Book Description

This book, by two leading marine mammalogists, is a succinct yet comprehensive text devoted to the systematics, evolution, morphology, ecology, physiology, and behavior of marine mammals. With chapters on the evolutionary history of the principle lineages, major organ systems, diving physiology, diet, sound production and echolocation, reproductive behavior, and conservation biology, this book will be required reading for all marine biologists concerned with marine mammals.

Key Features
* Comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the biology of all marine mammals
* Provides a phylogenetic framework that integrates phylogeny with behavior and ecology
* Features chapter summaries, further readings, an appendix, glossary, extensive bibliography, and many figures and photos ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Fantastic!!
This book is a really great find. It goes through the evolution of cetaceans and pinnapeds. It uses some wild termanology but they are all defined for you. It covers every aspect of marine mammal evolution. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in whales and dolhpins or seals and sea lions.

Es un libro basico
Este es uno de los libros basicos para los mastozoologos marinos, ya que se hace una revision sobre la evolucion de los mamiferos marinos. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An excellent, comprehensive review of shells.
I'm a Michigan snowbird. I didn't know one shell from another until I purchased this highly interesting, informative book. I have derived many hours of pleasure from looking at the colorful, spectacular photgraphs of the amazing creatures that make the depicted shells. When one combines these with a text that is readable, finely detailed, and which closely follows the photographs, a book that should be part of any Florida visitor's library is obtained. Get it, and read it, before you go, and enhance your trip!!

I might note that my high recommendation extends to all books in this series. Since purchasing this and other volumes in the series, I have been able to discard a lot of lesser quality materials purchased on earlier trips, and yet increase the quality of my library.

Awsome view of Florida's shells and seashore life
We use this book on all trips to the beach. I am now purchasing 4 for gifts. It contains wonderful photos and descriptions of Florida shells, as well as, where to find them, and how to clean them. It gives great quick information regarding much of Florida's Seashore Life. It is an excellent reference- written well for a quick reference. I thumb through the beautiful photos over and over and never get bored! Truly a 5 star book at a very reasonable price.

An Indispensable Guide
Years ago, on vacation in Florida, we stopped for a night in a motel by a rocky beach at Cedar Key, a bit north of Tampa. After dark my wife and I walked over to the beach and we heard a wierd snapping and crackling sound. We looked down with our flashlight and saw a whole herd of small crabs that were slowly on the move, thousands of them! Had no idea what they were or what they were doing. Later we went back to the motel, but we never forgot what we saw, it was so amazing. Many years later a person who lived all their life in Florida told us they were Fiddler Crabs. Just recently, when I got this book I looked them up, and it had a complete description of them, their habits, and many great pictures.

This large oversized volume includes a wealth of information on shells and animal life likely to be encountered on Florida shores. It is very informative with excellent color photographs, and the price is right. I just wish I had it years ago!

Was very surprised and pleased with this book!
I am only sorry I didn't buy this book sooner and that there is no hardcover edition available. It's photographs are breathtaking, the snippets of history and seashell collecting information are fabulous as is the whole presentation. I loved looking through it and reading it, and I am 35 years old in case you're wondering.

A thorough and entertaining book with good color photos.
I have used this book on my visits to Florida a couple of times now, and have found it informative but not so detailed so as to put one to sleep. The color photos are well done and helpful. Winston Williams provides interesting information about many of the shells to be found in Florida, including how the various mollusks live. I highly recommend it if you plan to spend some time on the beaches of Florida. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Ultimate shell reference!
Whether for a valuable collection at home, or a sight while swimming or scuba diving, this will prove very reliable in the field. A MUCH more advanced field guide from the Golden First Guides, this lists over 600 shells in all and will quickly identify any strange seashell you happen to find beachcombing. This guide contains: Augor shells, chitons, whelks, limpets, and many other valuable collectibles. Each shell species entry has a description added to the side, explaining: abundance, range, and habitat. After the first Golden Guide to Seashells intrigues you, try your luck out will this field reference.
There are several editions made of this guide, from cheap paperback to hardcore turtleback. The paperback and hardback are the best to buy, as they are both great deals and cost less than the turtleback, which is also durable. Any edition will serve you very well in shell collection ID or snorkeling discoveries.

