The Salt Roads

"As bright and illuminating as the fish that are the subject of his writing, John Goodlad casts a sweeping eye over the North Atlantic fishing industry in the pages of this richly informative book." ~Donald S. Murray, author of The Guga Hunters

"In his fascinating account of the part played by [The Shetland Islands and the Faroes] in the harvesting of cod and herring from the North Atlantic, John Goodlad raises vital questions about the world's food supplies." ~David Abulafia, The Spectator

"Tells the extraordinary story of how salt fish from the isles became one of the staple foods on the Continent." ~Hans J Marter, Shetland News

"John Goodlad's approach to the story of salt fish and Shetland feels rather like a masterclass in how to make history approachable, accessible, readable and entertaining." ~Ken Lussey, Undiscovered Scotland

Tells the fascinating tale of how salt fish exports transformed Scottish island life forever' ~Sandra Dick, The Herald

"The Salt Roads is a valuable reminder of a forgotten time... it should be required reading for anyone who still thinks of Shetland as a remote, marginal outpost." ~The Herald

"The book takes the reader to the wild waters of the North Atlantic and tells the story of how over the centuries the Shetland fishing industry not only inspired and affected the islands’ culture, but also shaped people far beyond its shores." ~Dundee Courier

"This intriguing non-fiction title examines the economic boom of Shetland's salt fish trade." ~Scots Magazine

The Salt Roads is history, action on the high seas, personal memoir, folk tales and philology. It is an articulate expression of Shetland, which helps to explain how much the western islands can still learn from our can-do friends in the north' ~Roger Hutchinson, West Highland Free Press

a gripping insight into life on the edge' ~The Tablet, Summer Reading Roundup

an extremely readable account of the Shetland cod fishery. Here you feel the wind, taste the salt: a quiet triumph'  ~Alexander McCall Smith, New Statesman