The title of Mapping the Deep suggests that it is primarily about oceanography. Although the extremely interesting history of this subject forms a major element in the book, its broader, richer subject is man's changing relationship with the oceans. Until recently these have been characterised by high-handed ignorance, the oceans seen at once as inexhaustible resource and bottomless dump. Robert Kunzig remarks that politicians and science writers seem to be most interested in space exploration, whereas the real story is closer at hand--in the oceans. The symbolic goals of space exploration are easier to understand than the endlessly complex ecology of the deep oceans or the mysteries of the great currents that circle the globe and control its weather. Yet, as Kunzig demonstrates, the oceans are where the future of mankind may be determined. It is now widely accepted, for example, that global warming may precipitate a sudden, massive realignment of the ocean currents, an event certain to have vast but unforeseeable consequences. The climatic catastrophes attendant on the relatively minor disturbance known as El Nino give an idea of what may be in store.

Mapping the Deep records the extraordinary (and chronically underfunded) work of the scientists who have painstakingly explored the huge chemical, biological and geographical mechanism of the oceans. Robert Kunzig provides expert and gripping accounts of the (literally) earth-shattering revelation of plate tectonics, the novel life-forms of the black smokers, the unexpected diversity of life at the greatest depths, the commanding ecological role played by the overlooked organisms of the oceanic plankton, the dreadful consequences of over-fishing; and much more. His ability to make complex science comprehensible to the non-scientist without over-simplification make him the best kind of populariser. A remarkable book, both a celebration and a warning. --Robin Davidson

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed guide back at the hotel

Probably the best book on Marine Fishes to day, 08 Feb 2001
I am owning a lot of books about tropical fishes,but no one is as beautifull and usefull as this one. It is almost too good to have five stars!It contains almost 7,00 photograhs and 494 species,of which about 350 are pictured,the remaining ones are similar to the pictured and are only given a description. Many of the species here I have not found in any other book. And if you buy this book,you will be like you`ve taken a drug - your life will be the fishes. Fishes are my great passion in the life and this book is a must-have for any diver,aquarist,fish lover,or biologist. The only thing which isn`t perfect is that there stands nothing about the behaviour of the fishes - but instead they have made a separate book for that (Reef Fish Behaviour). Overall,I am a great lover of marine life,and especially caribbean reef fishes. When I first received it for christmas,I was so happy that I cannot describe it. Now I own the entire trilogy and they are very enjoyable to read and look at over and over again.

The definitive guide for reef fish of the Caribbean, 08 Jun 1999
I visit family in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) yearly, and I have looked at a number of books in order to learn the names of the numerous fish I see when I'm snorkeling or diving. This one makes identification easy, with beautiful pictures and the all-important "Distinctive Features" sections, which give you tips on how to distinguish one fish from the next. Make no mistake: this book is the easiest to use and the most comprehensive one I've seen. I'm online to buy the other two books (Reef Coral and Reef Creatures).

A must have for any diver visiting the Bahamas, 26 May 1999
As a SCUBA INSTRUCTOR this book is the best I've seen for fish identification. It gives many pointers on how to distinguish between fish. If your looking for a book to take on a trip make no mistake this is your best choice.

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed guide back at the hotel

Probably the best book on Marine Fishes to day, 08 Feb 2001
I am owning a lot of books about tropical fishes,but no one is as beautifull and usefull as this one. It is almost too good to have five stars!It contains almost 7,00 photograhs and 494 species,of which about 350 are pictured,the remaining ones are similar to the pictured and are only given a description. Many of the species here I have not found in any other book. And if you buy this book,you will be like you`ve taken a drug - your life will be the fishes. Fishes are my great passion in the life and this book is a must-have for any diver,aquarist,fish lover,or biologist. The only thing which isn`t perfect is that there stands nothing about the behaviour of the fishes - but instead they have made a separate book for that (Reef Fish Behaviour). Overall,I am a great lover of marine life,and especially caribbean reef fishes. When I first received it for christmas,I was so happy that I cannot describe it. Now I own the entire trilogy and they are very enjoyable to read and look at over and over again.

The definitive guide for reef fish of the Caribbean, 08 Jun 1999
I visit family in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) yearly, and I have looked at a number of books in order to learn the names of the numerous fish I see when I'm snorkeling or diving. This one makes identification easy, with beautiful pictures and the all-important "Distinctive Features" sections, which give you tips on how to distinguish one fish from the next. Make no mistake: this book is the easiest to use and the most comprehensive one I've seen. I'm online to buy the other two books (Reef Coral and Reef Creatures).

A must have for any diver visiting the Bahamas, 26 May 1999
As a SCUBA INSTRUCTOR this book is the best I've seen for fish identification. It gives many pointers on how to distinguish between fish. If your looking for a book to take on a trip make no mistake this is your best choice.

Frozen Earth Review, 14 Feb 2007
In these days of media hype about global warming this book by Doug Macdougall is a breath of fresh air. It is clear, easily read by anyone and brings all the facts of our past ice ages together. I have read a number of books on this subject and this is without doubt one of the best.

Fascinating account of ice ages and how they were discovered, 23 Jun 2005
This is an absolutely fascinating account of the various ice ages that have periodically taken over the earth. From the ancient "Snowball Earth" (sometimes called "Slushball Earth," 550 to 850 million years ago) in which the entire planet was more or less frozen from pole to pole, to the "Younger Dryas," a cold spell beginning 12,800 years ago and lasting for about 1,200 years, to "Little Ice Age" in Europe (700 to 150 years ago) to the "year without a summer," in 1816, UCSD Professor of Earth Sciences Doug MacDougall chronicles the ebb and flow of glacial advance and retreat in a most interesting and informative manner.

Much of this is a historical account of how scientists discovered the past ice ages through geology and the study of cores taken from the Antarctic, the Arctic, from the sea floor, and from still standing glacial ice packs. MacDougall explains how these cores are read to reveal climate changes in the past based on evidence from isotopes, pollen, and bubbles of trapped atmospheric gases. It is really amazing how much information can come from such minute bits of evidence.

In the early chapters MacDougall recalls the first scientists who became aware of the earth's climate in previous ages--Louis Agassiz, James Croll, Milutin Milankovitch and others. MacDougall recalls their efforts to get their ideas accepted by the geological establishment. It is fascinating to see how gradually it was realized that great rocks had arrived at various places, having been carried there by ancient glaciers. A particularly interesting story is how the Channeled Scablands of the Columbia Plateau in Washington were created when the glacial Lake Missoula sudden broke through the melting ice and drove an immense wall of water clear to the Pacific Ocean.

Part of his concentration is on the glacial and interglacial periods that have characterized the environment during the rise of the genus homo and especially the last 150,000 years or so during which homo sapiens have evolved. Chapter Ten, "Ice Ages, Climate, and Evolution" is devoted to how the advance and retreat of the ice affected the evolution of hominids and other animals and plants.