This is the book that got me started.
Yes it's way out of date. Yes the super rare shells listed in the book are often no longer even mildly rare. Yes it is drawings only. Sigh. But this is the book that got me and all too many others hooked into this area. 30 years later I still love the hobby. Give it to a child and watch him/her grow. ... Read more

Book Description

Safe drinking water and effluent have long been dependent on the large-scale use of chlorine. Process Safety Management (PSM) and the Risk Management Program (RMP), safety regulations now enforced by OSHA and EPA are leading to serious reconsideration of chlorination as the preferred disinfection method. Renewed concern about the safety of chlorination by-products is also driving water and wastewater specialists and plant personnel to consider alternatives to traditional chlorine application. Choosing Disinfection Alternatives for Water/Wastewater Treatment is a practical explanation of all available disinfection technologies in light of management criteria: legal compliance, plant safety, effuent quality, and cost. This text is designed for all who must understand and act on the challenge of finding safe and equally effective methods of wastwater and water disinfection besides traditional chlorination. ... Read more

Book Description

Expanded and updated to include an additional 44 species, this is a handy guide to those fishes that are likely to be observed by anybody visiting or diving on the coral reefs of the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific to a depth of sixty meters. Accessible to amateur marine life enthusiasts, this book is the first comprehensive guide of its kind. It enables the reader to quickly identify 2,118 species of fish and includes over 2,500 color illustrations depicting the major forms of each species--male, female, immature, or geographical varieties. The text proceeds according to region, depicting each species and its varieties, and offering information on its geographic range and where on the coral reef itself the fish may be found. Important identification characteristics are highlighted on every color plate. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I should get this book
This book has to be about the coral reef and I am so obsessed with Finding Nemo. This book should know all about the coral reef and the great barrier reef. (where Nemo lives)

a little treasure
this one is a real must. if I had to choose a single fish ID book to bring along in a dive trip, this handy book would be the one. it is probably more usefull for indo-pacific fishes but also atlantic/caribbean fishes part is pretty good. i guess it is the most complete book on fish identification i ever bought. ... Read more

Book Description

Hardy adventurers ages 6 - 9 dive into a silent watery world where tiny coral animals grow together to form rock gardens of white, pink, and red-orange. In this action-packed undersea circus, jaws snap, tentacles sting, ink gets squirted, and fish suddenly glow while animals that look like plants sway gently and bashful clams hide the lively secrets inside their shells. Surprisingly dry and armed with a few pieces of equipment and their boundless imaginations, children explore this magical realm one small square at a time. "Science education at its best." — Science Books and Films ... Read more

Book Description

Award-winning nature and science writer Erich Hoyt tells the riveting story of the discovery of the deep ocean. Weaving together details from the latest scientific research about sharks, giant squid, dragonfish and the huge tube worms, clams and tiny microbes of the deep-sea vents, Hoyt embarks on a magical journey to the bottom of the sea, which is inhabited not by vicious monsters but by diverse species of pale starfish and mud-eating sea cucumbers. Roaming across the abyssal plains and descending deep-sea trenches, he presents as much about the character and charisma of these and other so-called monsters as about the extraordinary world in which they live.

The deep sea is not one place but many, and the animals living in each of these marine habitats have developed fascinating and vital ecological relationships with one another. Hoyt unravels the complex predator-prey relationships, from "killer" copepods to battles among giant squid and sperm whales, presenting compelling portraits of animals that are superbly adapted denizens of a dark high-pressure world. There are life-forms, independent of sunlight and photosynthesis, that flourish around the hot, sulfurous deep-sea vents in the magnificent rift valley of the midocean ridge, the world's longest mountain range. Surviving in conditions that appear to be close to the very soup of primordial Earth, these microbes have become the basis for the latest research into the Earth's origins. Fully illustrated with fantastic underwater imagery, Creatures of the Deep will help you enjoy and appreciate the findings and the importance of deep-sea work in the coming decades. The 21st century may well be the era of deep-ocean discovery. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Shallow book (pun intended)
This book displays more about what the author doesn't know, rather than what he does know. Also, it is peppered with evolutionary dogmatism. I think evolution is ridiculous, but if you don't, you may not mind. That aside, there are a few nice pictures, which I surmise is why this book sells any copies at all.

