Includes bibliographical references (pages 271-278) and index.

Introduction -- Prologue -- Part One. History and Lore. Chapter 1. Leonardo and ancient clam history ; Chapter 2. Secrets in the middens ; Chapter 3. Bivalve legends ; Chapter 4. Clams as culture -- Part Two. Nomenclature and Biology. Chapter 5. By any other name ; Chapter 6. Anatomy and physiology ; Chapter 7. Sex among the bivalves ; Chapter 8. Growing up, growing old -- Part Three. Business and Pleasure. Chapter 9. It came from beneath the sea ; Chapter 10. Clams in your back yard ; Chapter 11. Low tide, clam rakes, and education ; Chapter 12. They're good for you! ; Chapter 13. Culinary odysseys and epicurean journeys ; Chapter 14. Recipes to die for -- Acknowledgments -- Appendix 1. Clams that fly -- Appendix [2]. Reading group guide -- Appendix [3]. Discussion questions -- Bibliography -- Photo credits -- Index.

It breathes with tubes, it has no head or brain, it feeds through a filter, and it is the source of dozens of familiar proverbs ("happy as a clam!"). Clams, it turns out, have been worshipped (by the Moche people of ancient Peru), used as money (by the Algonquin Indians), and consumed by people for thousands of years. Yet The Secret Life of Clams is the first adult trade book to deal exclusively with this gastronomic treat that is more complex than its simple two shells might reveal. The Secret Life of Clams features compelling insights, captivating biology, wry observations, and up-to-the-minute natural history that will keep readers engaged and enthralled.