For those of us who might be worried about global warning it is perhaps refreshing to be warned that we are still living in an ice age. MacDougall writes, "We are in a warm period, one of the many interglacial intervals that have occurred throughout the Pleistocene Ice Age [now three million years old]." (p. 233)

Near the end of the book MacDougall looks at today's climate and takes into account the warming due to human activities, in particular the burning of fossil fuels. But he is not alarmed. He notes that the atmosphere on the planet Venus (surface temperature 485 degrees Centigrade, more than hot enough to melt lead) is almost all CO2 while that on earth is less than four-tenths of one percent CO2. No runaway greenhouse effect seems likely here any time soon. MacDougall explains the carbon dioxide cycle on earth and assures us that most CO2 is locked up in limestone. (p. 238)

While he seems unconcerned about global warming (taking the very long view) he does remark that "It is difficult to comprehend how further additions [of CO2] to the atmosphere at current rates could fail to raise global temperatures and possibly influence the course of the [current] Pleistocene Ice Age." (p. 241) Still he ends the book with this (possibly understated) possibility: "...mankind may inadvertently bring the Pleistocene Ice Age to a premature close, ushering in another long period of ice-free existence for our planet."

Which brings me to the question, if the earth does become more or less permanently as hot and muggy as a Jurassic swamp, what will it mean for human beings? There will be less land available since the melting of the glaciers would raise sea level some 60 meters, drowning New York and London, not to mention much of Florida and a host of South Pacific islands, Bangladesh, and other low-lying lands. Will we live most of our lives indoors in air-conditioned buildings? Will the verdant plants and fantastic diversity of creatures characteristic of tropical jungles be all around us? Will dragon flies be as big as birds?

On the other hand, suppose, as MacDougall intimates, that the forces affecting the earth's climate dwarf our puny doings. In that case the present interglacial will come to a close and the immediate future will be cold as the ice once again advances from the poles. As MacDougall points out, the air will be dryer with all that water locked up in ice, and great parts of the planet will be desert and the winds will blow the sand around the globe (as happened before during such periods as evidenced by the core samplings). I am reminded of the poet Robert Frost's dilemma, "Fire or Ice?" Probably our lives will not end in such extremes, but our way of life may change dramatically, and many will endure great hardships.

On the third hand, is it possible, maybe even probable, that we human beings will be able to affect the climate in such a way as to stave off the extremes? One of the cold-amplifying effects of great sheets of ice over the earth is to reflect sunlight and further cool the planet. Might not humans spread dark matter over the ice, melting it? Or in the case of too much CO2 or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, might humans somehow find a way to sink such gases and cool things down?

This is a distinguished work, very well written, beautifully edited, full of fascinating information about how cold the earth has been in the past (and how cold it might become again) and why.

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed guide back at the hotel

Probably the best book on Marine Fishes to day, 08 Feb 2001
I am owning a lot of books about tropical fishes,but no one is as beautifull and usefull as this one. It is almost too good to have five stars!It contains almost 7,00 photograhs and 494 species,of which about 350 are pictured,the remaining ones are similar to the pictured and are only given a description. Many of the species here I have not found in any other book. And if you buy this book,you will be like you`ve taken a drug - your life will be the fishes. Fishes are my great passion in the life and this book is a must-have for any diver,aquarist,fish lover,or biologist. The only thing which isn`t perfect is that there stands nothing about the behaviour of the fishes - but instead they have made a separate book for that (Reef Fish Behaviour). Overall,I am a great lover of marine life,and especially caribbean reef fishes. When I first received it for christmas,I was so happy that I cannot describe it. Now I own the entire trilogy and they are very enjoyable to read and look at over and over again.

The definitive guide for reef fish of the Caribbean, 08 Jun 1999
I visit family in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) yearly, and I have looked at a number of books in order to learn the names of the numerous fish I see when I'm snorkeling or diving. This one makes identification easy, with beautiful pictures and the all-important "Distinctive Features" sections, which give you tips on how to distinguish one fish from the next. Make no mistake: this book is the easiest to use and the most comprehensive one I've seen. I'm online to buy the other two books (Reef Coral and Reef Creatures).

A must have for any diver visiting the Bahamas, 26 May 1999
As a SCUBA INSTRUCTOR this book is the best I've seen for fish identification. It gives many pointers on how to distinguish between fish. If your looking for a book to take on a trip make no mistake this is your best choice.

Frozen Earth Review, 14 Feb 2007
In these days of media hype about global warming this book by Doug Macdougall is a breath of fresh air. It is clear, easily read by anyone and brings all the facts of our past ice ages together. I have read a number of books on this subject and this is without doubt one of the best.

Fascinating account of ice ages and how they were discovered, 23 Jun 2005
This is an absolutely fascinating account of the various ice ages that have periodically taken over the earth. From the ancient "Snowball Earth" (sometimes called "Slushball Earth," 550 to 850 million years ago) in which the entire planet was more or less frozen from pole to pole, to the "Younger Dryas," a cold spell beginning 12,800 years ago and lasting for about 1,200 years, to "Little Ice Age" in Europe (700 to 150 years ago) to the "year without a summer," in 1816, UCSD Professor of Earth Sciences Doug MacDougall chronicles the ebb and flow of glacial advance and retreat in a most interesting and informative manner.

Much of this is a historical account of how scientists discovered the past ice ages through geology and the study of cores taken from the Antarctic, the Arctic, from the sea floor, and from still standing glacial ice packs. MacDougall explains how these cores are read to reveal climate changes in the past based on evidence from isotopes, pollen, and bubbles of trapped atmospheric gases. It is really amazing how much information can come from such minute bits of evidence.

In the early chapters MacDougall recalls the first scientists who became aware of the earth's climate in previous ages--Louis Agassiz, James Croll, Milutin Milankovitch and others. MacDougall recalls their efforts to get their ideas accepted by the geological establishment. It is fascinating to see how gradually it was realized that great rocks had arrived at various places, having been carried there by ancient glaciers. A particularly interesting story is how the Channeled Scablands of the Columbia Plateau in Washington were created when the glacial Lake Missoula sudden broke through the melting ice and drove an immense wall of water clear to the Pacific Ocean.

Part of his concentration is on the glacial and interglacial periods that have characterized the environment during the rise of the genus homo and especially the last 150,000 years or so during which homo sapiens have evolved. Chapter Ten, "Ice Ages, Climate, and Evolution" is devoted to how the advance and retreat of the ice affected the evolution of hominids and other animals and plants.