surreal so real
This is a fascinating, compelling book with a lot of truly phenomenal photography throughout. I love deep-sea beasties - they please my aesthetic taste - spiky, fangy, bizarre and... bioluminescent. Hmm. The writing is clear, concise and evocative - an 'easy' read without being simplistic or dumbed-down. Overall, an excellent trip into a world here and not-here. Highly recommended.

"Stunning" doesn't quite cover it
I sat with this book for 4 solid hours, in aew. Packed with incredible photos of creatures so bizarre that you couldn't invent anything even close to this reality. Hoyt explains the layers of the sea and what lives there, why and how each atmosphere creates and hosts it's own World. It tells in plain language how these creatures live, eat and reproduce and find each other in the pitch black. It's rare to find a book who's text and visual offerings are equally astounding and educational. I came away with a feeling that all I thought I knew about the sea and life on Earth had just been rewritten for me. This book is a genuine treat and a glimpse into all the possibilites of Life in our "not human" terms. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful artwork, moving text
This beautiful publication is emotionally inspiring. My family liked it enough to buy extra copies for distant friends who love the sea.

The Song of the Sea.
The Song of the Sea was a wonderfully uplifting book. If you love the ocean and feel a strong pull to the crashing surf, you'll love to sit a read over these thought provoking quotes and beautiful illustrations. I first saw this book at a Bed and Breakfast on a coastal island and had to come home and order it for myself. I know the pages will help me get through till I can go back to the sea myself. ... Read more

Book Description

Bill Hess —a noted photographer — began his association with the Inupiat Eskimos in 1982. Eventually, he got permission to accompany them on their historic whale hunt. This book is his record, in sensitive text and almost 200 stark images, of what he experienced. Hess explores Inupiat history and traditions juxtaposed against contemporary life, never shying away from the controversial aspects of this ancient trek. Gift of the Whale is a rare contribution to Native history. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Insightful & honest
Bill Hess is a very gifted photographer, who works almost exclusively in black and white. He has spent a great deal of time with the people the people of the North Slope whose lives are shared in this book. For a number of years he was under contract to the North Slope Borough to produce a magazine about life on the North Slope (Uinniq-The Open Lead, which makes it clear that the people of the North Slope felt that he represents them clearly and fairly.

One could enjoy this book for the photography alone, but it is so much more than that. Whaling is a central focus of North Slope Inupiat culture; it is an inextricable part. People here know that; and the whalers carry it out as a sacred trust on behalf of the whole community.

Stunning
This is a stunning visual presentation combined with a moving, unpretentious text. The drama of the three grey whales, the search for footprints . . . it is all powerful stuff. I have only been living in Barrow for nine months but so far there isn't a word that doesn't ring true.

Simply outstanding!
I have done a great deal of reading in my life, yet never have I been more absorbed in a book than I have in 'Gift of the Whale'. I highly recommend this elegant, enjoyable and informative piece of work.

Bill Hess Portrays the Reality of Arctic Life and Whaling
This book is a milestone among recent publications on Alaska because it portrays Alaska's Native people in an unvarnished and realistic way. This is NOT a commercial "coffee table book" or a series of pretty pictures suitable for note cards. A short story, hopefully, will illustrate my point.

When I was living in Barrow in the late 1980s, the mayor asked me to meet with a visiting photographer who had requested information on traditional whale hunting (I was a staff anthropologist at the time). The Anchorage photographer [NOT Bill Hess] wanted to "reconstruct" a whale hunt. This commercial photographer pleaded to have me call him in Anchorage next time a whale was harpooned so he could catch the next plane to Barrow (he had already talked the airline into sponsoring him). He promised that he would stage the photograph to show the local people in the best possible light and make them appreciated by all the tourists who come to Alaska.

