The Handy Ocean Answer Book (Handy Answer Books) [Hardcover]

Thomas E. Svarney (Author), Patricia Barnes-Svarney (Author)

Book Description

Series: Handy Answer Books | Publication Date: December 2003

Covering 70 percent of the surface area of the globe, the oceans are vast, mysterious, and primal; this book tackles more than 1,000 questions on ocean life, waterspouts, whirlpools, ocean shelves, tides and quakes, ocean bottoms, navigation, famous shipwrecks, and the effects of pollution and global warming. The book also tells what clues the ocean has revealed about the origins and evolution of life on our planet and major climate changes. With 180 photos and illustrations, this handy resource will please dedicated landlubbers and salty sailors alike.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Thomas E. Svarney is a scientist, naturalist, and artist. Patricia Barnes-Svarney has been a nonfiction science and science fiction writer for more than 15 years. She has worked professionally as a geomorphologist and oceanographer and has written or coauthored more than 300 articles for science magazines and journals. They are the coauthors of numerous science books, including The Handy Geology Answer Book.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 616 pages
• Publisher: Visible Ink Pr (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0780807251
• ISBN-13: 978-0780807259
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,343,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Mistakes, July 18, 2003

By 

Too Cold in Madison (Madison, WI, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Handy Ocean Answer Book (The Handy Answer Book Series) (Paperback)

I agree with the reviewer who complained about errors & contradictions. Although this is a fun book, it does have some silly mistakes. For example, the authors claim on page 342 that, at 26,000 species, crustaceans are the largest class of arthropods. Well, everbody knows that insects are arthropods. At 900,000+ species, insects are the largest class of arthropods and crustaceans are but a small fraction. Encyclopedia of the Sea by Richard Ellis is far Better.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The Handy Ocean Answer Book, October 17, 2000

By 

M. Guido (AK United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Handy Ocean Answer Book (The Handy Answer Book Series) (Paperback)

Sections of this very simply written book are just STUFFED with misinformation and inaccuracies! I wrote to the publisher regarding the contradictory and incorrect information in the sections on birds....and was ignored. Some of the information in this little tome may be just fine...but, read with caution and double-check the facts because the mistakes, although significant, aren't obvious and a naive reader might be easily misled.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for readers of all ages., March 3, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Handy Ocean Answer Book (The Handy Answer Book Series) (Paperback)

A 'handy answer book' by Thomas Svarney & Patricia Barnes-Svarney using question-and-answer formats normally reserved for younger audiences to great effectiveness for adult readers, Ocean Answer Book surveys beaches, fish discoveries, and ocean exploration programs alike and is packed with facts, presented in a lively format for leisure browsing.