For those of us who might be worried about global warning it is perhaps refreshing to be warned that we are still living in an ice age. MacDougall writes, "We are in a warm period, one of the many interglacial intervals that have occurred throughout the Pleistocene Ice Age [now three million years old]." (p. 233)

Near the end of the book MacDougall looks at today's climate and takes into account the warming due to human activities, in particular the burning of fossil fuels. But he is not alarmed. He notes that the atmosphere on the planet Venus (surface temperature 485 degrees Centigrade, more than hot enough to melt lead) is almost all CO2 while that on earth is less than four-tenths of one percent CO2. No runaway greenhouse effect seems likely here any time soon. MacDougall explains the carbon dioxide cycle on earth and assures us that most CO2 is locked up in limestone. (p. 238)

While he seems unconcerned about global warming (taking the very long view) he does remark that "It is difficult to comprehend how further additions [of CO2] to the atmosphere at current rates could fail to raise global temperatures and possibly influence the course of the [current] Pleistocene Ice Age." (p. 241) Still he ends the book with this (possibly understated) possibility: "...mankind may inadvertently bring the Pleistocene Ice Age to a premature close, ushering in another long period of ice-free existence for our planet."

Which brings me to the question, if the earth does become more or less permanently as hot and muggy as a Jurassic swamp, what will it mean for human beings? There will be less land available since the melting of the glaciers would raise sea level some 60 meters, drowning New York and London, not to mention much of Florida and a host of South Pacific islands, Bangladesh, and other low-lying lands. Will we live most of our lives indoors in air-conditioned buildings? Will the verdant plants and fantastic diversity of creatures characteristic of tropical jungles be all around us? Will dragon flies be as big as birds?

On the other hand, suppose, as MacDougall intimates, that the forces affecting the earth's climate dwarf our puny doings. In that case the present interglacial will come to a close and the immediate future will be cold as the ice once again advances from the poles. As MacDougall points out, the air will be dryer with all that water locked up in ice, and great parts of the planet will be desert and the winds will blow the sand around the globe (as happened before during such periods as evidenced by the core samplings). I am reminded of the poet Robert Frost's dilemma, "Fire or Ice?" Probably our lives will not end in such extremes, but our way of life may change dramatically, and many will endure great hardships.

On the third hand, is it possible, maybe even probable, that we human beings will be able to affect the climate in such a way as to stave off the extremes? One of the cold-amplifying effects of great sheets of ice over the earth is to reflect sunlight and further cool the planet. Might not humans spread dark matter over the ice, melting it? Or in the case of too much CO2 or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, might humans somehow find a way to sink such gases and cool things down?

This is a distinguished work, very well written, beautifully edited, full of fascinating information about how cold the earth has been in the past (and how cold it might become again) and why.

Excellent guide, 13 May 2008
Unlike many Collins wildlife guides that use photographs (always a bad idea) this is fully illustrated throughout to a very high standard. My only reservation is that it contains only a limited number of fish species.

Almost perfect - nothing better on a market , 08 Mar 2007
An excellent guide I have been waiting long time for. I will be recommending it to all my students as a basic book for field excursions. But nothing is perfect: I miss that eggs/clutches/cocoons of neither group are not depicted as one readily finds this sort of evidence that something lives in a pond/stream.
Also, the variety of dipteran larvae is not shown with the same extensity as those of other groups although they are far the most species rich group of insects living in freshwater habitats. However, their selection in the guide is still very satisfactory for a freswater enthusiast. Regarding the planktonic microlife, i.e. when you need a microscope to appreciate the beauty of freshwater organisms from your plankton net, you will need another guide (I wish there would be some at this entry level); this book takes the plankton just marginally. But, for what it claims it is, i.e. what you can see by naked eye, it is a gem.

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed guide back at the hotel

Probably the best book on Marine Fishes to day, 08 Feb 2001
I am owning a lot of books about tropical fishes,but no one is as beautifull and usefull as this one. It is almost too good to have five stars!It contains almost 7,00 photograhs and 494 species,of which about 350 are pictured,the remaining ones are similar to the pictured and are only given a description. Many of the species here I have not found in any other book. And if you buy this book,you will be like you`ve taken a drug - your life will be the fishes. Fishes are my great passion in the life and this book is a must-have for any diver,aquarist,fish lover,or biologist. The only thing which isn`t perfect is that there stands nothing about the behaviour of the fishes - but instead they have made a separate book for that (Reef Fish Behaviour). Overall,I am a great lover of marine life,and especially caribbean reef fishes. When I first received it for christmas,I was so happy that I cannot describe it. Now I own the entire trilogy and they are very enjoyable to read and look at over and over again.

The definitive guide for reef fish of the Caribbean, 08 Jun 1999
I visit family in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) yearly, and I have looked at a number of books in order to learn the names of the numerous fish I see when I'm snorkeling or diving. This one makes identification easy, with beautiful pictures and the all-important "Distinctive Features" sections, which give you tips on how to distinguish one fish from the next. Make no mistake: this book is the easiest to use and the most comprehensive one I've seen. I'm online to buy the other two books (Reef Coral and Reef Creatures).

A must have for any diver visiting the Bahamas, 26 May 1999
As a SCUBA INSTRUCTOR this book is the best I've seen for fish identification. It gives many pointers on how to distinguish between fish. If your looking for a book to take on a trip make no mistake this is your best choice.

Frozen Earth Review, 14 Feb 2007
In these days of media hype about global warming this book by Doug Macdougall is a breath of fresh air. It is clear, easily read by anyone and brings all the facts of our past ice ages together. I have read a number of books on this subject and this is without doubt one of the best.

Fascinating account of ice ages and how they were discovered, 23 Jun 2005
This is an absolutely fascinating account of the various ice ages that have periodically taken over the earth. From the ancient "Snowball Earth" (sometimes called "Slushball Earth," 550 to 850 million years ago) in which the entire planet was more or less frozen from pole to pole, to the "Younger Dryas," a cold spell beginning 12,800 years ago and lasting for about 1,200 years, to "Little Ice Age" in Europe (700 to 150 years ago) to the "year without a summer," in 1816, UCSD Professor of Earth Sciences Doug MacDougall chronicles the ebb and flow of glacial advance and retreat in a most interesting and informative manner.

Much of this is a historical account of how scientists discovered the past ice ages through geology and the study of cores taken from the Antarctic, the Arctic, from the sea floor, and from still standing glacial ice packs. MacDougall explains how these cores are read to reveal climate changes in the past based on evidence from isotopes, pollen, and bubbles of trapped atmospheric gases. It is really amazing how much information can come from such minute bits of evidence.

In the early chapters MacDougall recalls the first scientists who became aware of the earth's climate in previous ages--Louis Agassiz, James Croll, Milutin Milankovitch and others. MacDougall recalls their efforts to get their ideas accepted by the geological establishment. It is fascinating to see how gradually it was realized that great rocks had arrived at various places, having been carried there by ancient glaciers. A particularly interesting story is how the Channeled Scablands of the Columbia Plateau in Washington were created when the glacial Lake Missoula sudden broke through the melting ice and drove an immense wall of water clear to the Pacific Ocean.

