Customer Reviews

The Year of the Whale

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The guy on the cover is no hippie, but he speaks persuasively of the need to conserve our natural resources. His argument is that we cannot justify in logical terms why whales are necessary, but that because they exist and are amazing creatures, we should avoid their destruction -- simply because they are part of what makes life amazing. To reach this point of view, Scheffer shows us a year in the life of a young whale and all of the trials it faces, as well as the life cycle of whales. To many, this is a first introduction to how these creatures exist and what makes them unique and beautiful. I felt a gaining of empathy for whales and recovery from how annoying the "save the whales" people tend to be. If you can find this book, it is a great read that takes on serious issues without being preachy.

Like it or not, the journey of the whale is more interesting than our own. That's one of the reason's I grabbed `The Year of the Whale' from the $1 bin. When I saw it was written in 1969 (yr of my birth), I nearly put it back. Why read outdated whale data when there is plenty of current info available?

It was Victor Sheffer's ability to tell a story which quickly piqued and maintained my interest. He follows a calf's first year of life; mixing in complementary whale stories along the way.

By entering the head of an animal, an author risks leaving the reader with animated imagery. VS is able to describe the thoughts of a mother sperm whale and her calf, while remaining vested in a real undersea experience. He relates the thinking of the whale to that of man; often showing more reverence for the older mammal.

A particularly interesting section described, Susie, the first sperm whale in captivity. Named after a young girl who frequented the aquarium, the whale faced great adversity. VS has a real gift for encapsulating a story, often doing so in less than 1 page.

TYotW is an early conservationist book. Young readers will be surprised at the ease with which the slaughter is described. At the same time, VS offers a compassionate tribute to these mammoth creatures; explaining their vital role.

A terrific blend of poetry and science, 'The Year of the Whale' is a must for whale enthusiasts and lovers of the sea.