Monsters Of The Sea: The History, Natural History, and Mythology of the Oceans' Most Fantastic Creatures [Hardcover]

Richard Ellis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 1994

373 illustrations in text

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Few creatures have captured the imaginations of so many for so long as have monsters of the deep. Their history has been surprisingly consistent, the author notes. Most began as myths and then acquired a sense of reality when the existence of creatures resembling those chronicled in legend was documented. Ellis (Men and Whales) gives a superb account of marine monsters and their attendant myths, sightings, scientific discovery and biology. He describes only the best known and the best documented. He traces the mermaid to the manatee and dugong, Leviathan to the sperm whale, kraken to the giant squid and polyp to the octopus (sharks, however, remain sharks). He examines these monsters in art, literature and film, taking Jules Verne and Victor Hugo to task for their ignorance of biology, hysterical fantasy and unmitigated malice. Herman Melville, Arthur C. Clarke and Peter Benchley get better ratings. Of all the sighted monsters, only the giant squid (Architeuthis) retains its mythological and cryptozoological status, for its very existence is shrouded in mystery. Sharks have had a bad reputation throughout history, but until Jaws (1974) they did not figure prominently in literature. At the end of this engaging book, Ellis confesses to skepticism: "monsters, if they exist, have more to fear from us than we do from them." Illustrations.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Ellis, recognized as the foremost painter of marine natural history subjects in America and the author of several books on ocean life, has taken an entertaining look at sea monsters. Here he provides a fascinating analysis of myths, early natural history texts, and other literature to resolve most of these tales in light of biological facts known today. He also includes accurate life history details about the sea animals covered. From the analyses and the biological facts, he describes the literary metamorphosis from monster to live, classified, utilized species. Passing through various stages, there is "first the unknown creature of the sea...undescribed and unnamed, fearsome because we don't know what it is. It then emerges from the mists of mythology and assumes a corporeality that enables man to identify and catagorize it. When that has been accomplished, we can then hunt it-for food, for sport, for glory." More subtly than in his Men and Whales (LJ 10/15/91) but with as much vigor, Ellis also discusses conservation issues as they relate to large marine species. Highly recommended for all public libraries.
Mary J. Nickum, Germantown, Md.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 429 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1 edition (October 25, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679406395
• ISBN-13: 978-0962268373
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,364,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cryptozoological Writing at its Finest, June 20, 2001

By 

neilathotep (San Mateo, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monsters of the Sea (Paperback)

Actually, as a writer, Ellis leaves something to be desired. He can be a little repetitive and disorganized at times (but is that more a criticism of him or his editor?). However, the content of this book is incredibly interesting, and it is presented very well. Ellis maintains a very good degree of subjectivity, considering the strange matters that he is discussing in the book. The topics, ranging from the myth and history of mermaids (which we now know as manatees and dugongs) to the strange blobs that have washed up on several beaches in the past century, to the giant squid which Ellis would go on to write an entire book about, are fascinating. The degree of detail he goes into when describing both the mythology behind these monsters, and the science and natural history of the creatures we now believe formulated these myths is amazing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Compilation, April 4, 1999

By 

Christopher J. Winkler (NY,USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Monsters Of The Sea: The History, Natural History, and Mythology of the Oceans' Most Fantastic Creatures (Hardcover)

One of the best works I've ever read about the ocean's most mysterious monsters and the real animals behind the myths. In an eloquent, well structured and entertaining compilation, Ellis introduces us to larger-than-life creatures that frightened both mariners of centuries past and audiences of theater and movies. Then he takes us on a voyage of discovery as he reviews the available facts and natural history to explain the equally amazing animals responsible for these fantastic accounts. Informative and thought provoking, this book grasps the interest of both the believer and the skeptic, and encourages us to instill in ourselves not only prudence and responsibility in scientific exploration, but also a sense of childlike wonder in the mysteries of the unknown.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, June 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Monsters Of The Sea: The History, Natural History, and Mythology of the Oceans' Most Fantastic Creatures (Hardcover)

I've been interested in marine-biology and cryptozoology for years but plan never to take that road in life... my interest is still fed though, by masterpieces like this... an amazing, fun, and non-stodgy piece of non-fiction.