After nearly throwing up, I politely told him that the Inupiat whale hunters were quite capable of taking care of themselves and did not need to be "airbrushed" and marketed for popular consumption.

Then I met Bill Hess. I immediately connected with his visceral understanding of Inupiat culture which he communicates so elegantly in words and photos in this book "Gift of the Whale." This book communicates a vision of contemporary Inupiat life that is unvarnished and somewhat raw; but - from my firsthand experience - authentic.

Bill Hess knows what it's like to sweat while breaking a sled trail through jumbled ice floes at 20 below. He earned his unique chance to communicate the symbiotic relationship between Inupiat hunters and the bowhead whale. This book takes the reader out onto the Arctic Ocean (in both its frozen and liquid state) and into the skin boats, skiffs, snowmachines and tents of crews who provide their families with life-giving food. The real stories (illustrated with stunning duotone photos of the people and the animals that are simultaneously revered and killed for survival) are more interesting and insightful than any pseudo-reality a market-driven journalist could create.

Bill Hess, through his photos and stories in this book, communicates how Inupiat culture continues to focus on the communal hunting and sharing of food for survival. This book communicates in vivid detail how impractical contemporary Western values of individual ego-driven materialism are when it's 20 below zero with the snow blowing sideways, and a fellow hunter is lost on the tundra. Bill illustrates how Inupiat society is built on respect and reverence for the resources and each other, keys to long-term survival in the Arctic. This book provides a visual banquet allowing the reader to enjoy and appreciate contemporary Inupiat whaling, life, and culture. ... Read more

Book Description

Part odyssey, part pilgrimage, this epic personal narrative follows the author's exploration of coasts, islands, reefs, and the sea's abyssal depths. Scientist and fisherman Carl Safina takes readers on a global journey of discovery, probing for truth about the world's changing seas, deftly weaving adventure, science, and political analysis.
... Read more

Reviews (28)

Highly informative work dealing with the worlds fisheries
I found this book to provide the most accurate portrayal of the interactions of the different facits of society and how that affects our marine fish populations. In particular, I found Mr.Safinas description of the commercial fishing persona to be in my my experience, profoundly accurate. In particular, Dr. Safina was able to grasp the essence of how the profit motive subverts good men and women and causes them to destroy the very animals their lives depend on. I have been involved with the fisheries of the North Pacific for fourty years, both in recreational and commercial aspects. This is the first literary work that I have come across that so accurately describes the present condition of our salmon populations in real terms, and how that affects the people who depend upon these fish for work and play.

Although I do not have any intimate knowledge of the other areas of the world Dr. Safina deals with in his book, I found it to be very intersting. I found the information that he stated about the salmon situation to be implicitely true. Therefore, I feel safe to say that the information in this book can be relied upon without fail.

An inspirational and engrossing book
An engrossing and inspirational book cateloguing the devastation we are causing to the Oceans and the environment around us. Carl Safina has written a book that anyone who cares for the Ocean and the life within it must read. The balance of his views is remarkable, showing the struggle between the demands of the people who's lives depend on the fishing industry and the devastation we have wrought in the oceans by overfishing and the damage to the environment. The book is also a travelogue as well and describes the different environments and the people who live in them with a travellers eye as well as telling the story of the fishing industry there. It opens up an acedemic and complex subject and makes it accessible to those of us who love the oceans and the environment. One of the best books I have ever read.

Beauty beyond compare
This is one of the most beautiful, powerful books I have ever read. Safina's journey encompasses the entire world and all points of view. His words have inspired me to pursue my dreams and opened up new worlds of knowledge. Now, every time I hear of politicians doing something stupid to the oceans or rivers, I just shake my head and say "'Song' should be required reading for them before they can draft a piece of legislation dealing with the oceans."

