Reviews (1)

Great field guide
A great book that gives a good insight in the geology, mythology, history flora and fauna of the National Park. ... Read more

Book Description

In this important new book, acclaimed author and artist Richard Ellis tells the story of our continued plunder of life in the sea and weighs the chances for its recovery. Through fascinating portraits of a wide array of creatures, he introduces us to the many forms of sea life that humans have fished, hunted, and collected over the centuries, from charismatic whales and dolphins to the lowly menhaden, from sea turtles to cod, tuna, and coral.

Rich in history, anecdote, and surprising fact, the author?s descriptions bring to life the natural history of the various species, the threats they face, and the losses they have suffered. Killing has occurred on a truly stunning scale, with extinction all too often the result, leaving a once-teeming ocean greatly depleted. But the author also finds instances of hope and resilience, of species that have begun to make remarkable comebacks when given the opportunity.

Written with passion and grace, and illustrated with Ellis?s own drawings, The Empty Ocean brings to a wide audience a compelling view of the damage we have caused to life in the sea and what we can do about it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Empty Ocean: Plundering the World's Marine Life
In his latest book, marine artist and writer Ellis (Aquagenesis) expresses his deeply felt appreciation for the uniqueness of all forms of marine life and his sorrow at their dwindling numbers or extinction through elegant prose and finely detailed line drawings. He clearly explains the economic, political, historical, and biological reasons for declining fisheries, the plight of sea turtles, disappearance of marine birds, slaughter of marine mammals, and destruction of coral reefs. He notes how through carelessness and ignorance non-native species have been introduced into new habitats where they attack indigenous species or destroy their food supply. However, "the most harmful invader is humankind," writes Ellis. Humans have also discharged "our poisonous or radioactive effluents into the water, contaminating everything from lakes and streams to bodies the size of the Caspian Sea." This volume belongs in all public and academic libraries because of the importance and urgency of its message.

Enlightening
I purchased this book after hearing Richard Ellis on an interview on KQED public radio here in San Francisco. Though this book is of the "doom and gloom" variety, it is a very enlightening read.

If you eat seafood and/or love the ocean, this book is a must read.

The True Tragedy of the Commons
Richard Ellis has presented in "The Empty Ocean" a bleak tale of the overexploitation of a common resource- fish and other sealife. Unfortunately Ellis has not exaggerated the problem, which will eventually cause all of us difficulties. From the collapse of the North Atlantic fisheries to coral bleaching to the destruction of turtle populations, man has caused havoc in a supposedly inexhaustible habitat.

How did this happen? Ellis points out that the reason that fisheries are collapsing worldwide is because of the super efficiency of modern fishing techniques. In essence they can catch everything, or nearly everything, in the area fished. Radar, huge nets, long many-hook lines and huge fleets of ships are used to feed the ever-increasing demand for seafood, sushi, aquarium fish, coral and rare shells. Since the resource is often less than the demand, especially for high-ticket items like tuna, the profit is high and the "commons" are overexploited for current gain. Not only this, but the number of non-target organisms that die in the process is truly staggering.

What can we do to slow down the destruction? We can try to back sound science-based fishing regulations and at least lower our demand for products from the sea, especially for those known to be overexploited. The tragedy is that, despite our efforts, the oceans of the world will probably never be quite the same again. However, if humans do not limit themselves they will soon (as Ellis notes on the last page) know for whom the bell tolls.

Read this book- it may make you think twice about current consumptive practices, especially if you value your children's future.

Important book
If you've read this book, and want to help your children out on the right path to protecting coral reefs, marine mammals - have them check out Captain Jon Explores the Ocean DVD. A look at the sea and why we need to protect it. Also available on Amazon. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A complete and interesting pocketguide
It's a wonderful book for those looking to explore North America sea creatures. ... Read more

Book Description

Twelve original, stunning views of coastal America. Remarkably rish and textured scenes from north, south and mid-coastal regions. ... Read more

Book Description

119 scattered color photographs The Intertidal Wilderness is a stunning photographic exploration of the tidepools of the Pacific coast, from Baja California to as far north as southeast Alaska. These lush photographs capture in striking color the enormous variety of life and biological detail in the intertidal zone along one of the world's most spectacular coastlines. The interpretative text and captions describe telltale signs of ecological relationships and processes, helping the seashore explorer to appreciate ecological interactions and their consequences. The text delves into the roles of competition, predation, reproduction, natural variation in space and time, and color that characterize this vibrant ecosystem.This revised edition has been updated throughout, incorporating new scientific information, new photographs, and a new chapter discussing the recent human impact on this threatened environment. Fusing art and science, The Intertidal Wilderness conveys the fragility, complexity, and interdependence of the plants and animals living at the interface of land and sea. The Intertidal Wilderness vividly animates the surprisingly delicate beauty of the often violent intertidal zone, which daily withstands pounding waves at high tides as well as desiccation and exposure at low tides. With revealing photographs, engaging text, and a solid foundation in marine biology, this book will capture the imagination of the casual seashore visitor as well as the dedicated enthusiast. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Exquisite
The photographs alone make this volume an enormous pleasure. ... Read more