Part of his concentration is on the glacial and interglacial periods that have characterized the environment during the rise of the genus homo and especially the last 150,000 years or so during which homo sapiens have evolved. Chapter Ten, "Ice Ages, Climate, and Evolution" is devoted to how the advance and retreat of the ice affected the evolution of hominids and other animals and plants.

For those of us who might be worried about global warning it is perhaps refreshing to be warned that we are still living in an ice age. MacDougall writes, "We are in a warm period, one of the many interglacial intervals that have occurred throughout the Pleistocene Ice Age [now three million years old]." (p. 233)

Near the end of the book MacDougall looks at today's climate and takes into account the warming due to human activities, in particular the burning of fossil fuels. But he is not alarmed. He notes that the atmosphere on the planet Venus (surface temperature 485 degrees Centigrade, more than hot enough to melt lead) is almost all CO2 while that on earth is less than four-tenths of one percent CO2. No runaway greenhouse effect seems likely here any time soon. MacDougall explains the carbon dioxide cycle on earth and assures us that most CO2 is locked up in limestone. (p. 238)

While he seems unconcerned about global warming (taking the very long view) he does remark that "It is difficult to comprehend how further additions [of CO2] to the atmosphere at current rates could fail to raise global temperatures and possibly influence the course of the [current] Pleistocene Ice Age." (p. 241) Still he ends the book with this (possibly understated) possibility: "...mankind may inadvertently bring the Pleistocene Ice Age to a premature close, ushering in another long period of ice-free existence for our planet."

Which brings me to the question, if the earth does become more or less permanently as hot and muggy as a Jurassic swamp, what will it mean for human beings? There will be less land available since the melting of the glaciers would raise sea level some 60 meters, drowning New York and London, not to mention much of Florida and a host of South Pacific islands, Bangladesh, and other low-lying lands. Will we live most of our lives indoors in air-conditioned buildings? Will the verdant plants and fantastic diversity of creatures characteristic of tropical jungles be all around us? Will dragon flies be as big as birds?

On the other hand, suppose, as MacDougall intimates, that the forces affecting the earth's climate dwarf our puny doings. In that case the present interglacial will come to a close and the immediate future will be cold as the ice once again advances from the poles. As MacDougall points out, the air will be dryer with all that water locked up in ice, and great parts of the planet will be desert and the winds will blow the sand around the globe (as happened before during such periods as evidenced by the core samplings). I am reminded of the poet Robert Frost's dilemma, "Fire or Ice?" Probably our lives will not end in such extremes, but our way of life may change dramatically, and many will endure great hardships.

On the third hand, is it possible, maybe even probable, that we human beings will be able to affect the climate in such a way as to stave off the extremes? One of the cold-amplifying effects of great sheets of ice over the earth is to reflect sunlight and further cool the planet. Might not humans spread dark matter over the ice, melting it? Or in the case of too much CO2 or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, might humans somehow find a way to sink such gases and cool things down?

This is a distinguished work, very well written, beautifully edited, full of fascinating information about how cold the earth has been in the past (and how cold it might become again) and why.

Excellent guide, 13 May 2008
Unlike many Collins wildlife guides that use photographs (always a bad idea) this is fully illustrated throughout to a very high standard. My only reservation is that it contains only a limited number of fish species.

Almost perfect - nothing better on a market , 08 Mar 2007
An excellent guide I have been waiting long time for. I will be recommending it to all my students as a basic book for field excursions. But nothing is perfect: I miss that eggs/clutches/cocoons of neither group are not depicted as one readily finds this sort of evidence that something lives in a pond/stream.
Also, the variety of dipteran larvae is not shown with the same extensity as those of other groups although they are far the most species rich group of insects living in freshwater habitats. However, their selection in the guide is still very satisfactory for a freswater enthusiast. Regarding the planktonic microlife, i.e. when you need a microscope to appreciate the beauty of freshwater organisms from your plankton net, you will need another guide (I wish there would be some at this entry level); this book takes the plankton just marginally. But, for what it claims it is, i.e. what you can see by naked eye, it is a gem.

Great read, 20 Jun 2008

I read this book when I was 14 and I am now 28 and I have just finished re-reading it (I have never re-read a book) and it was great. Steinbeck really knows how to make characters and areas come alive. Whilst reading this book you cant help but feel your in a boat doing some fishing with the beautiful California sun glistening of the Gulf of Mexico.

I cant stress how excellent this book is, and I feel sad for anyone who doesnt enjoy it and find the charaters interesting. This is one of the best books by one of the best authors in the twentieth century.

log from the sea of cortez, 11 Oct 2005
A book full of descriptions of Marine Life off the coast of California and MexicO - I found it interesting and relaxing. It's the first Steinbeck book that I have read other than Grapes of Wrath and Tortilla Flat and proved an interesting departure. He seems to have been good down to earth company.

One of the Great Travel Stories of All Time, 28 May 2004
One of my good friends from high school introduced me to this book after we were both middle-aged. He set the challenge that we should complete this journey together. I look forward to it.

In this book John Steinbeck, the great fiction writer, is just as intriguing as a nonfiction writer. In fact, there is more scope here than in any of the novels.

Steinbeck was fascinated by his friend, Ed Ricketts, Baja California, The Sea of Cortez (located in Baja), the marine life there, and the people along the way. You can read this book for any of those dimensions and be well rewarded. In fact, it is interesting to learn more about Steinbeck, the man, through his reminiscences of this trip.

Although I enjoyed all of these dimensions,to me the element that is most appealing is the story of two friends simply traveling and learning. It is very much a tale of the voyage that we all make through life, by way of analogy. In a way, it reminds me of a literal Pilgrim's Progress, except that this actually occurred. Fact, in this case, is more interesting than fiction.

If you liked Steinbeck's novels, read this. If you like travel stories, read this. If you like stories of scientific research, read this. If you like adventure, read this. Even if you don't fall into one of those categories, read this. Enjoy!

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed guide back at the hotel

Probably the best book on Marine Fishes to day, 08 Feb 2001
I am owning a lot of books about tropical fishes,but no one is as beautifull and usefull as this one. It is almost too good to have five stars!It contains almost 7,00 photograhs and 494 species,of which about 350 are pictured,the remaining ones are similar to the pictured and are only given a description. Many of the species here I have not found in any other book. And if you buy this book,you will be like you`ve taken a drug - your life will be the fishes. Fishes are my great passion in the life and this book is a must-have for any diver,aquarist,fish lover,or biologist. The only thing which isn`t perfect is that there stands nothing about the behaviour of the fishes - but instead they have made a separate book for that (Reef Fish Behaviour). Overall,I am a great lover of marine life,and especially caribbean reef fishes. When I first received it for christmas,I was so happy that I cannot describe it. Now I own the entire trilogy and they are very enjoyable to read and look at over and over again.