McPhee on Red Bull
This book would be twice as good if it were half as long. Evidently the only editors were fawning friends of the author, who must have felt that every observation, no matter how offhand or trivial, needed to be included in the bloated text. This is too bad, because he is a decent writer, knows and cares about fish and fisheries, and the story is compelling. Imagine John McPhee full of Red Bull and vodka and you get the idea.
Also, a book that uses the silly word "waitron" without irony, and "heregia" twice in a hundred pages can be a little precious.

Entertaining Science
Is it a novel, a journey through the seas, or a scientific work describing the demise of fishes around the world while offering policy suggestions? It doesn't matter what kind of book it is- it may be all in one. What matters is that Carl Safina has written a book, Song for the Blue Ocean, which tells the story of living oceans; a book that catches your attention through adventure and interesting characters, witty writing, strong emotion, and terse opinions strewn amongst simple science.

In the preface, Safina mentions that he will be our guide and interpreter, but ultimately we have to make our own decisions regarding what the oceans and their inhabitants really mean to us. Nonetheless, I feel quite comfortable following Safina's lead. After receiving his doctorate in ecology and starting a career as an academic, Safina decided that he needed to take a stronger stand on conservation and scientific policy regarding the world's imperiled fish. He founded and now directs the National Audubon Society's Living Oceans Program, and wrote Song for the Blue Ocean merely 10 years after graduate school. Safina has a unique and open perspective on the state of the world's fishes, once as a commercial and sport fisherman, and now as a world-renowned scientist. Personally, I feel quite comfortable allowing Safina's guide and interpretations to influence my own opinions.

Song for the Blue Ocean is split into three distinct sections: the Northeast, the Northwest, and the Far Pacific. In addition, each section focuses on an imperiled species, namely the Giant Bluefin Tuna, pacific Salmon, and coral reefs; nonetheless, Safina is able to depict the bigger picture of the world's fisheries and common problems with these three examples. Not only does the reader get an inside look at fishing culture and the conservationist culture, but we also learn about the bigger picture of fisheries, i.e. externalities of fishing like by-catch, various fishing styles (from spear fishing to cyanide poisoning), the state of these fisheries, and the huge political aspects of fishing. Safina artfully intertwines information about national and international agencies involved in the conservation of fisheries, like CITES and the Endangered Species Act, without it sounding like a lecture. We learn about various species of sponges and coral reef fish, or the difference between steelhead trout and Chinook salmon, during the while we are enchanted by Safina's adventures floating down an icy Northwest river or almost dying of nitrogen narcosis while SCUBA diving 160 feet deep in the Palau islands.

The book flows very smoothly. Safina builds up the story, grasps ahold of your attention, and then leads you through the steps until he has made his point clear. For instance, Safina talks of the beautiful large and diverse trees in the Pacific Northwest, then introduces the concept of a snag- a tree that has died, but continues to stand upright for many years. Once it finally falls, hundreds of species move in, under, through, and around the fallen log. Finally, we understand that clear cutting and second growth forests near rivers do not provide adequate habitat for spawning salmon, which rely on the deep pool behind the fallen snag to deposit their eggs. All the while, this simple chain of events is presented in a very romantic and mysterious way, and it all seems so important. Safina also captures my attention with the conversations between the amazing characters in his book. They are funny, disturbing, happy, sad- they are martyrs, antagonists and clueless. They provide much of the information in the book, but they also provide relief from the continuous science and bleak outlook on the state of the fisheries.

Truthfully, there is not much about Song for the Blue Ocean that I did not enjoy, but Safina does tend to dwell on the past, with a few too many "back in the good old days" stories. This type of talk can be fun and contagious, nonetheless too much of this babble is unhelpful in the context of conservation. Similarly, Safina slips from time to time with sarcastic remarks. Some may find this witty, but I find it ineffective. Enjoyment of this book also depends on what your expectations are, some may find it too political, or others may not find it scientific enough. Safina approaches his journey with an open mind- and this is also the best way to approach his book.