Book Description

Life on earth began in the sea, and in this tour de force of natural history, authority on marine biology and illustrator Richard Ellis chronicles more than three billion years of aquatic history. From the first microbes and jawless fishes that evolved into the myriad species we know today-sharks, whales, dolphins, and, of course, humans-Ellis reveals the deep evolutionary mysteries of the sea. Encyclopedic in scope and complemented by more than sixty drawings, Aquagenesis is a fascinating work that will astonish readers with the wonder, richness, and complexity of the evolution of life. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Technical, for experts
I read the author's very good "Encyclopedia of the Sea" and hoped this would be equally entertaining. It seems this book is more for people who already know a lot about ancient life. There are illustrations, but not enough as the author will describe bizarre, one of a kind creatures, but then not have a drawing of it. He describes contraversies about where a fossil belongs in the classification tree or if a new branch has to be added. I found the "Shape of Life" video much more interesting. This book seems to be a scholarly work, with many quotes and credits given, for other scholars.

Aquagenesis: The Origin and Evolution of Life in the Sea
Aquagenesis: The Origin and Evolution of Life in the Sea Written by Richard Ellis is quite simply a very fascinating book. A book that covers life in the sea from small little creatures too a shark that can swallow a horse whole.

Aquagenesis is a book that traces the phylogenic origins of aquatic life further and further back of not only the ancestors of the living whales, seals, manatees, sea turtles, sea snakes and penguins that were terrestrial, and their living descendants all returned to the sea, to one degree or another. But, this book is not without opinion and it plays a considerable role, mainly because interpretation is so much a part of this book, opinions of others are relied on via their published works or directly. But, this isn't a book so much about whales, seals and manatees as it is a book about the beginning of life in the sea.

What I found interesting in the book is how the author explains how life and a phenomenon known as sea-floor spreading where cracks or rifts are created in the crust of the Earth are connected. Plate tectonics causes these rifts and minerals spew into the water in clouds known as "Black smokers" that eventually dissolve and disperse into a water columns and life is found where you would think none could exist.

Also, the author takes a look at some of Stephen Jay Gould's work from "Wonderful Life" about the Cambrian Shale deposits known as the Burgess Shale. A review of the fossil biota brings the differences in interpretation and conclusions, but the major battle lines have been drawn. I must say that this book takes the reader on a ride of mystery from the first microbes to jawless and finless creatures to a possible aquatic ape that could be mans ancestor.

Some of the creatures we read about in the book are quite bizzar and the author has supplied detailed drawings that bring these animals to life. Sharks with teeth on their backs and others had teeth as large as your hand, all making for wonderful reading. I liked the author's narrative style in this book as it was straight forward and easily readable. The subject matter of the aquatic ape is covered toward the end of the book and is quite interesting.

Aquagenesis is a book about life in the past, but also how that life shape life today making for some compelling fascinating reding.

Explains The Origin and Evolution of Life in the Sea
More lucid science writing from Ellis (Imaging Atlantis, 1998, etc.), who this time cuts a broad swath through the history of marine animals. "This book is about animals whose ancestors came out of the sea and whose descendants returned to it," writes the author. That and a whole lot more, for while almost every aspect of paleontology is rife with ambiguous, speculative, and contentious theories-and Ellis gives many of them sufficient air time in these pages, such as changes in genetic structure to lines of descent-there is no contesting the complexity of the fossil record. And the glory of species complexity is on full display here. From the earliest creatures of the vents, the breeding grounds created by the spreading of the seafloor and strong candidates for the deep-ocean location of the origins of life, to Elaine Morgan's evidence pointing toward an (at least semi-) aquatic ancestor of humans-and she isn't talking about jawless fish, but rather an aquatic ape-Ellis covers an incredible land- and waterscape. There's a rogue's gallery of toothy, spiny creatures (sharks with teeth all over their heads, others big enough and happy to eat a horse) and an equally long list of sideshow marvels, including the wonderful hagfish, which "can emit gallons of nauseating, toxic slime." The theories tendered for the evolution of these creatures are often as fabulous as the creatures themselves: Certainly the descent of whales from giant wolves falls into that category, but less sensational are the beard-pulling contests between academics, such as the Gould/Conway Morris feud. Then there are all the questions that remain unanswered, far more than those with answers, beginning with: How did it all start? Ellis samples from all these topics with the enthusiasm of a child let loose in a candy shop. As entertaining as a three-ring circus, and as scholarly as any intellectually curious lay reader would wish for.

Aquarevelations
I bought this book after reading the author's previous "Search for the Giant Squid". Giant Squid was very good. This book however,is a double edge sword, it has great illustrations and the topics look interesting, BUT many facts are wrong!

Examples: page 2, states that the Dinosaurs "disappeared hundreds of millions of years ago" (65 million years would have been correct.) Page 117 identifies the Mississippian Age Bear Gulch Formation as Devonian Age. Page 51 and 52 and 53 list Horseshoe crabs as dating from 200 million years ago but there are well known horseshoe crabs as old as 370 million years old!
Page 53 also lists Aglaspids as being horseshoe crabs when they are not considered to be.

I teach, and the accuracy of material is important. I don't want to present ideas to my students if they aren't right. The book is interesting, but the errors I see at a quick skim make me pause.

