Library

David Starr Jordan, the founding president of Stanford University, was a taxonomist and a man obsessed with bringing order to the natural world-he discovered nearly one-fifth of the fish known to man at the time. But the more hidden blueprints for life he uncovers, the more the universe seems intent on stopping him. His collection was destroyed by lightning, fire, and finally the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which sent nearly a thousand fragile glass jars containing fish specimens to the ground. In an instant, his lifelong collection was destroyed. Others may have given up and succumbed to despair. But Jordan examined the wreckage at his feet, found the first fish he identified, and began confidently rebuilding his collection-using a sewing needle to sew the tags onto the fish. When the world fell into chaos, he used a needle to restore order. When journalist Lulu Miller first heard the anecdote, she took it as a cautionary tale about arrogance or a refusal to accept reality. But as her own life slowly unravels, she begins to wonder about David. What she uncovers about his life will change her understanding of history, morality, and the world beneath her feet. A fascinating blend of biography, memoir, and scientific adventure, Fish Don't Exist is a heartwarming parable about persevering in a world where chaos always reigns.