Safina's unique perspective lends itself to an original story. He is a weary scientist in the middle of a debate over the state of the world's fisheries, who wants to discover the truth for himself. His journey takes him to all corners of the ocean, where he meets and listens to real people whose livelihood depends on the fish. His book therefore portrays all angles of the story, which allows the reader to form her own opinion (as Safina wanted). Safina does distinguish between fact and opinion on a regular basis; nonetheless he is not afraid to express his opinion, sometimes very strongly.

This book is for anyone- scientists and non-scientists. Young and old alike. People who want to learn more about the worlds imperiled fisheries will get their fill. Others who are mildly interested in fish, or fishing, or the world's oceans will be entertained. Even people who just pick up the book without any preface will find the writing, unique characters, and Safina's journeys across the Atlantic and Pacific extremely refreshing. This book really is all-in-one. Safina has mastered the art of hybridization, with perfect proportions of science, policy, and adventure. ... Read more

Book Description

Fifteen years in the making, this updated edition raises the high standard of Bigelow and Schroeder's 1953 reference by drawing from a much larger base of information. Thirty-eight experts in fisheries biology and ichthyology clearly distill the enormous amount of knowledge gained during the past fifty years, including distribution figures from thirty years of annual trawl surveys; food habits accounts from surveys of the stomach contents of more than 30,000 fishes; and egg distribution data from a survey exceeding 10,000 samples. The contributors update Bigelow & Schroeder's 1953 material while presenting a wealth of new information, including thirty-three additional species accounts. By adding 50 percent more material and focusing the volume on data, the editors address the needs of today's biologists and commercial fishers, and ensure that Bigelow and Schroeder's Fishes of the Gulf of Maine, Third Edition will become the standard work in the field for the next fifty years. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A magnificent example of nature photography
Reefs And Rain Forests by Murray S. Kaufman is a stunningly beautiful compilation of full-color nature photography. Very little text or captions get in the way of the natural and visual splendor of full-page photographs of exotic reef life, fantastic tropical birds and insects, lush rainforests, and much more. Brief photographer's notes at the end round out the story behind these incredible images. Reefs And Rain Forests is highly recommended as a magnificent example of nature photography and would make a superb Memorial Fund acquisition for school or community library collections. ... Read more

Book Description

There are about 700 species of cephalopods (including the cuttlefishes, squids, octopods, and the chambered nautilus) living throughout the seas of the world. They are considered to be the most highly evolved marine invertebrates and possess elaborate sense organs, large brains and complex behavior. This book examines such behavior, summarizing field and laboratory data from a wide variety of sources in the first comprehensive account of the life of cephalopods in their natural habitats. This book surveys the way cephalopods find prey and escape predators, how they reproduce, how they learn, and how they communicate using complex body patterns. Throughout, the volume emphasizes the gaps in our knowledge in the hope of stimulating more biologists to study these beautiful and fascinating animals. Researchers in animal behavior, marine biology, and neuroscience will find the subject matter especially appealing. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Exceptional Book. A MUST for serious divers & naturalists
A well written - highly informative - book for those who want to know more about the fascinating cephalopods. Easy to understand even if you are not a marine biologist. I own over 450 books related to the marine environment and this is definitely among the top ten.

Cephalopod Behaviour
This is a great book for researchers or natural history fans. Finally a book which describes cephalopod behaviour and not just neurobiology. Great content in an easy to read manner. Good pictures & behavour photos and a large section of references. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is intended to pique your interest in exploring our nation's great beaches and to serve as a guide for beach lovers. Because people visit beaches for different reasons, I have included categories such as best swimming, walking, scenic, wilderness, city, sports, novelty, and surfing beaches. Not everyone has a ticket to Hawaii; therefore, the listings are regionalized so that you can find your place in the sun closer to home or while touring. I hope that this book will serve to enhance your pleasure in pursuit of the three S's - sun, surf, and sand. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Terrible Dribble!
This is a terrible list of recommendation's "Best Beaches in the US". 1. Kaunaoa, Hawaii 2. St Joseph Peninsula State Park, Florida 3. Poipu Beach Park, Hawaii 4. Hanalei Beach, Hawaii 5. Kaanapali, Hawaii 6. Caladesi Island State Park, Florida 7. Fort Desoto Park, Florida 8. Hamoa, Hawaii 9. Cape Florida SRA, Florida 10. Ocracoke Island, North Carolina 11. St George Island State Park, Florida 12. East Hampton Beach, New York 13. Westhampton Beach, New York