A history of sea life and its evolutionary processes
How did early life evolve in our oceans, and how did they evolve from the sea to become land creatures? Aquagenesis provides a history of sea life and its evolutionary processes, combining the author's illustrations with a scientific examination of the origin of life in the sea. ... Read more

Book Description

"[Woodard] successfully brings to life the fascinating mysteries of marine science [and] outlines strategies that, he contends, must be taken to save our seas."-Publishers Weekly The Black Sea is already dead. Because of sea-level rise, an entire nation in the South Pacific, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, is being washed away. Throughout the Caribbean Sea, vast stretches of coral reef-called the "rainforests of the ocean" because of their diversity of life-are dying at increasingly rapid rates. The reefs along the entire north coast of Jamaica are dead. Ocean's End is not about the damage our oceans could suffer (and inflict) in ten or a hundred years, if we're not careful. It's an eyewitness account, in compelling and vivid detail, of the massive worldwide destruction that's already happened. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A warning from one who has seen the future
Woodard's book does for the oceans what Mark Herstgaard's "Earth Odessy" did for the rest of the planet. It sounds the alarm of environment degredation. Lie Herstgaard, Woodard does not just sit around and speculate, he travelled to the world's environmental trouble spots and reports what he saw. Particularly chilling is his description of the "death" of the Black Sea and how a similar fate might befall the Gulf of Mexico. Like Herstgaard, Woodard offers solutions for the environmental crises he describes, however unlikely that they might ever be enacted by world governments. For the most part, this is quite a compelling book.

Coastal Policy Has Killed the Oceans!
Ocean's End is one of the most compelling examples of how bad Coastal Zone policy has destroyed vast areas of ocean and shore. It is not too strong a point that human beings in recent history have behaved themselves very, very badly as they looted the seas and dumped their waste and industrial toxins down river or directly into the sea. I am using this book in my International Integrated Coastal Zone Management class as the first assigned textbook. (...)

Why? Because I want my graduate students to first see how wonderful the world's oceans and coastal zones are and secondly, how incredibly stupid and short sighted we can be as we mismanage our responsibilities as stewards of these ecosystems. Colin Woodward has done a wonderful job of narrating a gripping, exciting, and enfuriating story from the killing of the Black Sea to the plundering of the Newfoundland Grand Banks and all of the other case studies in between.

This is a book worth reading and also one that is compellingly interesting and enjoyable. Take it on your next trip or read it and then take my web-based graduate class in International Coastal Management. You'll be ahead of yourself!

One of the most devastating books I've read
Each chapter in this book tells a story illustrating a different crisis, and each gives something new to be outraged over. The stories are well-written, and Ocean's End gives the best summary of global warming that I have read. It is easy to understand (making the reader feel almost intelligent). I would recommend this to everyone, and wish there was a way to get this into high school curricula.

My only complaint is the summary. Woodard draws the reader's passions out, but doesn't suggest explicit ways to get involved in the issues. I ended up writing letters to my congressional representatives.

Read this book, and start your own letter campaign.

A great book
This is a great book. Thoughtful, balanced, readable. Buy two copies and give one to a friend.

Ocean's End
What about the oceans that surround , and the beautiful (and yet, dangerous) shorelines of all Indonesia, including the deep trenches all ways from the northwestern to Timor Sea? Why are those waters chilled? Waters from the Antartica, the trenches deeper than the Grand Canyon? You need to explore more nature there. And talk to save them. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Simply Beautiful
This is a beautiful book with incredible pictures. Additionally it has very informative text. It is a great book for anyone with a serious interest in reefs & reef life.

A must for the UW Photographer
I have been waiting for this book! Burt Jones got me focused on the 'one metre' dive a few years back and I've been enjoying macro critters and muck diving ever since. In this awsome new book, the Tacketts bring you their personal experiences with the macro world and incorportate a great deal of useful information which can help all of us better understand the interrelationships amongst all the critters. That understanding is one of the keys to making better images of the critters.

If you are a diver and you really want to get acquainted with the underwater world, stop swimming and start looking. And this book gives you step by step pointers on how to go about looking and helps you understand what you are seeing.

much more than pretty pictures
The Tacketts have achieved something remarkable with this book. Not only is the quality of the photographs consistently high, but the detailed information within the text is logical and accessible to any diver whether they be experts in marine biology or simply curious fish watchers.
This American husband and wife team seem to have lived many divers dream existence. Travelling the Indo Pacific for 13 years, they would camp on a beach with their own compressor and make three dives a day collecting sponge specimens for medical research.
The scientific information is clear and broken down into digestible chunks, enlivened by well annotated pictures - everything from mantis shrimps eating coral shrimps, to frogfish camouflaged against cup corals. Predation, reproduction, camouflage, feeding and mimicry are all wonderfully explained. And, in keeping with the mood of the times there is a final section on reefs in danger - overfishing, cyanide, pollution etc, complete with appropriate photos including a poignant shot of an octopus trying to cover itself with a piece of broken plastic audio-cassette.
A substantial glossary at the end of the book covers everything from allelopathy to zooxanthellae.
The strength and value of this book is that it is not just a collection of good underwater images, I suspect it will become an invaluable primer for any diver who wants to look at reefs in an intelligent way.

