The Dragon Behind the Glass, Emily Voigt
The Dragon Behind the Glass, Emily Voigt
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The Dragon Behind the Glass
A True Story of Power, Obsession, and the World's Most Coveted Fish

Author: Emily Voigt

Narrator: Xe Sands

Unabridged: 7 hr 58 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 05/24/2016

Categories: Nonfiction, Nature, Animals


Synopsis

A young man is murdered for his prized pet fish. An Asian tycoon buys a single specimen for $150,000. Meanwhile, a pet detective chases smugglers through the streets of New York. Delving into an outlandish realm of obsession, paranoia, and criminality, The Dragon Behind the Glass tells the story of a fish like none other: a powerful predator dating to the age of the dinosaurs. Treasured as a status symbol believed to bring good luck, the Asian arowana is bred on high-security farms in Southeast Asia and sold by the hundreds of thousands each year. In the United States, however, it's protected by the Endangered Species Act and illegal to bring into the country—though it remains the object of a thriving black market. From the South Bronx to Singapore, journalist Emily Voigt follows the trail of the fish, ultimately embarking on a years-long quest to find the arowana in the wild.

With a captivating blend of personal reporting, history, and science, The Dragon Behind the Glass traces our modern fascination with aquarium fish back to the era of exploration when intrepid naturalists stood on the cutting edge of modern science, discovering new and wondrous species in jungles all over the world.

About Emily Voigt

Emily Voigt is a journalist specializing in science and culture. Her stories have appeared in the New York Times, OnEarth magazine, Mother Jones magazine, and Isotope: A Journal of Literary Science and Nature Writing, as well as on the programs Radiolab and This American Life. The recipient of a Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship, she holds degrees in English literature and journalism from Columbia University.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Persephone's Pomegranate on March 03, 2023

As he slipped off his motorbike and moved closer to the door, he noticed the padlock was missing. Lifting the grille, he stepped gingerly into the dark, narrow space crowded with gurgling aquariums that cast a dim fluorescent glow. When his eyes adjusted to the light, he saw that the shop was......more

Goodreads review by Frances on June 23, 2022

Sometimes, when you can't sleep and are awake at 3am you make terrible decisions. Decisions to worry about unimportant things; decisions to start businesses based on educating frogs; decisions that usually shouldn't be trusted. Other times you make great choices. I couldn't sleep the other night and......more

Goodreads review by Heidi on July 19, 2020

The Dragon Behind the Glass documents journalist Emily Voigt's descent down the rabbit hole of fish collecting, money, power, and scientific exploration in some of the most remote locations in the world. "A pair of whiskers juts from its lower lip, and two gauzy pectoral fins extend from its sides, s......more

Goodreads review by Philip on July 10, 2024

Probably the two most discouraging - yet frequently used - words to describe the illegal trade in endangered species: "Chinese demand." Demand for shark fin, tiger bones, seahorses, etc., etc...and now (although surprisingly for neither the dining table nor medicine cabinet), the arowana, which has......more

Goodreads review by Nguyễn on August 11, 2022

Một quyển phóng sự vô cùng thú vị, hấp dẫn, ly kỳ và hữu ích với “nhân vật chính” là cá rồng. Đây là loài cá đắt giá và được tìm kiếm nhiều nhất trong những thập niên gần đây với khách hàng chủ yếu là giới nhà giàu châu Á. Từ nhu cầu lớn khủng khiếp đó của khách hàng, xuất phát từ niềm tin với biểu......more