Customer Reviews

Jacques Cousteau: Whales

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One of my most prized possessions is a personal letter from the late, great Jacques Yves Cousteau which is framed and hangs on the wall of my study. This is the man who brought the undersea world into the living rooms of so many people all over the world. Those television programmes first began in the 1950's and yet, even today, people talk about them as though they went out only yesterday.

Not only did this man pioneer the invention and development of the Aqualung, he also pioneered the development of underwater photography. It was to be expected, therefore, that any book bearing his name would be the most complete and thorough account of the subject and that the photography would simply be the best. It is.

Jacques Cousteau's Whales is a large coffee table book containing 280 pages of sheer value for money. The content includes Whaling in all it's bloody detail, a description of each species, their plight today, their migratory, mating and eating habits and much, much more besides. There are historic references throughout the book where appropriate. Numerous ancient and historic pictures and photographs appear alongside modern photography which detail every aspect of the Whale. As with all good photographs, many of the images speak volumes; Across pages 10 and 11, for example is a photograph of a few Seagulls above a sea turned bright red by Whaling.

For many people, this will be the only book on the subject of Whales the will require and they will not be disappointed.

NM

"Whales" is an oversized, coffee table book which conveys a great deal of information about its subject. The many pictures, both photographic and drawn, are used both to demonstrate the grandeur of these majestic mammals and as serving as visual aides in support of the text.

This book covers whales from many perspectives. When a particular topic is addressed, the major whale species are covered sequentially. It tells about their anatomy, including their breathing, swimming and eating mechanisms. It tells about their diet and migrations. The history of human impressions of and interaction with whales, the place of whales in literature and the role of whaling are given much attention. Many quotes from Melville and other writers of the past support the text. Conservation and the need to ban whaling are major themes of this book.

At first glance, one might be inclined to think that this book is just one with a lot of pictures and that it is, but it is much more besides. The reader is introduced to an informative and interesting textual treatment of whales. I read it in preparation for a whale watch and was very satisfied. I plan to keep it handy for future reference. Whether one is looking for a thorough introduction to whales or a nature book to leave on your coffee table, "Whales" by Jacques Cousteau is a good choice.

This is an AMAZING book, and DEFINATELY a valuable collector's item if you are a whale fan! The pictures are amazing, and, like always, Cousteau is interesting as well as informative.

one of the best learning materials i used in school to learn about whales