A Unique Guide to the Underwater World
An avid scuba diver and underwater photographer myself, I own and enjoy many "coffee-table-style" underwater books, as well as a fair collection of field guides to coral reefs and marine life. What I appreciate most about the Tackett's new book is the way it has combined beautiful underwater photography with valuable commentary, annotations, and even arrows defining particular points of interest. "Reef Life" represents a wonderful melding of the science and the esthetics of the marine environment. Equally appealing to adults and children, it has provided me with additional knowledge and appreciation. I now look forward to sharing this appealing new book with my young nephews.

Not just another coffee table book -
The Tackett's new book is a must read for divers, aquarists, and anyone who enjoys the fish and critters of the undersea world of coral reef environs. My wife and I belong to a guild of scuba divers known as "critter hunters." We love to dive and find some of nature's most crytpic creatures which inhabit the coral reefs and nearby, sometimes mucky, environs. Larry and Denise's new book is not only a fabulous collection of great underwater photographs but also contains a vast amount of the latest, most useful information regarding the habits and habitats of some of nature's most interesting creatures. It is readily apparent that the Tacketts have spent considerable time underwater in some of the most exotic locales of our water planet. They also have the unique ability to share their experiences with the reader. There are a lot of books currently available dealing with various underwater topics but this is easily one of the most informative and has already become a treasured addition to our library. ... Read more

Book Description

Zane Grey fished up to 300 days of the year. But, with all that time on the water, there was nothing more exciting or more compelling than the really BIG fish-the giants of the sea. Blue fin tuna are (even today) still sometimes pursued with harpoons! There's the story of a swordfish that was hooked at 10:30 in the morning and played until 11:30 that night-only to...! "Tales of Swordfish and Tuna" will dazzle and thrill any fishing heart. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Who really cares?
I didn't even read the book, I am just bored out of my mind

A Very Good Read
This is a very good book as far as reading goes. You could also learn a few things in the process. There are many "how-to" books out there and a true adventure-fishing story can be a refreshing change. So if you are interested in good, entertaining real life fishing stories or accounts, pick this book up.

It is an amazing insight into the days gone by, the abundance of fish and how close to shore they could be caught.

I could not help but notice certain pent up anger and arrogance in the text directed at other pioneering anglers that I felt was unjustified, unfair and may be even incorrect. If this book is not a tribute to pioneering big-game anglers it certainly a tribute to Zane Grey himself. But all in all it was a bloody good read.

A true pioneer of an untapped sport
It is only in my dreams that I will ever see fish the size and in the abundance that Zane Grey and other pioneers of big game sportfishing have seen. As an avid big game fisherman I always dream of the day that I will hook into a monster swordfish or tuna such as Zane Grey has. Any fisherman can relate to the persistance and effort that Zane Grey put into every outing he made and then putting it in writing for those who could not do so themselves. In the days when Zane was fishing nothing yet was exploited and it is great to read about the way things used to be and hope that one day we will be able to restore our oceans to there once primative state. ... Read more

Book Description

In the course of thirteen days in January 1999, four commercial clam boats sank in horrifying succession while working the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, taking the lives of ten men. Husbands, fathers, loners, and drug users, each man was lured to the nation's most dangerous trade by the lucrative wages offered to those who dared to reap the harvest of the ocean. In this compelling maritime tale of risk and danger, acclaimed journalist Douglas Campbell compassionately portrays the destinies of the men who lost their lives to the Atlantic and the lure of profits from clamming. From the tough and sometimes troubled young men on deck to their families on shore, and the courageous people who tried to rescue them, this narrative memorializes a way of life, and exposes the hazards of this dangerous trade. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Clam fishing in a bitter environment
In a two-week period in 1999, four commercial clamming boats sank off the Atlantic Coast costing ten lives. The author, a journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, recounts the known facts of the sinkings, the lives of those who drowned and those who survived, and the interrelated circumstances. Many of the elements of the tragedies are familiar: heavy weather, Coast Guard helicopters, survival suits, men vanishing into the night. Campbell intelligently weaves in the real economic and commercial pressures on fishermen with details of the lives of hard-working men. These clammers have no illusions about their dangerous trade. They know they risk death, but most could not earn nearly the same wages elsewhere. The efforts of regulatory agencies to protect workers, preserve breeding stocks, and stabilize the markets come under scrutiny as well. An excellent choice for those interested in commercial fishing or sea stories.

PRETTY GOOD BOOK
I AGREE WITH ONE OF THE OTHER REVIEWERS THAT THIS WAS A PRETTY GOOD BOOK BUT NOT AS GOOD AS SOME FROM SPIKE WALKER AND THE PERFECT STORM BUT NONE THE LESS A GOOD READ ESPECIALLY TO LEARN ABOUT THE CLAMMING INDUSTR I DO BIELEVE THAT THE THE SHIP WRECK STORIS ARE JUST AS GUT WRENCHING

A worthwhile read, but not as gripping as others
Campbell's latest addition to the "disaster at sea" genre, while a good read, isn't quite as gripping as works by his contemporaries such as Spike Walker ("Working on the Edge", "Nights of Ice," and "Coming Back Alive") or Sebastian Junger. Nevertheless, he does a masterful job of recreating the stories of four separate clam boat disasters in the early part of 1999. He also does an excellent job of describing the work of clam boats, as well as the problems encountered by those working in the profession. Campbell sheds a great deal of light on the problem with unseaworthy boats that are so common in the northeast fishing industry. In sum, this is a good addition to the library of anyone who loves stories of disaster at sea, but don't expect the intensity found in more popular works.

the best read in a long time
a real good read , well written tells it just as it is.great to own a book like this . to scared to lend it may not get it back.(i am a ex commercial trawler man ...)will look out keenly for your next book douglas ...thanks for this one...