The definitive guide for reef fish of the Caribbean, 08 Jun 1999
I visit family in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) yearly, and I have looked at a number of books in order to learn the names of the numerous fish I see when I'm snorkeling or diving. This one makes identification easy, with beautiful pictures and the all-important "Distinctive Features" sections, which give you tips on how to distinguish one fish from the next. Make no mistake: this book is the easiest to use and the most comprehensive one I've seen. I'm online to buy the other two books (Reef Coral and Reef Creatures).

A must have for any diver visiting the Bahamas, 26 May 1999
As a SCUBA INSTRUCTOR this book is the best I've seen for fish identification. It gives many pointers on how to distinguish between fish. If your looking for a book to take on a trip make no mistake this is your best choice.

Frozen Earth Review, 14 Feb 2007
In these days of media hype about global warming this book by Doug Macdougall is a breath of fresh air. It is clear, easily read by anyone and brings all the facts of our past ice ages together. I have read a number of books on this subject and this is without doubt one of the best.

Fascinating account of ice ages and how they were discovered, 23 Jun 2005
This is an absolutely fascinating account of the various ice ages that have periodically taken over the earth. From the ancient "Snowball Earth" (sometimes called "Slushball Earth," 550 to 850 million years ago) in which the entire planet was more or less frozen from pole to pole, to the "Younger Dryas," a cold spell beginning 12,800 years ago and lasting for about 1,200 years, to "Little Ice Age" in Europe (700 to 150 years ago) to the "year without a summer," in 1816, UCSD Professor of Earth Sciences Doug MacDougall chronicles the ebb and flow of glacial advance and retreat in a most interesting and informative manner.

Much of this is a historical account of how scientists discovered the past ice ages through geology and the study of cores taken from the Antarctic, the Arctic, from the sea floor, and from still standing glacial ice packs. MacDougall explains how these cores are read to reveal climate changes in the past based on evidence from isotopes, pollen, and bubbles of trapped atmospheric gases. It is really amazing how much information can come from such minute bits of evidence.

In the early chapters MacDougall recalls the first scientists who became aware of the earth's climate in previous ages--Louis Agassiz, James Croll, Milutin Milankovitch and others. MacDougall recalls their efforts to get their ideas accepted by the geological establishment. It is fascinating to see how gradually it was realized that great rocks had arrived at various places, having been carried there by ancient glaciers. A particularly interesting story is how the Channeled Scablands of the Columbia Plateau in Washington were created when the glacial Lake Missoula sudden broke through the melting ice and drove an immense wall of water clear to the Pacific Ocean.

Part of his concentration is on the glacial and interglacial periods that have characterized the environment during the rise of the genus homo and especially the last 150,000 years or so during which homo sapiens have evolved. Chapter Ten, "Ice Ages, Climate, and Evolution" is devoted to how the advance and retreat of the ice affected the evolution of hominids and other animals and plants.

For those of us who might be worried about global warning it is perhaps refreshing to be warned that we are still living in an ice age. MacDougall writes, "We are in a warm period, one of the many interglacial intervals that have occurred throughout the Pleistocene Ice Age [now three million years old]." (p. 233)

Near the end of the book MacDougall looks at today's climate and takes into account the warming due to human activities, in particular the burning of fossil fuels. But he is not alarmed. He notes that the atmosphere on the planet Venus (surface temperature 485 degrees Centigrade, more than hot enough to melt lead) is almost all CO2 while that on earth is less than four-tenths of one percent CO2. No runaway greenhouse effect seems likely here any time soon. MacDougall explains the carbon dioxide cycle on earth and assures us that most CO2 is locked up in limestone. (p. 238)

While he seems unconcerned about global warming (taking the very long view) he does remark that "It is difficult to comprehend how further additions [of CO2] to the atmosphere at current rates could fail to raise global temperatures and possibly influence the course of the [current] Pleistocene Ice Age." (p. 241) Still he ends the book with this (possibly understated) possibility: "...mankind may inadvertently bring the Pleistocene Ice Age to a premature close, ushering in another long period of ice-free existence for our planet."

Which brings me to the question, if the earth does become more or less permanently as hot and muggy as a Jurassic swamp, what will it mean for human beings? There will be less land available since the melting of the glaciers would raise sea level some 60 meters, drowning New York and London, not to mention much of Florida and a host of South Pacific islands, Bangladesh, and other low-lying lands. Will we live most of our lives indoors in air-conditioned buildings? Will the verdant plants and fantastic diversity of creatures characteristic of tropical jungles be all around us? Will dragon flies be as big as birds?

On the other hand, suppose, as MacDougall intimates, that the forces affecting the earth's climate dwarf our puny doings. In that case the present interglacial will come to a close and the immediate future will be cold as the ice once again advances from the poles. As MacDougall points out, the air will be dryer with all that water locked up in ice, and great parts of the planet will be desert and the winds will blow the sand around the globe (as happened before during such periods as evidenced by the core samplings). I am reminded of the poet Robert Frost's dilemma, "Fire or Ice?" Probably our lives will not end in such extremes, but our way of life may change dramatically, and many will endure great hardships.

On the third hand, is it possible, maybe even probable, that we human beings will be able to affect the climate in such a way as to stave off the extremes? One of the cold-amplifying effects of great sheets of ice over the earth is to reflect sunlight and further cool the planet. Might not humans spread dark matter over the ice, melting it? Or in the case of too much CO2 or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, might humans somehow find a way to sink such gases and cool things down?

This is a distinguished work, very well written, beautifully edited, full of fascinating information about how cold the earth has been in the past (and how cold it might become again) and why.

Excellent guide, 13 May 2008
Unlike many Collins wildlife guides that use photographs (always a bad idea) this is fully illustrated throughout to a very high standard. My only reservation is that it contains only a limited number of fish species.

Almost perfect - nothing better on a market , 08 Mar 2007
An excellent guide I have been waiting long time for. I will be recommending it to all my students as a basic book for field excursions. But nothing is perfect: I miss that eggs/clutches/cocoons of neither group are not depicted as one readily finds this sort of evidence that something lives in a pond/stream.
Also, the variety of dipteran larvae is not shown with the same extensity as those of other groups although they are far the most species rich group of insects living in freshwater habitats. However, their selection in the guide is still very satisfactory for a freswater enthusiast. Regarding the planktonic microlife, i.e. when you need a microscope to appreciate the beauty of freshwater organisms from your plankton net, you will need another guide (I wish there would be some at this entry level); this book takes the plankton just marginally. But, for what it claims it is, i.e. what you can see by naked eye, it is a gem.