14. Perdido Key SRA, Florida 15. Siesta Beach, Florida 16. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina 17. Hanauma Bay, Hawaii 18. Coast Guard Beach, Massachusetts 19. Carpinteria City Beach, California 20. Long Beach Island, New Jersey

Hanalei Beach, If that beach rates in the top 50 (And it doesn't) I would be surprised. Long Beach Island, New Jersey in the Top 20 Ha, There goes your credibility. I have been to many of your so called best beaches and they are NOT! This is a disservice to those who would plan a vacation based on this lousy group of "BEST BEACHES". I would be greatly disappointed if I thought I was standing on the top #1-20 beach's in the US. I would then plan my escapes outside the US., In search of the perfect Temp.,Water,Sand and Waves "BEACH". From the looks of this list anybody can write a book, I guess you can tell I think the list stinks!

Take my word and find your own Beach Paradise, these guys don't know what the HECK they are talking about! Hawaii at least has the top 10-15 beaches in the US.,If I wrote a book I would put more thought into what I would recomend!

Mr. Slabbaert

No Great Lakes Beaches? Missing Out on Gorgeous Scenes!
I won't recommend this book now because I, too, live among the Great Lakes and just visited two or three beautiful beaches yesterday on Lake Michigan. Guess we'll have to write our own book on these gorgeous works of nature! JP

Beach Book overlooks Great Lakes beaches!
I am an expert on the Great Lakes, and was senior staff for 6 years for Great Lakes United, an international coalition that protects the Great Lakes. I think Dr. Leatherman's book is excellent except one great omission. HE TOTALLY LEAVES OUT THE GREAT LAKES! For those who dont live near them, yes, they have great beaches. The Great Lakes have 3800 miles of shoreline, longer than the entire U.S. Atlantic shoreline. 8-mile long Presque Isle Beach in Pennsylvania is used by millions of people a year. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, near Chicago, is nationally famous. Nottasawaga Beach in Ontario, Toronto's prime summer vacation district, is the longest freshwater beach in the world! NY, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ontario and Minnesota all have long, clean sandy beaches. And they have something ocean beaches DONT have: they are on freshwater (not salty). The Great Lakes are called the Sweetwater Seas, and they are the largest collection of lakes in the world (and contain 25% of the world's freshwater). If Mr. Leatherman wants to be fair and complete, he will expand his book to include Great Lakes beaches in the future edition. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A well written and enjoyable look at Marine Biologists
This book, although technically a children's book, is fascinating reading for people of all ages.Mr. Collard does a great job at keeping things simple, yet at the same time detailing how these scientists go about their job on Lizard Island.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. ... Read more

Book Description

This delightful field guide features 585 full-color photographs of marine and freshwater fishes, 30 photographs and 45 paintings of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, and 24 pictures of freshwater and saltwater habitats. 529 species are described in detailed written accounts-with information on measurements; body shape and color; scales, fins, and gills; habitat; range; and behavior-and 400 other species are briefly noted. Poisonous or otherwise dangerous fish are distinguished by a warning symbol. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Love the ocean!
Another excellent Audubon guide focusing solely on the ocean. Since I am landlocked in the desert, this book assists me in remembering the saltwater sea and its inhabitants. The scope is not too wide at all, it covers the creatures that reside in the sea, including: mammals, fish, dolphins, Eels, and other fantastic creatures. This is the best of the three Audubon guides that cover the ocean. The reason for this is the coverage of freshwater and marine species. The photographs of these are also beautiful, showing enough of the animal for quick identification. None are dark and useless! To top it all off, the number of species listed in all categories is very impressive, coming off at 600++ entries. If you already love the ocean and its creatures, this field guide will further intrigue you!

