National Geographic Atlas of the Ocean: The Deep Frontier [Hardcover]

Sylvia Earle (Author)

Book Description

Series: National Geographic | Publication Date: October 1, 2001

As we enter the new millennium, discover in this definitive resource for the ocean, the wonders of the world offshore through more than 200 maps, diagrams, photographs, and satellite images. With deep-sea pioneer and National Geographic explorer-in-residence, Sylvia Earle, discover a world as challenging and untapped as space, as vital to our existence as the air we breathe. Accompanying exquisite, and authoritative maps, her compelling narrative reveals the beauty of the ocean structure and the adventure of discovery of its flora, fauna, and phenomena, from giant squid and giant kelp to exquisite microbial life. Detailed cartography reveals the major oceans, with their bays, straits, and estuaries, and seas from polar to tropical. Maps of the floor reveal plate divisions and motion. Point maps take you into earth's deepest abyss-the Mariana Trench; along the planet's longest mountain chain-the Mid-Ocean Ridge; on the migration route of humpback whales; and to marine sanctuaries worldwide. Discover dynamic equipment, still on the drawing board, that will help scientists discover new places and lifeforms in the 21st century.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792264266
• ISBN-13: 978-0792264262
• Product Dimensions: 13.8 x 10.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,577,670 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Barely an atlas, December 17, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: National Geographic Atlas of the Ocean: The Deep Frontier (Hardcover)

After hearing a discussion of this book on NPR, I ordered this book expecting a thorough atlas of the ocean floor. I was sorely disappointed. Although there are some good maps in this book, the bulk of the book deals with other topics such as: ecology or the need for protecting our oceans, current temperatures, predicting El Nino, etc. Don't get me wrong, it is a good book but it is far from what I expected. Full of pretty photographs and illustrations as usual for a National Geographic effort. I believe that the hype made me believe the book would have details associated with a land atlas.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Where's the editor?, June 5, 2005

By 

W. Chen "circusoflife" (TiERRA / EARTh / TERRAin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Geographic Atlas of the Ocean: The Deep Frontier (Hardcover)

The word Atlas is misleading as there is alot of text accompanying the various maps. Some pages are nothing but text. I expect an Atlas to use maps to explain more rather than words. The maps that are in the book are good, but numerous sections do not have one.

The book is split into sections/topics written by individual persons. However, in many sections the text ends in mid-sentence, as if several pages were forgotten about in each section or as if there was some arbitrary cutoff on the # of words per section.

of this approx 200 page book, sentence cutoffs appear on these pages. Each page also represents the end of a section.

p.37,55,63,82,89,96,115,141,149,163, and 175

clearly, not just a simple oversight.

Also, the table of contents is inadequate, as it primarily denotes the major sections - which is by ocean, but not the individual topics.

I give this 2 stars (Rather than 1) as the idea is good, and the content that is in the book - looks good. Execution is another story. Frankly, I would be a embarassed by the editing and quality control oversights.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding photographs, interesting maps, dodgy text., February 6, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Atlas of the Ocean : The Deep Frontier (Hardcover)

If you are looking for a coffee book with excellent illustrations I would definately recommend this book. Should you wish to read it I would hesitate on recommending it. The text is disjointed and the main topic of a paragraph is often confused with numerous (tentatively linked) topics. Issues are readdressed time and time again, which leads me to think the book is more a series of strung together papers rather than a well thought out book. However, if you don't mind that, the book does introduce many interesting people involved in marine science and as I said, the illustrations are outstanding.