Colophon

The image on the cover of Learning ASP.NET 3.5, Second Edition, is a monkfish (Lophius piscatorius). Europeans occasionally call the monkfish a sea monk, a kinder term for a fish also known as a sea monster.

Although according to Seafood Watch, Americans concerned with sustainable living practices should avoid eating the fish, the monkfish remains a popular dish among consumers and chefs alike.

Chefs have come to appreciate the fish—often labeled the “poor man’s lobster”—for its ability to absorb the flavor of accompanying broths and spices. While the fish is only similar to the lobster in texture and not flavor, many chefs find it easier to promote the fish under a name the public will recognize and not find intimidating.

Its large head, which is twice as wide as its tail, and enormous mouth filled with sharp, pointy teeth give the monkfish a reputation for being one of the ugliest fish around. Markets will usually sell the monkfish without its head, a precedent perhaps set by France, where it had previously been illegal to bring monkfish into the country with their heads attached, as the fish might frighten passersby.

The cover image is from Dover’s Animals. The cover font is Adobe ITC Garamond. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is LucasFont’s TheSansMonoCondensed.

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