Great read, 20 Jun 2008

I read this book when I was 14 and I am now 28 and I have just finished re-reading it (I have never re-read a book) and it was great. Steinbeck really knows how to make characters and areas come alive. Whilst reading this book you cant help but feel your in a boat doing some fishing with the beautiful California sun glistening of the Gulf of Mexico.

I cant stress how excellent this book is, and I feel sad for anyone who doesnt enjoy it and find the charaters interesting. This is one of the best books by one of the best authors in the twentieth century.

log from the sea of cortez, 11 Oct 2005
A book full of descriptions of Marine Life off the coast of California and MexicO - I found it interesting and relaxing. It's the first Steinbeck book that I have read other than Grapes of Wrath and Tortilla Flat and proved an interesting departure. He seems to have been good down to earth company.

One of the Great Travel Stories of All Time, 28 May 2004
One of my good friends from high school introduced me to this book after we were both middle-aged. He set the challenge that we should complete this journey together. I look forward to it.

In this book John Steinbeck, the great fiction writer, is just as intriguing as a nonfiction writer. In fact, there is more scope here than in any of the novels.

Steinbeck was fascinated by his friend, Ed Ricketts, Baja California, The Sea of Cortez (located in Baja), the marine life there, and the people along the way. You can read this book for any of those dimensions and be well rewarded. In fact, it is interesting to learn more about Steinbeck, the man, through his reminiscences of this trip.

Although I enjoyed all of these dimensions,to me the element that is most appealing is the story of two friends simply traveling and learning. It is very much a tale of the voyage that we all make through life, by way of analogy. In a way, it reminds me of a literal Pilgrim's Progress, except that this actually occurred. Fact, in this case, is more interesting than fiction.

If you liked Steinbeck's novels, read this. If you like travel stories, read this. If you like stories of scientific research, read this. If you like adventure, read this. Even if you don't fall into one of those categories, read this. Enjoy!

Basic but well written and Illustrated, 04 Jul 2003
A beautifully illustrated book with many of the common intertidal and sublittoral species represented. This book gives a little information about the biology and distributions of covered organisms. However identification mainly relies on photographs, without the use of keys. A good book for anyone interested in the organisms of the seashore, but for detailed and certain identification the keen biologist may require a more in depth approach.

Great for scuba divers in the UK, 03 Feb 2002
Whilst I may not be able to substantiate the biological accuracy of this book I found it hugely enjoyable to use.
I dive frequently in the waters around the UK, this book has shown me much of the wealth and diversity of our local sealife. Many people imagine that our compared to the great barrier reef there is relativly nothing to see.

The format was clear and easy to use. Photatgraphs were wonderful, too many times have I had identification books with little line drawing that were just dull to look at.

In my opinion this book may be lacking in some areas but for a non biologist it provides a great entry into the underwater world of life.

The book is generally very useful. Images are excellent., 16 Nov 2001
In general I find the book sufficiently useful to carry it on the seashore to remind me of the names that I have forgotten over the course of my career in marine science. I can see some problems with the occasional identification but there are considerably more that are right than those that are wrong. For the non-professional its an excellent guide. For the marine biologist who needs to identify everything accurately there are professional taxonomic works: Let's not confuse the two... We need public enthisiasm to conserve UK marine life. The illustrations and layout of this book will generate that enthusiasm.

Nice layout, but poor identification accuracy, 28 Oct 2001
I have identified and recorded marine molluscs for 20+ years, mainly as an amateur, so I was pleased to see a new photo marine ID book. The layout is good; but that is the only positive aspect of the book. I list points concerning the mollusc section.

1. The book says species are mostly illustrated in their natural habitat - at least 15 species are in the wrong habitat eg p. 279 Lasaea 'rubra', and others are misleading.

2. The nomenclature is out of date - the Species Directory (published 1997 by Ulster Museum/Marine Conservation Society) is the accepted version by most professionals.

3. Some of the distribution maps are wrong eg p.237 Osilinus lineatus (which is a widely known species).

4.The drawings are cursory and add little eg p. 237 Gibbula umbilicalis.

5. The text is inaccurate in places eg under Barleeia unifasciata - Assiminea grayana occurs in Ireland; under Hydrobia ulvae - ventrosa and neglecta CANNOT be separated by shell characters

6. The quality of the photos is very poor in places eg p. 243 Rissoa parva

7. The worst aspect of the book is the high level of inaccuracy in the identifications. 18 of the mollusc photos are incorrectly identified (nearly 15%) eg. all photos on pages 249 and 267 are wrong! Experts in other groups have also found inaccuracies of identification.

This book is supposed be a identification guide. It is therefore unacceptable, and a considerable disappointment, to have such a high level of inaccuracy.

Easy identification,good for amateurs like me., 26 Oct 2001
I am interested in sea and shore life but I need a book which is easy to use, one that I can understand and which actually does help me identify what I see. We keep a copy on our boat and thanks to the photographs I have "discovered" new jellyfish and crabs.This book made me want to learn more about the wealth under our keel and on the shore when we reach harbour. Congratulations to the trio responsible for this quality guide.
Mary Reed

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed guide back at the hotel

Probably the best book on Marine Fishes to day, 08 Feb 2001
I am owning a lot of books about tropical fishes,but no one is as beautifull and usefull as this one. It is almost too good to have five stars!It contains almost 7,00 photograhs and 494 species,of which about 350 are pictured,the remaining ones are similar to the pictured and are only given a description. Many of the species here I have not found in any other book. And if you buy this book,you will be like you`ve taken a drug - your life will be the fishes. Fishes are my great passion in the life and this book is a must-have for any diver,aquarist,fish lover,or biologist. The only thing which isn`t perfect is that there stands nothing about the behaviour of the fishes - but instead they have made a separate book for that (Reef Fish Behaviour). Overall,I am a great lover of marine life,and especially caribbean reef fishes. When I first received it for christmas,I was so happy that I cannot describe it. Now I own the entire trilogy and they are very enjoyable to read and look at over and over again.

The definitive guide for reef fish of the Caribbean, 08 Jun 1999
I visit family in St. Croix (US Virgin Islands) yearly, and I have looked at a number of books in order to learn the names of the numerous fish I see when I'm snorkeling or diving. This one makes identification easy, with beautiful pictures and the all-important "Distinctive Features" sections, which give you tips on how to distinguish one fish from the next. Make no mistake: this book is the easiest to use and the most comprehensive one I've seen. I'm online to buy the other two books (Reef Coral and Reef Creatures).

A must have for any diver visiting the Bahamas, 26 May 1999
As a SCUBA INSTRUCTOR this book is the best I've seen for fish identification. It gives many pointers on how to distinguish between fish. If your looking for a book to take on a trip make no mistake this is your best choice.

Frozen Earth Review, 14 Feb 2007
In these days of media hype about global warming this book by Doug Macdougall is a breath of fresh air. It is clear, easily read by anyone and brings all the facts of our past ice ages together. I have read a number of books on this subject and this is without doubt one of the best.

