Review by Choice Review
Ellis (research associate, American Museum of Natural History, New York) is the first to present a comprehensive view for the lay public of marine biodiversity losses. Importantly, he provides a sense of the magnitude of reductions in marine species populations and communities, but his book should be read with caution. Little culling of information has been done, resulting in mind-numbing listings of locations and numbers. Figures and graphs are not used to summarize masses of data. There is no critical assessment made of the material presented; stories about declining wild marine populations stream at the reader. Factual errors are scattered throughout; the narrative suffers from unnecessary and distracting redundancies. Reference to citations is uneven, making it difficult to confirm the author's understanding of the material and to pursue further reading in specific areas. The tone of the book is relentlessly environmentalist; the author fails to consider alternative explanations for environmental changes other than human greed and self-interest. Humans have been responsible for decimating many species, but attributing all losses to human folly and idolizing an outdated perception of nature's harmony in the absence of humans is counterproductive. ^BSumming Up: Optional. General readers; lower-division undergraduates. S. R. Fegley Maine Maritime Academy
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Ellis--ocean lover, artist, and prolific author--has been introducing readers to the wonders of marine life for decades, a mission that has now become urgent. Humankind has always felt free to kill vast quantities of marine creatures, a habit turned diabolical with the development of ever more sophisticated and destructive fishing-and-hunting technologies. As the human population has increased, the marine population has plummeted, and Ellis tells the complex story behind this equation for disaster with a vast array of facts, unfailing eloquence, and bracing frankness. He deftly introduces an astonishing spectrum of once abundant, now dwindling marine creatures, such as sardines, cod, sea turtles, seabirds, fur seals, whales, and, in a particularly fascinating chapter, the rarely studied family of sea horses. Pollution, bioinvaders, overkilling, and underthinking have put the entire marine world, which, as Ellis writes, is "more intricately woven" than a rain forest, in peril, and the only hope for reversing this catastrophic loss is to channel the informed concern aroused by Ellis, Carl Safina, and other knowledgeable champions of the sea into a campaign for reform. --Donna Seaman
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This is not just another apocalyptic ecology book, lamenting the decline and extinction of too many sea species and the concomitant pollution of their watery habitats. Rather, Ellis (Imagining Atlantis) uses his considerable narrative skills, along with his deft illustrator's hand, to recount the worldwide saga of human predation in the oceans. This is a historical compendium rich in anecdote, lore and details of the natural life of water-dwelling creatures. The animals discussed are not limited to the commonly known, commercially important fish and the familiar intelligent sea mammals, but also looks into the fate of lesser known seabirds and the delicate limestone formations we know as coral reefs. Geographically the book ranges from the frigid North Atlantic of Newfoundland to the rich waters of New Zealand. The stories of human overuse and abuse of the sea are legion, from North America's loss of the penguin-like great auk, due to overhunting beginning in the 15th century and ending in the 19th century, to unintentional drowning of leatherback turtles by Asian fishing nets. Yet the author does not lock into the typical maudlin rant of modern-day environmental Cassandras. Rather, Ellis explains and details through both historical and scientific data the scope of the problem and offers some realistic alternatives to continued misuse and apathy. Illus. (May 13) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
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.-Judith B. Barnett, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Kingston (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Review by Library Journal Review
