Customer Reviews

A Living Bay: The Underwater World of Monterey Bay

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This book provides many many photographs of marine organisms found in Monterey Bay (California coast). The photographs are clear, well-reproduced, and organisms are identified by common and Latin name. This alone would be a good reason to buy the book. However, the authors went beyond excellent photography into detailed marine biology. For every organism, they provide fascinating details from the biology of the organism, often supplemented with additional photographs illustrating the phenomenon being described. I have taught chemistry, biology, and marine biology at the high school level, as well as being a SCUBA diver; I found this book to be full of new and fascinating information, well presented and carefully documented, with scientific sources cited (but not obnoxiously). I loaned this book to two high school students, one fascinated with marine biology, one not so fascinated, and they were both enthralled: "that book is so cool!" "did you know anemones fight?" One of the best books on the ocean environment I've ever seen; clearly a labor of love on the part of the authors.

I'm an avid Monterey Area scuba diver who was on the verge of thinking I knew something about Monterey marine life. That was before I read this book. Despite my many hundreds of dives and many hours of time spent studying the things I'd seen this book opened my eyes to all sorts of things I'd never noticed before. Anybody interested in west coast marine life simply must have this book.

One of it's best features is the novel organization. It's broken up into habitat areas rather than by Phylum/Genus/Species etc. This really helps the reader understand the relationships between the various organisms. Also the photographs are truly exceptional.

Overall a real gem.

An exceptional book. Those tar spots on the beach, those yucky lumps of rotting kelp, those minor shellfish will all become fascinating interacting worlds for you. Beautiful photos that excite and succinct explanations that educate in a package that could well be an excellent coffee table book. We should all hope that this is what all nature books would become. I recommend this book to anyone interested in ocean life (not just Monterey Bay).

I am giving this book out as gifts to friends and relatives.

The authors' love of their subject and the depth of their knowledge shines out from the pages of this beautiful, fact-packed book, which overflows with spectacular photos and lively, interesting text. Instead of dry and technical captions, each photo is accompanied by a mini-essay filled with wonderful information. What makes this book truly marvelous to me is that as you read it, you forget that many of their subjects are only millimeters in size; they are the kind of thing we overlook until a book like this does them justice.

Have you ever wondered about some creature washed ashore in Monterey, or sat fascinated while intently watching the teeming life of a tide pool? This book will satisfy your curiosity, opening you to worlds you never imagined existed. In one example, the book describes the complex life cycle of Velella, from deep sea denizen to the pelagic blue sails seen awash on beaches. Throughout, A Living Bay shares a fascinating story of Monterey sea life, from towering kelp forests to miniscule colonies of byrozoans--with beautiful photos, detailed and passionate writing that keeps you reading.
This is my favorite book on sea life: a must-have supplement for lovers of Monterey bay, aquarium visitors, and all curious minds.