Fascinating account of ice ages and how they were discovered, 23 Jun 2005
This is an absolutely fascinating account of the various ice ages that have periodically taken over the earth. From the ancient "Snowball Earth" (sometimes called "Slushball Earth," 550 to 850 million years ago) in which the entire planet was more or less frozen from pole to pole, to the "Younger Dryas," a cold spell beginning 12,800 years ago and lasting for about 1,200 years, to "Little Ice Age" in Europe (700 to 150 years ago) to the "year without a summer," in 1816, UCSD Professor of Earth Sciences Doug MacDougall chronicles the ebb and flow of glacial advance and retreat in a most interesting and informative manner.

Much of this is a historical account of how scientists discovered the past ice ages through geology and the study of cores taken from the Antarctic, the Arctic, from the sea floor, and from still standing glacial ice packs. MacDougall explains how these cores are read to reveal climate changes in the past based on evidence from isotopes, pollen, and bubbles of trapped atmospheric gases. It is really amazing how much information can come from such minute bits of evidence.

In the early chapters MacDougall recalls the first scientists who became aware of the earth's climate in previous ages--Louis Agassiz, James Croll, Milutin Milankovitch and others. MacDougall recalls their efforts to get their ideas accepted by the geological establishment. It is fascinating to see how gradually it was realized that great rocks had arrived at various places, having been carried there by ancient glaciers. A particularly interesting story is how the Channeled Scablands of the Columbia Plateau in Washington were created when the glacial Lake Missoula sudden broke through the melting ice and drove an immense wall of water clear to the Pacific Ocean.

Part of his concentration is on the glacial and interglacial periods that have characterized the environment during the rise of the genus homo and especially the last 150,000 years or so during which homo sapiens have evolved. Chapter Ten, "Ice Ages, Climate, and Evolution" is devoted to how the advance and retreat of the ice affected the evolution of hominids and other animals and plants.

For those of us who might be worried about global warning it is perhaps refreshing to be warned that we are still living in an ice age. MacDougall writes, "We are in a warm period, one of the many interglacial intervals that have occurred throughout the Pleistocene Ice Age [now three million years old]." (p. 233)

Near the end of the book MacDougall looks at today's climate and takes into account the warming due to human activities, in particular the burning of fossil fuels. But he is not alarmed. He notes that the atmosphere on the planet Venus (surface temperature 485 degrees Centigrade, more than hot enough to melt lead) is almost all CO2 while that on earth is less than four-tenths of one percent CO2. No runaway greenhouse effect seems likely here any time soon. MacDougall explains the carbon dioxide cycle on earth and assures us that most CO2 is locked up in limestone. (p. 238)

While he seems unconcerned about global warming (taking the very long view) he does remark that "It is difficult to comprehend how further additions [of CO2] to the atmosphere at current rates could fail to raise global temperatures and possibly influence the course of the [current] Pleistocene Ice Age." (p. 241) Still he ends the book with this (possibly understated) possibility: "...mankind may inadvertently bring the Pleistocene Ice Age to a premature close, ushering in another long period of ice-free existence for our planet."

Which brings me to the question, if the earth does become more or less permanently as hot and muggy as a Jurassic swamp, what will it mean for human beings? There will be less land available since the melting of the glaciers would raise sea level some 60 meters, drowning New York and London, not to mention much of Florida and a host of South Pacific islands, Bangladesh, and other low-lying lands. Will we live most of our lives indoors in air-conditioned buildings? Will the verdant plants and fantastic diversity of creatures characteristic of tropical jungles be all around us? Will dragon flies be as big as birds?

On the other hand, suppose, as MacDougall intimates, that the forces affecting the earth's climate dwarf our puny doings. In that case the present interglacial will come to a close and the immediate future will be cold as the ice once again advances from the poles. As MacDougall points out, the air will be dryer with all that water locked up in ice, and great parts of the planet will be desert and the winds will blow the sand around the globe (as happened before during such periods as evidenced by the core samplings). I am reminded of the poet Robert Frost's dilemma, "Fire or Ice?" Probably our lives will not end in such extremes, but our way of life may change dramatically, and many will endure great hardships.

On the third hand, is it possible, maybe even probable, that we human beings will be able to affect the climate in such a way as to stave off the extremes? One of the cold-amplifying effects of great sheets of ice over the earth is to reflect sunlight and further cool the planet. Might not humans spread dark matter over the ice, melting it? Or in the case of too much CO2 or other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, might humans somehow find a way to sink such gases and cool things down?

This is a distinguished work, very well written, beautifully edited, full of fascinating information about how cold the earth has been in the past (and how cold it might become again) and why.

Excellent guide, 13 May 2008
Unlike many Collins wildlife guides that use photographs (always a bad idea) this is fully illustrated throughout to a very high standard. My only reservation is that it contains only a limited number of fish species.

Almost perfect - nothing better on a market , 08 Mar 2007
An excellent guide I have been waiting long time for. I will be recommending it to all my students as a basic book for field excursions. But nothing is perfect: I miss that eggs/clutches/cocoons of neither group are not depicted as one readily finds this sort of evidence that something lives in a pond/stream.
Also, the variety of dipteran larvae is not shown with the same extensity as those of other groups although they are far the most species rich group of insects living in freshwater habitats. However, their selection in the guide is still very satisfactory for a freswater enthusiast. Regarding the planktonic microlife, i.e. when you need a microscope to appreciate the beauty of freshwater organisms from your plankton net, you will need another guide (I wish there would be some at this entry level); this book takes the plankton just marginally. But, for what it claims it is, i.e. what you can see by naked eye, it is a gem.

Great read, 20 Jun 2008

I read this book when I was 14 and I am now 28 and I have just finished re-reading it (I have never re-read a book) and it was great. Steinbeck really knows how to make characters and areas come alive. Whilst reading this book you cant help but feel your in a boat doing some fishing with the beautiful California sun glistening of the Gulf of Mexico.

I cant stress how excellent this book is, and I feel sad for anyone who doesnt enjoy it and find the charaters interesting. This is one of the best books by one of the best authors in the twentieth century.

log from the sea of cortez, 11 Oct 2005
A book full of descriptions of Marine Life off the coast of California and MexicO - I found it interesting and relaxing. It's the first Steinbeck book that I have read other than Grapes of Wrath and Tortilla Flat and proved an interesting departure. He seems to have been good down to earth company.

One of the Great Travel Stories of All Time, 28 May 2004
One of my good friends from high school introduced me to this book after we were both middle-aged. He set the challenge that we should complete this journey together. I look forward to it.

In this book John Steinbeck, the great fiction writer, is just as intriguing as a nonfiction writer. In fact, there is more scope here than in any of the novels.

