Essentials of Oceanography [Paperback]

Harold V. Thurman (Author), Alan P. Trujillo (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0137273487 | ISBN-13: 978-0137273485 | Publication Date: January 15, 1999 | Edition: 6th

Revised for increased readability and streamlined for clarity, this text is designed to accompany an introductory college-level course in oceanography. This insightful, ecologically sensitive presentation of the relationship of scientific principles to ocean phenomena is made even more relevant to a new generation of teachers and students by pairing new co-author Alan Trujillo with renowned author Harold V. Thurman.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This insightful, ecologically sensitive presentation of the relationship of scientific principles to ocean phenomena is made even more relevant to a new generation by pairing new co-author Alan Trujillo with renowned author Harold V. Thurman. This book presents the basics of oceanography with a strong marine science emphasis. Logical Organization presents the physical features of the marine environment culminating with their ecological implications for life in the oceans: Geological oceanography, Chemical oceanography, Physical oceanography, and Biological oceanography. plate tectonics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 527 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 6th edition (January 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0137273487
• ISBN-13: 978-0137273485
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,019,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oceanography written in a style both engaging and scholarly., April 12, 1999

By 

Robert S. Clark "Ed.D." (San Diego) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essentials of Oceanography (Paperback)

Whether you are a serious student of oceanography or, like me, a curious inquirer, you are going to love this book. In fact, once I began reading, it was difficult to close the cover! This book could easily be subtitled "Adventure in the High Seas." Rarely have I read a textbook that combines an engaging style with a scholarly approach that leaves me feeling both truly informed and amazed. I discovered all kinds of interesting facts and theories (deepest part of the world's oceans - the Challenger Deep, part of the Mariana Trench, at 36,163 feet), geological history (the ocean is 4 billion years old yet the oldest ocean floor is only 180 million years old), and astronomical physics (the moon has over two times the tide-generating effect as the sun though it is much smaller).

From helpful hints on serious subjects such as how to escape rip currents to funny stories about plastic bathtub toys (ducks, turtles and frogs) that were lost overboard from a container ship and provided valuable scientific data on ocean currents, I found it all fascinating. The book includes generous amounts of color graphics showing beautiful underwater scenery and marine life as well as colorful maps and aerial photos (for instance, the image depicting wave effects on the shoreline). Each chapter ends with exercises, extensive references, suggested additional reading and recommended web sites to visit. Though the glossary is extensive, I particularly liked the use of the short word derivations that appear frequently throughout the text such as Bathyscaphe (bathos=depth, scaphe=a small ship), thus saving numerous trips to the dictionary.

The book is written as a college-level text for first year oceanography students. Instructors will find an impressive instructional package available from the publisher that includes such things as slides, transparencies, a companion web site reference and an instructor's manual. Read this book and you will agree that it is clearly a five star work.