Shark Books

Jacques Cousteau will forever remain the man who gave the world scuba diving. Whilst both his work and his films are legendary, several of his early books have stood the test of time to provide the reader with a relevant insight into marine creatures - even though the book itself may have been published over 30 years ago.

Three of Cousteau's finest books were; Dolphins, Shark (Splendid Savage of the Sea) and The Whale (Might Monarch of the Sea) and these now come together in this 3 book set.

Packed with page after page covering all aspects of Dolphin life and behaviour, the first book is as relevant today as it ever was. There is much here for anyone with an interest in these attractive creatures and I would suggest no scuba diver's bookshelf is complete without a copy.

For many years the Shark was perceived as everything that was evil and frightening as far as the sea was concerned. No book about this splendid creature was complete without that section on Shark Attack. Not even the Lions of Africa or the North American Grizzly Bear got such a fearful press. Today, of course, the Shark is endangered and - suddenly!, we are all worried about the Great White and it's other equally magnificent cousins. Only now do we realise how Cousteau was ahead of his time with that same message.

Finally we come to the Whale. I have often wondered what the great Jacques Cousteau and his team would have achieved had they possessed today's underwater photographic equipment and technology - but then I took another look at some of the photographs in this book. The Humpback Whales, a mother and calf and other examples, are all of a standard which would be described as outstanding - today! This is not just another book about Whales written by an expert. This is a book which also includes all the personal encounters with these might leviathans. It is those personal encounters which give this book the edge over anything written by others.

Not only that, each book is an excellent read.

NM

Jacques Cousteau will forever remain the man who gave the world scuba diving. Whilst both his work and his films are legendary, several of his early books have stood the test of time to provide the reader with a relevant insight into marine creatures - even though the book itself may have been published over 30 years ago.

Three of Cousteau's finest books were; Dolphins, Shark (Splendid Savage of the Sea) and The Whale (Might Monarch of the Sea) and these now come together in this 3 book set.

Packed with page after page covering all aspects of Dolphin life and behaviour, the first book is as relevant today as it ever was. There is much here for anyone with an interest in these attractive creatures and I would suggest no scuba diver's bookshelf is complete without a copy.

For many years the Shark was perceived as everything that was evil and frightening as far as the sea was concerned. No book about this splendid creature was complete without that section on Shark Attack. Not even the Lions of Africa or the North American Grizzly Bear got such a fearful press. Today, of course, the Shark is endangered and - suddenly!, we are all worried about the Great White and it's other equally magnificent cousins. Only now do we realise how Cousteau was ahead of his time with that same message.

Finally we come to the Whale. I have often wondered what the great Jacques Cousteau and his team would have achieved had they possessed today's underwater photographic equipment and technology - but then I took another look at some of the photographs in this book. The Humpback Whales, a mother and calf and other examples, are all of a standard which would be described as outstanding - today! This is not just another book about Whales written by an expert. This is a book which also includes all the personal encounters with these might leviathans. It is those personal encounters which give this book the edge over anything written by others.

Not only that, each book is an excellent read.

NM

Understanding Sharks: The Fascinating Behavior Of A Threatened Hunter by shark behavior expert Erich Ritter (and which is competently translated into English by Valerie Haecky), provides an in-depth documentation of expert observations and documented understanding of the shark's behavioral engagements in their natural aquatic habitats. One of the world's leading shark experts, Erich Ritter. introduces the reader to biological, behavioral, habitual and instinctual concepts which modern zoological science has come to grasp in terms of this remarkable sea-creature. Understanding Sharks has invaluable commentary regarding what may be situationally appropriate when in a confrontation with a shark. Understanding Sharks is very strongly recommended to all students of aquatic biology, shark behavior, as well as non-specialist general readers who frequent coastal areas where there are sharks in the water.

My son got this as a birthday present for his two year birthday. He loves to open each page and say "hello" to each of the animals, specially the octopus. Great book to own and gift.

We own this whole series of pop-ups and I would recommend them to anyone. They are great fun!

Geoff Taylor expresses in bold illustrative and narative dialog the study and interaction with the whale shark. Expressing the experience scientists have encountered from the 1800's to the present is most informative and enjoyable. Not only a great research publication but also, should be added to any collection of illustrative wildlife coffee table books.

A great read. When the Shark Bites brims with complex plots that tell a story which most people can relate to in one way or another. The central character, Matt Keane, is a nice guy who is in a similar position as many are today. Hit with stock market losses, Matt is forced to take a lousy consulting job to make ends meet. Only it turns out that the consulting firm employs questionable business practices which Matt finds himself more and more involved with. Enter characters like "Charlie Arms", groups like the Russian Mafia, a quasi daughter-in-law, and a love interest, along with their competing interests, and you've got an exciting fast paced novel that turns on a dime. One thing I like about Azzolina's style is that I find myself rooting for the good guys, who always seem to do the right thing.

I've never been a really great artist. Since I love sea creatures, and would like to learn how to draw, this is the perfect book for me.

We recently picked this book up at the local library and INSTANTLY my kids loved it. We used different voices for the characters and they loved to say "yummy yummy food for my tummy," each time we got to that page. When it was time to return the book to the library, all I heard were moan and groans and some tears here and there. So ofcourse we had to recheck it out and then purchase it for their collection. Very fun book!!

Is no one else bothered by the fact that Steve Alten can't write? The man supposedly has a master's degree, but his prose indicates illiteracy. "The Trench" reads as if it were written by a middle schooler who stayed up late one night copying down every detail he could remember about every shark movie ever made...the really, really bad ones. Its predecessor, "Meg," had unbearably bad writing as well, but the plot at least was gripping enough to make me overlook this flaw. But this sequel lacks the sort of plot that kept me reading "Meg," even when the grammar was as irritating as fingernails on a chalkboard. The villain and his femme fatale sidekick are absolutely comical. Jonas Taylor, the protagonist, and his wife, Terry, are no longer sympathetic, just pathetic. I wanted them to be devoured this time around. And I kept hoping against hope that the shark scenes with Angel, the albino megalodon, would make up for the boring human characters. When they nicknamed her "The Angel of Death" early in the book, I admit I felt a chill of anticipation. But after a while the shark-eats-someone scenes just felt like a cry for attention. In summation, utterly redundant with deplorable prose. Skip it!

Maybe the heat is frying my brain, but after re-reading this book, I started liking it more. Look, it's not serious literature from Ian McEwan or Cormac McCarthy. It's simply a mindlessly fun summer read about a prehistoric shark who escapes from a California aquarium and feeds on whales, other sharks, and humans. The protagonists from 'Meg' are back with some new cardboard human villians who serve the purpose of making the shark look good. Throw in some long-presumed-dead marine reptiles who live in the Marianas Trench, and you've got a beach read.

I love this series, what else is there to say. I really enjoyed reading this book. I was always wanting to see what would happen on the next page right up to the very end. In my humble opinion, that is what makes for a great book.

I couldn't find this book a few years ago when I was first looking for it and had to buy a used copy on ebay. Now there are more editions out there. Good sequel and you can see Alten's writing progressing. This story is deeper and even better than the first.

Steve Alten has a way of telling a story like no other. this book and the others keeps you on a page turning frenzy all the way through the book
a must read for anyone who likes sharks, jaws or a well writen book