I don't know how we get a single poem on this list, but I have in mind "The Fish" by Elizabeth Bishop--maybe an anthology of her poetry ? That one poem is worth more than many books one could name.

Well -- I don't think there's a way to add a single poem (unless it has been published in a volume of its own, or it's also the title of a poetry collection) ... but the Library of America volume on Bishop contains "The Fish" and some other marine-themed entries. That should qualify! :)

Works for me. If I saw the name Elizabeth Bishop, I would automatically think of "The Fish".

If we have Moby Dick, should we not have Captains Courageous ? The only reason they are courageous is they are racing to get to marker first with their fish catch.....the fishing schooners, I mean.

...But I see where this could get confusing.

I just added Sally M. Walker, Fossil Fish Found Alive: Discovering the Coelocanth. I don't see it in the list, so I ask the cognoscenti to keep track of this one. Gotta have it !!

It's at the very bottom of the list -- apparently the Goodreads techies are in the process of fixing something related to counters, and while that is happening, scores aren't automatically updated based on people's votes (percentages on the trivia questions have been digit-less for a while, too).

My bad on "Captain's Courageous." Yes, we absolutely should have it! The omission is hereby amended.

Forgot that the critters in Ring of Bright water aren't seals but sea otters. Permission to scrub these entries---Of course, whales aren't fish, but hey, close enough for government work.

If hippos keep swimming, they may some millions of years hence be fully aquatic, I'm thinking of a book by George Oh Well, Animal Fish Farm---tag line: " I can't tell the pigs from the fish ! "

I think otters are OK - they're sea mammals, no? But I think we should draw the line at the Otterman Empire.

I still own (and sometimes wear!) a "Body Shop" T-shirt showing a bright red otter next to the line "There otter be a law to protect Canada's endangered species" ...

Was wondering how long it would take for someone to bring up otters. They're sea mammals alright -- even though unlike dolphins and whales, they're not 100% aquatic (i.e., they also walk the land). Your call.

Now, hippos on the other hand ... ;)

Isn't there a children's song or a nursery rhyme or some such thing mentioning a "hippopotapoopotappopotamus"?

I'm sorry, but I don't quite see how The Shipping News (#14) fits the description of this list?

Doesn't by title, but it may be in the story. Like Captains Courageous.

Susanna - Censored by GoodReads wrote: "Doesn't by title, but it may be in the story. Like Captains Courageous."

I can't remember anything that fits the description.... but it's a long time since I've read it.