More tales of fishing disasters and rescue
"The Sea's Bitter Harvest" chronicles the sinking of four commercial clam fishing boats in the North Atlantic during an amazingly short two week period in January 1999. Ten fishermen lost their lives in that brief period, easily the worst month for Atlantic fisherman in the modern age. The book is clearly intended to appeal to those who enjoyed Sebastian Junger's "The Perfect Storm" (and even mentions Junger's book several times). That said, author Douglas A. Campbell lacks Junger's storytelling touch, though he is a obviously a very good reporter.

Like "Storm", this book details the lives of the oridinary men (no women here) who risk their lives in what is perhaps the most dangerous profession in America. Clam fishing is portrayed as exhausting and unglamorous profession that appeals to the the blue collar types who do it for the large paychecks and the relatively unrestrained lifestyle. Campbell also unflinchingly details the problems in the industry, from the considerable level or drug use to the obstinate nature of fisherman when it comes to the safety regulations designed to prevent disasters. He also goes into considerable detail about the personal lives of the men who died and survived on each of the four boats. The fact that there were really four seperate incidents does prevent his book from having the same concise narrative as "Storm."

Overall, this book is yet another fine entry in the recent glut about the perils of commercial fishing that have appeared in the wake of "The Perfect Storm." It should appeal to anyone with an interest in the subject matter. ... Read more

Book Description

Now completely revised and updated, this new edition offers sixty color photos of O'ahu's spectacular beaches and coastline by photographer Mike Waggoner, a water safety section, and 22 newly drawn maps locating more than 130 beaches and shoreline parks on the island. The beach descriptions and maps include many of the island's popular surfing sites.

This essential guide to O'ahu's beaches begins at Ala Moana Regional Park and continues counter-clockwise around the island--the traditional route most visitors and residents take when touring the island's scenic points. All beaches, known and relatively unknown, are listed with their physical characteristics, recreational uses, historic and cultural significance, and any dangers that beach-goers may encounter. Each beach is identified by its official and unofficial, or popular, name (if any) used by residents. When available, the author has added brief histories of beaches as handed down through the native Hawaiian oral tradition and related Hawaiian chants and verses.

Beaches of O'ahu is an indispensable reference book and guide that will add significantly to every beach-goer's use and enjoyment of the island's magnificent beaches. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

All You Could Possibly Want To Know About Oahu's Beaches
Accurate descriptions of each beach, safety aspects, and historical notations. Author provides no relative valuation of which beaches are better than others for swimming, snorkeling, windsurfing, etc. Ideal for Hawaiian residents or visitors who will spend an inordinate amount of time at Oahu's obscure out of the way beaches.

The local's guide for visitors.
This book, and the others in the series for Maui, Kauai and Hawaii, is indispensable for Hawaiian visitors and locals. It gives the best beaches for swimming, surfing, snorkeling and also critical safety information. Every year visitors drown because they don't know which beaches are safe and which aren't. This book covers every square inch of beach and coastal access. Also gives fascinating historical notes. As a frequent visitor for over 20 years, I still take mine with me on every trip! ... Read more

Book Description

The measured cadence of the sea against the shore, the bustle of the pier as the fishing boats unload, the serenity of sunrise as it sets a marsh aglow--you get all this and more in Cape Cod on My Mind. Through the eyes of some of the most talented photographers in the nation, see why countless visitors flee to Cape Cod to escape the burdens and routines of daily life. Visit lonely lighthouses, gingerbread cottages, and weathered beach shanties. Stroll sandy beaches, swoop along bike trails, or saunter down a boardwalk through a white cedar swamp. Watch whales blow off Barnstable and artists paint in Provincetown. Steep yourself in the peninsula's colonial and nautical heritage. Complementing the spectacular color photos are the inspired words of writers who have succumbed to the Cape's charms. ... Read more

Book Description

Many animals elicit the same mythical terror and awe as sharks, and yet we know little about these elusive, highly engineered creatures. John A. Musick and Beverly McMillan bring us along on a thrilling adventure as they chase sharks from Bear Gulch, Montana, to a whale shark-feeding station in Okinawa, by way of Alaska, the Bimini islands, and the most sophisticated shark-research labs in the world. En route we discover that sharks navigate using electromagnetic signals, have a bloodhound's sense of smell, are both cold- and warm-blooded, and possess biochemical weapons, which, used properly, might indeed help fend off malignant tumors and microbes.

