Customer Reviews

Great Waters: An Atlantic Passage

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In "Great Waters: An Atlantic Passage" Deborah Cramer not only takes the reader along on an ocean trip from Woods Hole, Massachusetts to Barbados, she explains the ecology and history of the Atlantic in the process. In doing so, she brings Rachael Carson's classic "The Sea Around Us" up to date and gives the reader a solid grounding in ocean biology and physical oceanography. After reading "The Empty Ocean" I was delighted to find this book, one that takes a broader look at a smaller area- Atlantic, as Cramer likes to characterize the great ocean.

Unfortunately both recent books give the same, often bleak, picture of what is happening to the oceans as humans over-fish the once huge fisheries and dump more garbage, human and animal waste, toxic chemicals and remains of machines into what is becoming a global "land fill." We have also refused to take serious steps to reduce global warming at the same time evidence for our complicity in carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere is mounting. Unfortunately for us Atlantic and the others oceans of the planet are starting to return the favor both in lower fish catches and altering ocean circulation that may well cost us way beyond the value of the fish we extracted.

Yet there is some glimmer of hope. Humans may yet wake up, if a bit late, to the damage they are doing. There are still nearly pristine beaches and walking alone along a beach with sea birds crying is still possible over much of the planet. I hope it always remains possible. Read this book, if you are not already convinced of our lack of foresight, you will be!

Why should we care about the oceans of the earth? This meticulously researched book poses a convincing argument: the physical and chemical cycles and life webs of the sea are under siege from humans, with consequences to reefs, plankton and whales, as well as to our weather, health and livelihood. The threat goes way beyond global warming. Cramer effectively illuminates the problems and consequences while showing how we are all accountable for protecting the great waters -- whether we live in coastal communities or in cities far inland that dump pollutants into waterways that eventually enter the sea.

Ms. Cramer has achomplished the incredible here--a historic, scientific and poetic tribute to one of our great masses of water.
This book, while inspiring and "novelesque" in scope, also presents
the alarming ecological state of our planet's seas . . . yet not without springs of hope. I love what Cramer has done for all of us.
Good for anyone who gets excited about the sea and/or science!

This is a wonderful book. A great read with incredible facts and a lyrical view. Deborah Cramer brings real journalism to the story of the Atlantic.

This book is a bit more scientific and technical than the usual title about nature these days. Even though there is concern in the book about our environmental demise, it does not dominate it. It is full of facts and science about how current science thinks the Atlantic ocean works. At the heart of the book is that we don't know a lot about the dynamics and discovering these is what is exciting.

What this book does best is not just present some pretty high level concepts in an understandable way, but it presents these concepts with an obvious enthusiasm. It's almost with a childlike wonder over how complex the whole thing is.

Most books about nature, and particularly oceans and fresh water these days, are depressing because they continually pound us with environmental degradation. At least this book keeps us warm to the task of the science behind the issues. There is still hope and enthusiasm in this book.

I highly recommend this book. It is a bit technical however. This is not light summer beach reading.

Everyone should read this book. The understanding of the depth of the ramifications of our actions on our environment and how small things can build into devastating effects on our planet is brought to light in this very well written book. Deborah Cramer vividly shows, with excellent documentation and insight, how we affect the oceans as well as climate and the overall health of the earth. Far more than just a commentary on Atlantic environmental issues, she shows the intertwining of relationships affecting our environment. A riveting and sobering essay.

This is an incredible book! It manages to take the last 30 years of ocean science and craft it into a compelling, readable, and eloquent story of the Atlantic and our dependence on it. The science is first rate and up to date; there have been few examples of natural history and environment writing so well done....