An interesting read on the procurement of various unique items, as well as their histories. Starting with eiderdown, moving to swiftlets nests, civet coffee, sea silk, guano, and plant "ivory". Telling of the strange histories of all of these particular items, it is an intriguing look into the production and backgrounds of items that most of the time you really only hear about. Giving these "unicorn" items life and their sometimes turbulent pasts, to how we as humans have harbored and facilitated those relationships with these plants and animals, some for commercialization, others for preservation.

While very entertaining and fascinating, I did find a few of the times in the book seem to drag on. For one particular instance, that of the maestro Vigo. Her story ended up feeling quite repetitive and boring after a while. While I understand the significance of telling her story to understand the altered history of Sea silk in Sant'Otioco, the way the author went about it, seemed to drag it on for far too long. Also with some of the items, while giving a history of its use in industrialization, at times the book seems much more about the individuals associated with the items and their procurement rather than the items themselves.

Just when you think maybe there's a way to harvest in some responsible manner, you learn there's a corporate or self serving issue that's hurting or destroying something else. Starting out with Eiderdown. Nice that the down is harvested AFTER the geese have left for the season. and that they are taken care of and protected while breeding and raising their chicks. BUT the poor fox are killed in the process to protect the valuable nests and their down! UGH! I had no idea. And the eating of puffins! I thought they were endangered?? And Eiderdown has got to be the most ridiculously expensive bunch of feathers on the market. (rolling eyes). I was raised with goose down featherbeds- trust me- they keep you are warm. To say nothing of the synthetics. I use those, too. Just as good! Only the princess from Princess and the Pea could be that sensitive. Get rid of the ooo, ahh of the down and let nature take care of it's own.
Money trumps nature it seems. Bird'sNest soup is selling for hundred's of dollars at the expense of the swifts who produce those nests. Civet coffee (kopi luwak)is way over priced coffee. Its humble origins to it's confining civets in cages to mass produce civet poo to sell at exorbitant prices to unknowing coffee drinkers worldwide. Money to be made at any price.
The book is very well researched and beautifully written, but sad. I am a natural born skeptic, so this book was right up my alley. Everyone should know from where and how their food and goods are sourced. Too often, it's not ethical, and it's not sustainable, it's destructive, and just not truthful.. But the money and greed just keep it going....tragic.