmmaker. Together, they explore the fascinating and endangered world of "megafish" - the giant freshwater species that can grow to enormous sizes.

The book is based on Hogan's 20 year quest to show more find out which megafish is the largest in the world, a question that was sparked by a photo of a 646-pound Mekong giant catfish caught by a Thai fisherman in 2005.

Hogan's quest proves to not only provide a thrilling adventure story, but also a sobering reminder of the threats that these megafish face. Fresh water fish, and megafish especially, suffer from overfishing, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change. Hogan and Lovgren make a compelling case for why we should care about these ancient leviathans of our lakes and rivers, and what we can do to protect them before they disappear forever.

Along the way, Hogan and Lovgren encounter amazing creatures such as arapaima and piranha in the Amazon, alligator gar in Texas, wels catfish in France, stingrays in Cambodia, and sawfish in Australia. They also learn about, and explain to us, the environmental threats and conservation challenges facing these ancient leviathans, and the complex cultures and places that depend on them.

Hogan's passion, curiosity, and empathy shine through as he relays his experiences as a scientist and adventurer. He gives us insights into the biology, ecology, and behavior of the megafish, as well as the history, myths, and legends surrounding them. The book is full of fascinating stories and anecdotes that will appeal to readers of all backgrounds and interests.

I enjoyed Chasing Giants. I learned about a hidden and mysterious world that I had known very little about before cracking open this book. I was impressed by the authors' dedication and courage to pursue their quest, and by their efforts to raise awareness and protect these magnificent creatures. The book is well-written, informative, and engaging, with vivid descriptions and anecdotes that bring the fish and their environments to life.

I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in fish, wildlife, nature, adventure, or science.

RATING: Four Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

NOTE: I read an advanced review copy of the book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher University of Nevada Press. The book was released to the public on Thursday, April 25, 2023. show less

Told by Zeb Hogan, written by Stefan Lovgren, this is a fantastic book. While it took me a bit to get to it, I'm kind of glad since I'm ending the year on a high note. Hogan is engaging, committed and intelligent. Lovgren does a great job bringing that all across. Even though Hogan's tales of big fish disappearing is a bit disheartening, he keeps positive about it, which I agree is needed when it comes to the possibility of a turnaround for any of these species. Hogan's efforts over the show more decades to save these "monster fish" from extinction is commendable and I hope this book reaches a wide audience. The message is important and the book manages to be really entertaining while getting that message across. show less

The whale shark is the largest marine fish but what is the largest freshwater fish? Zeb Hogan, the host of National Geographic’s Monster Fish, sets out to discover the answer. His search takes him around the world as he studies various fishes and their environments.

We are introduced to fish with odd names such as goonch, Dolly Varden, flannelmouth sucker, alewife and the alligator gar which has lots of teeth and eggs that are poisonous to humans. There is also the fossilized Leedsichthys show more problematicus which may have been the largest fish that ever lived.

The narrative skips about in time and place which disrupts the flow. Hogan travels from the Mekong to the Amazon, to the Colorado River, the Yangtze and the Danube, the Eg and Ur Rivers in Mongolia, hoping to capture, measure, tag and release the world’s largest freshwater fish.

He recounts watching, in Albi, France, as wels catfish attack pigeons that venture into the water to drink. The catfish hurl themselves at the birds, there is a flurry of feathers, and somehow the bird evades capture. The pigeons didn’t seem to learn and soon return, even the one that narrowly survived the encounter. This continues for hours although the catfish don’t catch any birds. It almost seems as if they were playing a game rather than trying to get a meal. A hundred pages later Hogan mentions the pigeon-feasting fish again. So, were they successful hunters, were they failures, or were they just having a day of fun?

Later chapters are mostly about the effects of damming rivers which prevents fish from reaching their spawning grounds. Climate-induced droughts and pollution also take their toll. In the last pages Hogan’s team captures, weighs and releases a record-breaking freshwater fish but Hogan is not there to witness the event. At least Guinness World Records documented it. The book includes twenty photographs and an index. show less

Non-fiction that seeks to answer the question: What is the world’s largest freshwater fish? Author Zeb Hogan is a research biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno, and host of National Geographic’s show Monster Fish. Hogan has traveled the world for twenty years searching for and studying rare, large freshwater fish species. This book documents his travels to places such as Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Brazil, Guyana, Australia, Russia, and more. In addition to the search for show more the largest freshwater fish, he informs the reader of the role these species play in the ecosystem. He relates the environmental consequences of human actions such as overfishing, dam building, and pollution.

One of the aspects of this book I most enjoyed was the way Hogan engages the local inhabitants of the regions he visits. Many of the people who guide him are those who fish as a way of life. Readers learn about the culture and history of these regions in addition to specifics on the types of fish that live in their waterways. Examples of “Monster Fish” include paddlefish, sawfish, sturgeon, catfish, and rays. I was astounded that fish weighing hundreds of pounds live in these rivers! I learned a lot from this book. Recommended to those who enjoy learning more about and preserving our natural world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance reader’s copy. show less