Book Club’s December read is ‘Slippery Beast’ by Ellen Ruppel Shell

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Shell will join Liz Whitelam, owner of Whitelam Books, on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. for a live streamed discussion.

For Boston.com Book Club’s December pick, we are reading a “fascinating account of a deeply mysterious creature – the eel – a thrilling saga of true crime, natural history, travel, and big business” by author and journalist Ellen Ruppel Shell.

In “Slippery Beast: A True Crime Natural History, with Eels,” Shell takes a deep dive into Maine’s eel poaching ring and the international eel trade. Turns out just a pound of the slimy creatures is worth a pretty penny, and illegal harvesting is widespread.

Shell will join Whitelam Books owner Liz Whitelam on Jan. 8 at 6 p.m. for a live streamed discussion.

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The book | The author | The bookseller | Critics say | Watch the discussion

Buy “Slippery Beast” by author Ellen Ruppel Shell from Whitelam Books

What is ‘Slippery Beast’ about?

In “Slippery Beast,” journalist Ellen Ruppel Shell explores the deep underbelly of international eel trading and science’s growing fascination with this elusive and highly coveted creature. 

Eels cannot be bred reliably in captivity, and as a result, infant eels (called “elvers”) are incredibly valuable. Thus, illegal trade in eels is an international scandal measured in billions of dollars every year. In Maine, federal investigators have risked their lives to bust poaching rings, such as the notorious “Operation Broken Glass.”

Shell follows the eel from Maine to the Sargasso Sea and back, stalking riversides, fishing holes, laboratories, restaurants, courtrooms, and America’s first commercial eel “family farm.” 

Who is author Ellen Ruppel Shell?

Ellen Ruppel Shell was a contributing editor and correspondent to The Atlantic Magazine and a professor emerita of science journalism at Boston University, where she focuses on issues relating to science, the economy, and public policy.

She is the author of several books, including “The Job: Work and Its Future in a Time of Radical Change,” “Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture,” “The Hungry Gene,” and “A Child’s Place.” 

Shell lives part of the year in Bremen, Maine. “Slippery Beast” is her fifth book and was published in August.

About Liz Whitelam, owner of Whitelam Books

Despite the bookish spelling of its name, the town of Reading hadn’t had a bookstore since the Chapter One Book Store on Woburn Street closed around 2001, according to Patch. 

Liz Whitelam, the owner of Whitelam Books, knew this all too well. As a Reading resident since 2002 and an active member in town government (she was the former chair of the Reading Cultural Council and is a current Town Meeting Member), she knew her fellow community members desperately desired a bookstore. And as a lifelong “obsessive book lover and reader,” she thought adding a bookstore would allow her to not only fulfill this passion, but also give back to her community. 

So, in 2017, she left her corporate career (which she very much enjoyed, she cheerily emphasized in an interview with Boston.com) to open Whitelam Books (pronounced like “white lamb,” as illustrated by the bookstore’s logo) at 610 Main St. in downtown Reading. 

The general interest bookstore has “something for everybody,” she said.

“We really do try to have a wide variety of books, not just the things you might find on a bestseller list. We really enjoy people coming in and enjoying the thrill of discovery, both as they browse the stacks, and as our extremely skilled and lovely team provides recommendations or insights,” Whitelam added.

In addition to a wide array of book offerings, the store also hosts numerous events: storytimes, author events, three monthly book clubs, and even a drop-in knitting circle called “Whitelam Woolies.”

Whitelam praised Shell’s book, arguing that it is the perfect holiday gift for that elusive family member.

“What a fantastic book to put in the hands of that relative that you’re not sure what to get!” she said.

What critics are saying about the book

“The story of Maine’s eel poaching ring opened up into the story of a scientific inquiry that ‘paralleled the history of science.’ That inquiry is called the ‘eel question,’ and to this day, it remains unanswered.…The eel question took Shell from the rivers, reservations, and small towns of Maine to restaurants in Paris and eel laboratories in Norway where she interviewed marine biologists, scientists, and historians still in pursuit of the answer. ― The Boston Globe

“An electric foray into the eel . . . By combining legal intrigue, a vision of untapped riches, and still-unsolved scientific mysteries, the author fashions a curious history that brims with wonderment. An unsuspectingly thrilling account of one of marine life’s most enigmatic creatures.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Microhistory and true crime lovers will both love this fascinating story of the history of eels and the black market fueled by selling them illegally. Eels cannot be bred in captivity, and Ellen Ruppell Shell describes the extremely lucrative black market industry that has risen up around selling young eels illegally.” – Book Riot

Watch the virtual discussion

Watch the full Jan. 8 discussion with author Ellen Ruppel Shell and Liz Whitelam, owner of Whitelam Books.