"'Oh, wet pet,' American poet Ogden Nash wrote in pithy summation of the humble goldfish, whose habitat is, by tradition, a glass bowl anchored by the faux luxury of a gravel-bound ceramic castle. But the reality is more complex, suggests a new book by Roos. . . . In Goldfish, Roos fleshes out the cultural history of this seemingly ho-hum fish, painting it as both common and exotic, scientific research hero and environmental villain, and biogeographic success story."

Cathy Newman | National Geographic

"The book excellently fulfills the stated mission of Reaktion’s 'Animal' series—that is, taking a specific animal and 'examin[ing] its role in history around the world,' emphasizing, among other humanistic values, 'artistic and literary imagination.' With its vivid language and useful illustrations, Goldfish is sure to engage readers’ attention and imagination. Perhaps even more laudable is the fact that, despite the volume’s brevity, Roos has throughout tried to interject scholarly insights and contextual knowledge."

Isis