An Excellent Guide
I've been obsessed with fish for as long as I can remember. I have an entire shelf on my bookcase devoted to fish books, and this is by far the best book on that shelf. It has hundreds of pictures of every importent species in North America as well as Information on most every species. This is the definative guide on the market

To wide a scope
Why not add frogs, snakes and other reptiles? Again the Audubon Society tries to market one guidebook to all of Canada and the US. For comparison Audubon's close competitor in the layperson field guide business uses three guides to cover the same area. Peterson's field guides has one for the Pacific coast, one for the Atlantic and one for freshwater. That's not even including the mammals! This guide is so broad as to be useless to the person looking at anything but the most common and conspicuous fishes. The photographs are often dark and useless, showing only the adult stages of several fishes which makes it difficult to determine what species you might have. The only plus I can give it as that it arranges fish by shape or other distinctive characteristics, this might be useful to the person unfamiliar with fish families. I made the mistake of getting it as my first field guide to fishes. From experience let me say this, get yourself a Peterson's to your local area. The color plates might be harder to learn to use, but they show a lot more.

A must for any Fish lover... Fresh or Saltwater !
Being a fishing charter captian out of Boston Ma. and a fishing enthusist of fresh and saltwater... Info provided in detail on every fish in North America....This book is a must for all fish lovers!

5 STARS AREN'T ENOUGH!
I'm a marine biologist wanna-be. Living in the midwest, I have no ocean to enjoy. This book helps fill that void. It is full of great pictures and information. Take my advice, get this book and impress your friends with the wealth of knowledge you are bound to learn from it. ... Read more

Book Description

A complete source book for the new or experienced collector.Contains information on how to start a collection, how to buy/find shells, plus a classification guide.Features all the major shell families and includes many less popular groups.1200 specially commissioned photographs.Detailed captions on appearance, size, geographical location, rarity and distribution. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Most complete reference for the amateur collector
As a begginner in shell collecting I have looked at many shell handbooks and find this one to be the best guide to identifying and classifying the shell in hand. It is comprehensive and descriptive to the degree that if the specific shell isn't listed the descriptions of the class are enough to go on to describe whatever shell I have found. But the great number of shell photos are very helpful and usually show what I am looking for. I like the way the families and classes are represented. There is enough information to inform me and yet, it doesn't boggle me down with a biology dissertation. More than any other quide, this one helps me the most.

A very nice general reference shell book.
A nice general reference; I like the features of depth offered and relative abundence. I would give this another star if it only had more representative species. Still, highly recommended.

beautiful, comprehensive shell guide
I purchased this book after finding a multitude of unusual shells on barrier islands after a hurricane. This is a beautiful book with brilliant color pictures of each shell. These is a quick reference guide that shows a variety of information including location, water depth, average size, scientific, and common names. Also the star system that identifies whether the shell is common/uncommon/rare. Each time we visit the beach/islands, my kids and I look forward to identifying our shell treasures. The kids get really excited when we find a two star shell (uncommon). Great as a coffee table book also, I often find my guests thumbing through it.

Invaluable source of information for the pro or amature.
This is one of the best shell identification books I have ever seen. Not only is it perfect for the amature, but for the professional as well. We use it in our business everyday. The color photography is fantastic, this book also makes a great tabletop book.

Best guide I've found, with accurate info and pictures.
I've used many different shell guides to identify my finds, but this one has enough pictures to show which of the many species I may be looking for. Also, I like the detailed info and the star rating system for indicating rare/common/uncommon. For the amateur collector trying to sort out family, genus and species, this guide gives a clear picture of the information. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Wonderful basic guide to study corals and coral reefs
This is a basic and comprehensive book about the processes that affect coral reefs. Exelent edition by Birkeland, includes some of the most restpectable scientists in the field. the book includes plentiful references very useful if you need to start a search in any of the topics included in the book. ... Read more