Musick, who has spent over thirty years as a defender of the much-maligned shark, here excavates the mysterious lives of sharks from the dark recesses of the oceans--and raising the alarm about how fishing and industry are reducing their numbers and affecting their behavior. This captivating and educational scientific exploration challenges us to rethink our relationship with sharks, leaving us with the question: Are humans the prey, or the predator?
... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fascinating Look into the World of the Shark
The tales of a shark researcher and his colleagues and friends serve as the vehicle for instructing the reader on the fascinating world of the Shark. This narrative trick works in this book much better than I had anticipated, since the vignettes presented quickly depart from the story of the researchers involved and delve into the secrets of the shark they uncovered instead. And the secrets are fascinating. Shark fossils, shark senses, shark sex, shark behavior, shark attack (of course), threats to sharks and surprising data on shark intelligence are all presented in a book that breezes by too quickly. Well worth the price of admission! ... Read more

Book Description

From sharks, star-fish, and sea squirts to porpoises, penguins, and plankton, this charming compendium is swimming with exotic sea life. Over 600 specimens are presented in page after page of intricate engravings, woodcuts, and drawings from the Victorian era, the golden age of natural history. Meticulously rendered, these illustrations are paired with observations from early naturalists, describing the classification of each particular species, how its body is constructed, its behavior and preferences, and its habitat. Arranged by type and covering nearly all forms of marine life, The Anatomy of the Sea brings to light in one exquisite detail after another the mysteries of the deep. It's an inspiring book for all those who have gazed at the ocean in wonder. ... Read more

Book Description

This book will open up the underwater world of the Caribbean to everyone interested in exploring this vibrant environment-from those who know its waters well to those who have never visited. Conversational, beautifully illustrated, and loaded with information, A Guide to the Coral Reefs of the Caribbean is both a guide to the natural history of the coral reefs of the region and a diver's travel guide. In addition to providing comprehensive and easy-to-use information about some of the most popular and beautiful tourist, diving, and snorkeling destinations in the world, this book offers advice and practical suggestions to readers who want to protect these stunning, vital resources. Spalding is a highly acclaimed coral reef scientist who has visited and worked on coral reefs in over thirty countries. This guide is endorsed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).The first section provides facts about reef wildlife, the interactions between humans and reefs, and the Caribbean area in general. Spalding discusses the problems facing the reefs, with a focus on what each person can do to protect them. The second section comprises thirty-five country-based chapters that provide key information about the coral reefs, marine parks, points of general interest, remote places, and unusual species. Throughout the text a set of stunning maps show the islands, coral reefs, marine features, dive centers, and many other key sites. Section three provides a photographic field guide and inventory of the marine flora and fauna of the region. The book concludes with useful listings of the best-known conservation groups, providing an opportunity for locals and visitors to get involved at a practical level. Published in association with the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre Illustrations: 43 maps ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"The Indian Ocean" a quick tour of the Eastern Islands
The book is filled with beautiful photographs, and the text borders on poetry--clearly a labor of love by the author and photographers. An excellent book for a quick overview of the islands. There is a section on each island,, with descriptions of its physical and cultural features. Text and photographs tend to weigh more heavily on the cultural. There is even a section with useful information for tourists. I would have liked to see and read more about the unique animals of these islands. ... Read more

Book Description

In the days when dinosaurs dominated the earth, their marine counterparts--every bit as big and ferocious--reigned supreme in prehistoric seas. In this entrancing book, Richard Ellis, one of the world's foremost writers on the denizens of the deep, takes us back to the Mesozoic era to resurrect the fascinating lives of these giant seagoing reptiles.

Working from the fossil record, Ellis explores the natural history of these fierce predators, speculates on their habits, and tells how they eventually became extinct--or did they? He traces the 200-million-year history of the great ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs who swam the ancient oceans--and who, according to some, may even still frequent the likes of Loch Ness.

Picture if you will seventy-foot dragons with foot-long serrated teeth, or an animal that looked like a crocodile crossed with a shark the size of a small yacht. With its impossibly long neck, Plesiosaurus conybeari has been compared to "a giant snake threaded through the body of a turtle." At a length of nearly sixty feet, Mosasaurus hoffmanni boasted powerful jaws and teeth that could crunch up even the hardest-shelled giant sea turtle. And Kronosaurus queenslandicus, perhaps the most formidable of the lot, had a skull nine feet long-more than twice that of Tyrannosaurus rex--with teeth to match.

The first book about these amazing animals in nearly a century, Sea Dragons draws upon the most recent scientific research to vividly reconstruct their lives and habitats. Their fossils have been found all over the world--in Europe, Australia, Japan, and even Kansas--in lands that once lay on the floors of Jurassic and Triassic seas. Along the way, the book also provides intriguing insights into and entertaining tales about the work, discoveries, and competing theories that compose the fascinating world of vertebrate paleontology.

Ellis also graces his text with a set of incomparable illustrations. Widely hailed as our foremost artist of marine natural history, he depicts vividly how these creatures probably appeared and, through these likenesses, invites us to speculate on their locomotion, their predatory habits, their very lifestyles.

A genuine book of marvels and wonders, Sea Dragons will certainly stir one's curiosity about our planet's prehistoric past. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

not as good as his other stuff
I read "Monsters of the Sea" and "Search for the Giant Squid" by Mr. Ellis and was expecting the same great read. I was disapointed. Slow, and far too technical. I am still hacking my way slowly through the last few chapters.

