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Troubled Waters : The story of a Fish a Stream and a Pond
Used Book
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1969
2 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Daniel P. Mannix
44 books61 followersDaniel Pratt Mannix IV was best known as an American author and journalist. His life was remarkably different from other writers of his generation. His career included times as a side show performer, magician, trainer of eagles and film maker.
The Grest Zadma was a stage name Mannix used as a magician. He also entertained as a sword swallower and fire eater in a traveling carnival sideshow. Magazine articles about these experiences, co-written with his wife, became very popular in 1944 and 1945.
As an author Mannix covered a wide variety of subject matter. His more than 25 books ranged from fictional animal stories for children, the natural history of animals, and adventurous accounts about hunting big game to sensational adult non-fiction topics such as a biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, sympathetic accounts of carnival performers and sideshow freaks, and works describing, among other things, the Hellfire Club, the Atlantic slave trade, the history of torture, and the Roman games. His output of essays and articles was extensive.
The Grest Zadma was a stage name Mannix used as a magician. He also entertained as a sword swallower and fire eater in a traveling carnival sideshow. Magazine articles about these experiences, co-written with his wife, became very popular in 1944 and 1945.
As an author Mannix covered a wide variety of subject matter. His more than 25 books ranged from fictional animal stories for children, the natural history of animals, and adventurous accounts about hunting big game to sensational adult non-fiction topics such as a biography of the occultist Aleister Crowley, sympathetic accounts of carnival performers and sideshow freaks, and works describing, among other things, the Hellfire Club, the Atlantic slave trade, the history of torture, and the Roman games. His output of essays and articles was extensive.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 6, 2008
I would have loved this book when I was about 10. It follows a goldfish that escaped from a backyard pond and is trying to survive in natural streams and ponds. It addresses pre-Clean Water Act pollution (unregulated surface water discharges), and basically gives a swimming tour of all the trophic levels in our streams and ponds and how they interact. I ended up working in the water quality field as a grown up, and was pretty amazed at the overall accuracy of the book (outside of anthropomorphizing animals). I was especially happy to see that they dealt with the issue of invasive, non-native species as well, i.e., the book's "protagonist". Got an 8-10 year old that likes poking around in the creek and watches a lot of Discovery documentaries? They'd probably really dig this. Even though it's a 40-year book, the issues it addresses are still applicable.
May 13, 2022
I read this book in 1970, and loved it. Such a close, intimate, sometimes terrifying view of the life of a little pond. You'll never look at goldfish the same way again.
March 29, 2023
Incredible story.
October 7, 2022
Told from the perspective of a goldfish traversing the pollution-choked environment of mid-1960’s American rivers, Troubled Waters' unique setting is unfortunately overshadowed by the author’s clunky prose, burdened by extremely heavy-handed, if well-intentioned, sermonizing. [4/10]
November 10, 2024
Troubled Waters offers an engaging read, with individual chapters full of excitement. The episode with the spider and the penultimate chapter, where the fisherman tries various techniques to catch Buck (our goldfish protagonist), are especially compelling. In these scenes, Buck’s ingenuity shines as he devises ways to outwit his predator. Mannix brings the underwater world and the psychology of his animal characters to life with the unsentimental, often brutal realism that defines his style.
That said, Troubled Waters lacks the strong story structure seen in Mannix’s other animal novels, which makes it feel more drawn out. In The Fox and the Hound, for instance, the conflict between Tod and Copper builds escalating suspense throughout, providing a backbone that keeps the story tense. Similarly, The Killers and The Wolves of Paris maintain structural direction with less repetition, making even mundane aspects of the protagonists’ lives feel dynamic. In The Last Eagle, while there’s no central antagonist, the protagonist’s evolution from a victimized fledgling to a compassionate father gives that novel a clear arc. In comparison, Troubled Waters lacks such a cohesive thread, resulting in a narrative that feels aimless at times.
