The planet Earth is 2/3 water and so much of it remains unexplored. In this fascinating non-fiction book, author and famous marine biologist Richard Ellis compiles the most information known about the Giant Squid, one of the strangest creatures to ever inhabit that planet Earth.
Very little is known about this animal, yet Richard Ellis is able, through extensive research and real life experiences, to write a book that examines every aspect of this creature's life and habits. The book provides important information on a topic that there is little information about. There are also illustrations and photographs throughout the book.
Mr. Ellis does a superb job of talking about the life of the giant squid, it's role in ancient historical myths and legends, and the life it has taken on in pop culture through fiction novels and movies. For anyone who is fascinated by the sea and the unknown creatures that the ocean holds, this is a well-written, informative, and interesting book.
Suggested Reading: Shark Trouble By Peter Benchley
After the success of Jaws, Peter Benchley, would spend the rest of his life (he passed away a little less then a year ago) donating money and his time to educating people about the importance of conservation of sharks and other ocean life. In numerous interviews Mr. Benchley confessed that he felt guilty about people's hatred of sharks, a hatred fueled by a fiction novel that he wrote. Shark Trouble is one of the last books he wrote before he died, a non-fiction book about sharks and the importance of them and other ocean life. Also, Mr. Benchley was friends with Richard Ellis the author of The Search for the Giant Squid and both reference each other in their respective books.
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4 comments:
Ooh...I did read Jaws when I was about twelve...and I really liked it (I wanted to be a shark hunter when I was six...) and this leads me to think that I might like this book.
What year did it publish, btw?
I usually like to know that about a book before I start reading it, just like I do with a movie or an album.
Johanna,
It was published in 1999, so it is a few years old. I can tell you however, that it is what we call at Barnes and Noble a "modeled" title, which with Non-Fiction means that the information is still valid and the stores are still meant to carry it.
Usually with non-fiction when information changes, or becomes out of date the books is recalled by the publisher and either destroyed, updated and re-issued, or kept available only for special order. The fact that this book is still a modeled title and carried in stores, means that it is still accurate.
Me personally, I picked up this book, cause I've always had a fascination with the oceans. When I was younger I read everything I could about the oceans and ocean life, especially the predators like sharks. Its kind of funny considering I was born and raised in this area and I've only been to the ocean once, and that was when I was a kid.
...huh, a "modeled" title...thanks for the tip.
I think Jaws was published around '73 or '74. The movie came out in '75...
I think the fascination for the ocean, the fascination of the unknown go hand in hand, and that it is something sort of embedded into our psyche. It could be that we did all climb out of the sea, and that someday we will return...qui en sait?
I was born 25 miles from the Maine coast, though, so I could be a little silly. One of the first words I learned was "landlubber," and had we stayed a fedw more years, I might have been taught by an elder how to spot one...
Good stuff, Josh!
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