Staff Picks
Under the Sea
- Sarah C.
- Tuesday, January 15, 2019
Collection
Explore the vast depths of the oceans with these great reads! Scuba gear not included.
This list is part of the #BroaderBookshelf2019 reading challenge. Find more lists here.
Reef Life
A Guide to Tropical Marine Life
Published in 2013
Discusses what coral reefs are, what makes them unique, where they are found, what plants and animals make up their food webs, and what impact humans have on these fragile ecosystems.
The Whale
In Search of the Giants of the Sea
Published in 2010
Explores the troubled history of man and whale, traces the whale's cultural history, and seeks to discover why these strange and beautiful animals continue to exert such a powerful grip on human imagination.
The Soul of an Octopus
A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
Published in 2015
"An investigation of the emotional and physical world of the octopus"-- Provided by publisher.
Deep
Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves
Published in 2014
"While on assignment in Greece, journalist James Nestor witnessed something that confounded him: a man diving 300 feet below the ocean's surface on a single breath of air and returning four minutes later, unharmed and smiling. This man was a freediver, and his amphibious abilities inspired Nestor to seek out the secrets of this little-known discipline. In Deep, Nestor embeds with a gang of extreme athletes and renegade researchers who are transforming not only our knowledge of the planet and its creatures, but also our understanding of the human body and mind. Along the way, he takes us from the surface to the Atlantic's greatest depths, some 28,000 feet below sea level. He finds whales that communicate with other whales hundreds of miles away, sharks that swim in unerringly straight lines through pitch-black waters, and seals who dive to depths below 2,400 feet for up to eighty minutes--deeper and longer than scientists ever thought possible. As strange as these phenomena are, they are reflections of our own species' remarkable, and often hidden, potential--including echolocation, directional sense, and the profound physiological changes we undergo when underwater. Most illuminating of all, Nestor unlocks his own freediving skills as he communes with the pioneers who are expanding our definition of what is possible in the natural world, and in ourselves"-- Provided by publisher.
The Ocean of Life
The Fate of Man and the Sea
Published in 2012
Putting our exploitation of the seas into historical context, Roberts offers a devastating account of the impact of modern fishing techniques, pollution, and climate change, and reveals what it would take to steer the right course while there is still time.
Poseidon's Steed
The Story of Seahorses, from Myth to Reality
Published in 2009
A history of the sea horse evaluates its ancient role in culture, myth, and literature while demonstrating the qualities that make it a member of the fish species, offering additional insight into its unique reproductive process.
The Odyssey of KP2
An Orphan Seal, a Marine Biologist, and the Fight to Save a Species
Published in 2012
Bringing the contemporary environmental landscape to life, "The Odyssey of KP2" is also the heartwarming portrait of a Hawaiian monk seal whose unforgettable personality never falters, even as his fate hangs in the balance.