The repetitive plot points—moving to different bodies of water, eating, mating, sleeping, hunting, and evading predators or humans—contribute to this lack of momentum. Buck’s trout friend, a significant character earlier in the story, disappears without explanation, which feels anticlimactic given his role in saving the life of Roe, Buck’s mate. While this may be realistic, Mannix’s previous novels used artistic license effectively to create stronger narratives. For instance, The Fox and the Hound has Tod survive scenarios that would realistically have left him maimed, and The Killers uses repeated conflicts with Whitehackle and Ishmael to great dramatic effect, even if some contrivances are involved.
While The Killers shares certain issues with Troubled Waters—notably repetition and an anticlimactic ending—its build-up to the final battle gives it a clearer sense of direction. The Fox and the Hound remains the only Mannix novel with a fully satisfying ending, as The Last Eagle also ends abruptly. Structuring Troubled Waters around Buck’s progression from domestic goldfish to “king of the sea” to a degenerate, lazy creature might have mirrored the environment’s decline more effectively and provided greater narrative cohesion. Buck’s sudden death at the hands of a random duck undermines his character arc. A more gradual descent into complacency could have strengthened this downfall and lent meaning to his demise.
Overall, Troubled Waters is not the ideal introduction to Mannix’s animal novels. New readers would be better served by The Last Eagle, The Wolves of Paris, or The Fox and the Hound. If these resonate, The Killers is a worthy follow-up. For those interested in Mannix’s human-centric tales, The Secret of the Elms is a good choice. Troubled Waters is best reserved for die-hard Mannix fans prepared for its repetitive nature and lack of structure.
That said, Troubled Waters lacks the strong story structure seen in Mannix’s other animal novels, which makes it feel more drawn out. In The Fox and the Hound, for instance, the conflict between Tod and Copper builds escalating suspense throughout, providing a backbone that keeps the story tense. Similarly, The Killers and The Wolves of Paris maintain structural direction with less repetition, making even mundane aspects of the protagonists’ lives feel dynamic. In The Last Eagle, while there’s no central antagonist, the protagonist’s evolution from a victimized fledgling to a compassionate father gives that novel a clear arc. In comparison, Troubled Waters lacks such a cohesive thread, resulting in a narrative that feels aimless at times.
The repetitive plot points—moving to different bodies of water, eating, mating, sleeping, hunting, and evading predators or humans—contribute to this lack of momentum. Buck’s trout friend, a significant character earlier in the story, disappears without explanation, which feels anticlimactic given his role in saving the life of Roe, Buck’s mate. While this may be realistic, Mannix’s previous novels used artistic license effectively to create stronger narratives. For instance, The Fox and the Hound has Tod survive scenarios that would realistically have left him maimed, and The Killers uses repeated conflicts with Whitehackle and Ishmael to great dramatic effect, even if some contrivances are involved.
While The Killers shares certain issues with Troubled Waters—notably repetition and an anticlimactic ending—its build-up to the final battle gives it a clearer sense of direction. The Fox and the Hound remains the only Mannix novel with a fully satisfying ending, as The Last Eagle also ends abruptly. Structuring Troubled Waters around Buck’s progression from domestic goldfish to “king of the sea” to a degenerate, lazy creature might have mirrored the environment’s decline more effectively and provided greater narrative cohesion. Buck’s sudden death at the hands of a random duck undermines his character arc. A more gradual descent into complacency could have strengthened this downfall and lent meaning to his demise.
Overall, Troubled Waters is not the ideal introduction to Mannix’s animal novels. New readers would be better served by The Last Eagle, The Wolves of Paris, or The Fox and the Hound. If these resonate, The Killers is a worthy follow-up. For those interested in Mannix’s human-centric tales, The Secret of the Elms is a good choice. Troubled Waters is best reserved for die-hard Mannix fans prepared for its repetitive nature and lack of structure.
September 22, 2016
This reads like the voice-over to a PBS nature special, following a plucky Goldfish named Buck as he braves the dangers and interacts with the other wildlife in his domain, a freshwater pond somewhere in the USA. It's a great read, unless you hate waterbugs.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews