Download or read book The Big Oyster written by Mark Kurlansky and published by Random House Large Print Publishing. This book was released on 2006 with total page 549 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before New York City was the Big Apple, it could have been called the Big Oyster. Author Kurlansky tells the remarkable story of the oyster, whose influence on the great metropolis remains unparalleled. For centuries New York was famous for its oysters, Gotham's most celebrated export, a staple food for the wealthy, the poor, and tourists alike, and the primary natural defense against pollution for the city's congested waterways.