Customer Reviews

Whales and Dolphins Pb

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The list of contributing photographers in this book reads like as "Who's Who" of the world's best and their images are quite outstanding. That is the only saving grace and for which two stars are retained. Sadly, this particular publishing firm has a penchant for hiding an inferior product behind a façade of excellent images. Any review must, therefore, beyond such pictures to the overall content, the purpose of the book and at the qualifications of the co-authors. I use the term "qualifications" because this book seeks to be a technical work on the vast subject of the world of Dolphins and Whales. Such a project could only be attempted by persons who are competent in terms of knowledge and experience. Curiously, this book is almost identical in layout to the book "Sharks" from the same stable.

Maurizio Würtz & Nadia Repetto are not known to me and, sadly, neither are afforded any form of biography or explanation. Consequently, we remain unaware of whether or not these two people are 18 year old students, experienced scuba divers or ancient professors of cetology - and that is very important because one feels that any such experience, office or qualifications would have been mentioned.

With yet another very short "Contents" page, the 7 chapters are listed as; From Myth to Reality, The Birth of Modern Cetology, Whaling, Return to the Sea, A Mammal that lives like a Fish, the Reason for current Cetacean Distribution, and The Cetaceans - A Guide. The quality of English continues to bemuse those of us for whom it is a first language. It matters not what the qualifications or experience of any translator may be, having been translated from the original Italian, all that is required is for a "British" person to give the text a final check. Very much we are hoping yours will be the understanding of this point!

The co-authors are credited with the text and drawings - although straight away many of these are historic and were originally reproduced during the 19th Century - if not before! Whilst they may be correctly credited to the library from which they were obtained (along with all "illustrations" on the last page), the book has started with the clear impression that these authors are responsible for such artwork. This is shoddy at best.

The lack of those biographies, coupled with a want for detail surrounding that ancient artwork, creates the indelible impression that this work owes more to the photocopier than to personal knowledge or experience. Technical books demand the proficiency of all authors and only through the acquisition of requisite skills will the reader discover that all-important new information - imparted after years of research and study. Equally sadly, there is nothing new in this book.

In short, this is yet another mass-produced item from White Star Publishing of Italy who have a reputation for specialising in quantity over quality. In a poor attempt to explain the Whale - from evolution to the present day, it draws on ancient mythology - written as though it were fact with the sources not explained. It is another book which, if serious, would contain at least one page of references and bibliography. This work has no such information at all. In addition, some of the so-called technical detail to be questionable. In short, this book cannot be trusted and must be dismissed as the outpourings from armchair experts and will only disappoint sooner or later.

For those requiring serious books on this subject, may I suggest you look to such acknowledged experts as Mark Carwardine, Jacques Cousteau, R. Harrison and M. Bryden or Dr. Anthony Martin. Even the two early books by Cousteau (The Whale 1972 and Dolphins 1974) are far superior to this product.

NM