Steinbeck was fascinated by his friend, Ed Ricketts, Baja California, The Sea of Cortez (located in Baja), the marine life there, and the people along the way. You can read this book for any of those dimensions and be well rewarded. In fact, it is interesting to learn more about Steinbeck, the man, through his reminiscences of this trip.

Although I enjoyed all of these dimensions,to me the element that is most appealing is the story of two friends simply traveling and learning. It is very much a tale of the voyage that we all make through life, by way of analogy. In a way, it reminds me of a literal Pilgrim's Progress, except that this actually occurred. Fact, in this case, is more interesting than fiction.

If you liked Steinbeck's novels, read this. If you like travel stories, read this. If you like stories of scientific research, read this. If you like adventure, read this. Even if you don't fall into one of those categories, read this. Enjoy!

Basic but well written and Illustrated, 04 Jul 2003
A beautifully illustrated book with many of the common intertidal and sublittoral species represented. This book gives a little information about the biology and distributions of covered organisms. However identification mainly relies on photographs, without the use of keys. A good book for anyone interested in the organisms of the seashore, but for detailed and certain identification the keen biologist may require a more in depth approach.

Great for scuba divers in the UK, 03 Feb 2002
Whilst I may not be able to substantiate the biological accuracy of this book I found it hugely enjoyable to use.
I dive frequently in the waters around the UK, this book has shown me much of the wealth and diversity of our local sealife. Many people imagine that our compared to the great barrier reef there is relativly nothing to see.

The format was clear and easy to use. Photatgraphs were wonderful, too many times have I had identification books with little line drawing that were just dull to look at.

In my opinion this book may be lacking in some areas but for a non biologist it provides a great entry into the underwater world of life.

The book is generally very useful. Images are excellent., 16 Nov 2001
In general I find the book sufficiently useful to carry it on the seashore to remind me of the names that I have forgotten over the course of my career in marine science. I can see some problems with the occasional identification but there are considerably more that are right than those that are wrong. For the non-professional its an excellent guide. For the marine biologist who needs to identify everything accurately there are professional taxonomic works: Let's not confuse the two... We need public enthisiasm to conserve UK marine life. The illustrations and layout of this book will generate that enthusiasm.

Nice layout, but poor identification accuracy, 28 Oct 2001
I have identified and recorded marine molluscs for 20+ years, mainly as an amateur, so I was pleased to see a new photo marine ID book. The layout is good; but that is the only positive aspect of the book. I list points concerning the mollusc section.

1. The book says species are mostly illustrated in their natural habitat - at least 15 species are in the wrong habitat eg p. 279 Lasaea 'rubra', and others are misleading.

2. The nomenclature is out of date - the Species Directory (published 1997 by Ulster Museum/Marine Conservation Society) is the accepted version by most professionals.

3. Some of the distribution maps are wrong eg p.237 Osilinus lineatus (which is a widely known species).

4.The drawings are cursory and add little eg p. 237 Gibbula umbilicalis.

5. The text is inaccurate in places eg under Barleeia unifasciata - Assiminea grayana occurs in Ireland; under Hydrobia ulvae - ventrosa and neglecta CANNOT be separated by shell characters

6. The quality of the photos is very poor in places eg p. 243 Rissoa parva

7. The worst aspect of the book is the high level of inaccuracy in the identifications. 18 of the mollusc photos are incorrectly identified (nearly 15%) eg. all photos on pages 249 and 267 are wrong! Experts in other groups have also found inaccuracies of identification.

This book is supposed be a identification guide. It is therefore unacceptable, and a considerable disappointment, to have such a high level of inaccuracy.

Easy identification,good for amateurs like me., 26 Oct 2001
I am interested in sea and shore life but I need a book which is easy to use, one that I can understand and which actually does help me identify what I see. We keep a copy on our boat and thanks to the photographs I have "discovered" new jellyfish and crabs.This book made me want to learn more about the wealth under our keel and on the shore when we reach harbour. Congratulations to the trio responsible for this quality guide.
Mary Reed

All you need to know about the Sea and the Oceans, 05 Apr 2006
The Sea Around Us is wonderfully written and it's a must for all who are fascinated by the sea and the oceans.

Tides and tidal bores, land and underwater rivers, volcanoes, tidal waves, el nino, the impact of weather etc, how our oceans work around the world - east to west and pole to pole - it's all there, clear and concise yet easy to follow.

Well worth it, 11 Aug 2008
Quick read; easy to understand; enjoyable; wide coverage but insufficient depth of explanation at times; excellent value for money.
Not enough pictures/diagrams and some diagrams were too small/fuzzy to see clearly; needed metric measurements - is America the last place in the world to use feet in science books?

a masterclass in how to make science interesting, 19 Jul 2006
Robert Kunzig won the Aventis Science Book of the Year award for Mapping the Deep.In my opinion it is the best science book written in the last ten years.Scientists know so little about the ocean and most of them know little about how to communicate what they do know to the layman.Kunzig takes their limited knowledge and conveys the great beauty and mystery of the oceans to the reader.



don't believe the hype, 21 May 2005
I had to read this book as part of my degree. It was really really reallyyyyyyyyyyyy... boring. It wasn't very well written although it contains a few interesting facts they are few and far between.

This book tries to be both a novel & a text book and fails on both accounts, I dont' care if Edward Forbes wanted to be an artist but was refused admission to the Royal Academy in London, this book is full of such useless waffle. Do yourself a favour and don't bother, unless you have to of course in which case read it quick to ease the pain like pulling off a plaster & don't say you weren't warned.

Fascinating science, well and wittily written., 16 Apr 2002
Really enjoyed this book, the science is not new, but covered well, concisely and accurately. I found the book hard to put down and the anecdotes about scientists and their research raised a few laughs too. and its got pictures! Very nice

Superb popular introduction to oceanography, 21 Jan 2002
This book is a superb popular introduction to the oceans that fully deserved its prize. Everything you need to know about the sea is here: what is water, where did the oceans come from, plate tectonics, the creatures of the deep, jellyfish, evolution, ocean currents, how the oceans affect climate ... It has a superb set of colour photographs, too: I wish I could get the double-page spread as a poster. My only complaint is about the quality of the binding.

A superb book, 31 Jan 2007
In a class of its own, with excellent photographs of a huge range of species. A book like this adds a whole new dimension to a Caribbean holiday. Snorkellers should be aware that the frequency of sightings of many species will be very different from that reported by scuba divers.

Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas, 24 Nov 2002
Really easy to use and very helpful identification tips. All the other divers "borrowed" this book extensively. The pictures are very clear. I especially liked the fish sightings record at the back of the book.

I used this in conjunction with the snorkelling guide to marine life, Florida, Bahamas, Carribbean ( by the same authors). I took the smaller snorkelling guide on the boat and then referred to the more detailed g