The Jaws of Death: Sharks as Predator, Man as Prey [Paperback]

Xavier Maniguet (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2007

Biggest of all fish and the best equipped for hunting, sharks live in every ocean.  No natural predator except the killer whale threatens them, and they possess an extraordinary physiology…including those unrivaled jaws. They have become the stuff of movies, books, and nightmares, but some of what we commonly believe is fiction, not fact.  Through the examination of case histories, including gruesome attacks on man, The Jaws of Death documents the truth. It discusses why sharks are essential to the equilibrium of the marine biotope and what benefit they have provided to science and medicine.  In addition to sharks, other “jaws of death” receive attention, including piranhas, crocodiles, and barracudas.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Maniguet, a diver and shark specialist, discusses man-eating sharks, chronicles numerous shark attacks and offers advice on how to avoid them. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Maniguet, a diver and shark specialist, discusses man-eating sharks, chronicles numerous shark attacks and offers advice on how to avoid them. Photos.
  (Publishers Weekly )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (August 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602390215
• ISBN-13: 978-1602390218
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,320,961 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, July 23, 2001

By 

Ray Ritch - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Jaws of Death: Sharks as Predator, Man as Prey (Paperback)

This book is one of the best I've been able to find on sharks, and I could not put it down! I must have read it over three times already just to remember all the information it contains!

It has detailed pictures and information on shark anatomy, favored myths about sharks, factual accounts of shark attacks, some information on other animals such as crocs and killer whales, and xavier puts forth several facts and theories about shark behavior. In the back it also contains an encyclopedia of sharks.

This is not a book for those with weak stomachs, since the pictures are very graphic of those attacked by sharks, even though most of which were only 'investigative bites'(and people get struck by lightning more often than attacked by sharks).

Since it was originally copyrighten in 1991, there are one or two new shark facts that are missing in this book(as opposed to the many facts that are usually missing in other shark books), but this is still the best for its time, and one of the best informative books for the present.

I would suggest this book for anyone deeply interested in sharks. It answers alot of questions and asks many other thought-provoking ones, keeping the reader hooked from cover to cover.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars an excellent book, very hard to put down, May 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Jaws of Death: Shark As Predator Man As Prey (Paperback)

i am also a person that could be concidered " obsessed" with sharks. I am only a 14 year old girl and ever since i was eight or nine i have been highly facinated with sharks. Everyday when i come home from school i study shark. i collect teeth and news paper clippings and i take notes from every book i can find. This book just happens to be one that i couldn't peel my eyes away from. It is a facinating book that is very hard to put down. It kept me interested throughout it and it should be highly recognised.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One word: Captivating, March 2, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Jaws of Death: Sharks as Predator, Man as Prey (Paperback)

The Jaws of Death was an amazing book. For all the techincal information on the animal's biology, I found it to be an easy read. Although, I'm probably bias, because I've always found sharks to be interesting.

Maniguet gives countless examples of shark attacks, and then explains why the shark might have attacked. It's a nice insight into their thinking. Numerous diagrams of the shark's anatomy help with explaining the complex sensory organs. They are absoluting incredible!

This is a great book for anyone who is really intrigued by these beautiful animals. Even if you don't find them to be the most amazing creatures, you will after flipping through this book.