Read those other titles first!

Going for a swim?
The next time you're setting up a putt on the ninth hole at Smoky Hill Country Club in Hays, Kansas, pause a moment. Glance around you at the arid hills and scattered vegetation. It's difficult to comprehend that where you're standing was once under hundreds of metres of sea water. Millions of years in the past most of what is now central North America lay beneath the great Niobrara Sea [better known as the Bear Paw Sea]. Nor would you feel lonely - it was inhabited by all manner of creatures. However, some of these rivalled in size and ferocity the great land-dwelling dinosaurs of the same period. Richard Ellis has started to fill a long-standing gap in revealing how these creatures likely lived. And perhaps why they are no longer with us.

Ancient marine reptiles developed to immense sizes and bizarre shapes. Ellis focusses on the four major types, all of which had one commonalty - size. After a brief lesson on nomenclature and a dismissal of the Loch Ness enigma, he goes on to introduce us to some true monsters. And gargantuan they are! The fossils found in Britain and Belgium almost two centuries ago amazed the world with their likely size. Those revealed since, many from around Hays, Kansas, achieve lengths of up to twenty metres. In line with their massive bodies, some bore impressive dental equipment, with some teeth achieving twenty centimetres in length. Seeking prey at depth, they developed eyes the size of dinner plates. These were formidable creatures, indeed.

Ellis compiles fossil evidence to develop a picture of marine reptile lifestyles. They were all predators, but shape, locomotion and capacity for diving to extreme depths combined to focus on particular niches. Some must have been a glorious sight [if they didn't see you!], literally "flying" through the water like penguins. Others undulated their bodies like snakes, although, as Ellis states, no snakes were present in the seas at the time. The ichthyosaurs seem to have resembled tunas in shape and motion. The most extraordinary were the long-necked plesiosaurs who may have been bottom feeders. The range of body types and swimming styles is a reflection of the long period of their dominance. They were successful enough to have occupied the full extent of the world's oceans of the time.

There are a few quirks in this book the general reader should note. These reptiles maintained an imposing set of food processors and there's a challenge in demonstrating many factors in but one illustration. As Ellis notes often, how they appeared and how they lived relies much on what they ate. But, unlike the many illustrations he provides for dramatic effect, they didn't cruise the seas mouths agape. That's for fish with gills, not air-breathing reptiles. There's some irony in the illustration [p. 212] depicting a mosasaur swimming closed-mouthed, but bending its neck in a manner no large reptile with only seven vertebrae could achieve. These are, of course, minor issues and detract little from Ellis presentation. Still, as a learning resource for the non-paleontologists among us, it was incumbent on Ellis to use his wealth of information accurately. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Regretfully mediocre
I wish that I could be at all as enthusiastic in my evaluation of Sea Dragons as were those who wrote the dust jacket blurbs. I do not find Mr. Ellis's writing riveting, vivid and delightful, or readable and accessible. Sea Dragons managers to be both superficial and prolix. I find it poorly organized, diffuse, and repetitious, and I can only recommend it to someone who is desperately enamored with the Mesozoic Era.

Ellis is an excellent artist, but his black and white illustrations are often not well posed to show the particular features he discusses in his text. There are few detail drawings to show the particularities of form, bone structure, dentition, or skin that he mentions. A few drawings look to be at odds with his text.

Ellis's text includes pairs of sentences where the second repeats the first with minor modification or elaboration as if he intended to discard the first but didn't. There are paragraphs that are dustbins of assorted sentences with no topic. There are paragraphs that change topic in mid stream. There are collections of paragraphs with neither topic sentences nor transitions between paragraphs. Sideshows are numerous and only wander back to the main topic with difficulty. Ellis uses long footnotes that should have been incorporated into the text. He does provide good translations for many of the species names.

Most technical areas of anatomy or cladistics are dealt with by quoting a jargon-filled paragraph, noting its incomprehensibility to lay readers, and skipping on to something else. Ellis notes opposing viewpoints but does little to clarify which is to be preferred or why. There are no cladograms or old-style trees of proposed descent whatsoever. No group of Sea Dragons is dealt with in any specific order. There is very little paleoenvironmental information to make clear why a given animal is said to have lived in a particular setting, and only one or two illustrations supply any such information.

Many of these problems might be attributed to inadequate editing. Sea Dragons is the first book I've read in ages that contains misspelled words as opposed to spell-checked misuses. The organizational and editing problems can be seen most obviously where Ellis discusses the mosasaur Globidens, a supposed bivalve-eating creature with rounded teeth. Globidens is mentioned five different times on different pages, but in detail with an illustration only the last time. At that point we are reminded that the ichthyosaur Grippia was also a presumed shellfish eater, but in the previous mention of Grippia, one hundred and forty-some pages earlier in the proper section on ichthyosaurs (Ellis truly loves ichthyosaurs; they turn up in every section), we were told twice only where Grippia was found. In the last section, Ellis first has plesiosaurs going extinct with the ichthyosaurs 20 million years before the K-T asteroid strike, then two pages later has them going extinct "around the K-T boundary," "about 65 million years ago." These would be small matters if they were isolated occurrences, but they are not.

