Lulu Miller’s debut nonfiction work Why Fish Don’t Exist is a self-proclaimed memoir, biography, and science adventure story.
The book follows Miller’s investigation into David Starr Jordan, a taxonomist with a complicated legacy. Jordan identified and named hundreds of species of fish, and when his findings were nearly destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake he did not give in to despair.
Miller frequently draws parallels between Jordan’s life and her own, their shared and constant quarrel between order and chaos. Jordan’s career as a taxonomist was built on trying to make sense of the chaos around him. Miller spent her life trying to make sense of her own misfortunes and hardships.
I appreciated how against the notion that “everything happens for a reason” Miller was in her own philosophy. The book is incredibly personal at times, Miller taking us to her darkest moments with courage and honesty. She made me feel better about my own personal struggles, and while it can often seem futile, we can choose how we respond to an uncaring universe. We can actively choose to lead a life filled with empathy and love rather than giving up to despair. But as always, this is easier said than done.
Why Fish Don’t Exist is a moving exploration of our capacity for connection and determination amidst the chaos.