Ellis includes the obligatory attack against creationists in the middle of his section on ichthyosaurs. Creationists have such problems with truth and accuracy and there are so many obvious points on which to criticize the ludicrous nature of their views that it is embarrassing to have Ellis pointlessly write that "here we will assume quite the opposite" when his disorganization and omissions obscure the evidence for evolution marine reptiles do provide. Assumptions aren't good enough to overcome willful ignorance.

Sea Dragons desperately needs a listing in each section of the species/genera discussed and those placed on a graph with location on one axis and time on the other. A side-by-side listing of European and North American geological divisions with radiometric dates should be included. The illustrations need a scale bar or human figure for comparison.

For younger readers, certainly not Ellis's target audience, I would recommend any of David Norman's books that touch on marine reptiles, recognizing that he has little to say on Mosasaurs.
For adult readers, Christopher McGowan's Dinosaurs, Spitfires, & Sea Dragons or Richard Cowen's History of Life provide a more cogent though far briefer account of these truly great dragons of the seas. For those willing to brave the terminology and jargon, Ancient Marine Reptiles, Jack M. Callaway and Elizabeth L. Nicholls, eds., remains the most informative volume.

Sea Dragons: Predators of the Prehistoric Oceans
Sea Dragons: Preators of the Prehistoric Oceans written by Richard Ellis is a wonderful book. This is the first book to present a detailed summary of the history on marie reptile paleontology. This book is well-written and vivid and delightfully illustrated.

"Sea Dragons" chronicles a lesser-known but equally magnificent group of megafauna... those remarkable giants that swam our oceans in the great Mesozoic era. In that era when dinosaurs dominated the earth, there were marie counterparts, every bit as big and mean.

The contents of the book takes us on an overview of marie reptiles then we get into the heart of the book.

The Ichthyosaurs
The Plesiosaurs
The Plisaurs
The Mosasaurs

Each of these sections are very detailed and are wonderfully written and very understandable with illustrations to show the reader what the author is writing about. Although these marie reptiles are merely fosilized bone now, it is not difficult to flesh them out in our minds and see this tableau as a representation of what may have taken place when the world was 150 million years younger than it is now.

Many of the descriptions of the creatures in this book, all of which are extinct, and all of which are known only from fossils, consist primarily of osteological terminology. Osteology is the study of bomes. What I found interesting was that even the size of the eye, so critical of the differentation of various ichthyosaur genera, relies largely on the circle of bony plates in the eye socket known as the sclerotic ring.

Throughout the discussion of the marine reptiles in this book the author cites the various chronological periods making for good reference points for the reader as to how long ago these creatures existed. All in all, this is a well-compiled work and is very easy to understand.

I enjoyed this book and gave it a solid 5 star rating for its ease of readability and the logical way it was written. This book would make an excellent addition to your home library as it explains about life in the Mesozoic ear.

A very impressive review of Mesozoic ocean reptiles
This book has no real peer at the moment. Indeed, a comprehensive, detailed, but easily understandable book on marine reptilian predators of the Mesozoic has been long awaited, and overdue. These animals approached whales in size in some instances, and easily dwarfed their terrestrial counterparts. Indeed, a T Rex may have been only one eighth the size of the largest pliosaurs. Yet, most books on Mesozoic life have, until now, relegated these marvelous animals to one or two back chapters or sections at the most.

Author Ellis, a renowned illustrator, writer, and researcher, has produced a masterpiece. His drawings of these seagoing reptiles are impeccable, if sometimes a bit speculative, and enable the reader to capably visualize these gigantic creatures.
Likewise, the text is enormously informative, not only about such FAQ's as size, weight, methods of reproduction, etc., but also on more arcane matters, such as how these huge beasts propelled themselves quickly and efficiently through the water. One glance at a long-necked, flippered plesiosaurus reveals that the answer to this problem is far from simple.

After an excellent introduction, the author covers icthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, pliosaurs, and mosasaurs in turn. Ellis then concludes with what seems to be the mandatory conclusion to any Mesozoic book; i.e., what caused all of these fabulously efficient, dominant predators to disappear in one fell swoop.

I found this book enormously enjoyable, and it was one of my best Christmas presents in years. I shall read it again and again. Anyone with a high school background will enjoy this book to the hilt, and my recommendation is extremely high.

By the way, this is the sort of book one loans out only very carefully. ... Read more

Book Description

Reports on current research by geographers and others into resource management and planning issues in the Caribbean region. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a beautiful book, both for the eye and soul.
Mr. Bansemer's drawings of the southern shores of the US and the activities that take place there are unsurpasssed.In addition to paintings, each is described in prose that sometimes makes you want to cryand sometimes makes you want to laugh.An excellent coffee table book tobrowse through again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

Recent discoveries have revealed that the muddy ocean floor and the lightless water above it harbor an extraordinary array of life, including eel-like fishes, squids, shrimps, crustaceans, worms, mollusks, snails, and starfish. Richly illustrated with nearly one hundred color photographs, this lively, informative book tells how oceanography has developed as a science and describes what is know about the still-mysterious organisms that live in the deep ocean. ... Read more