Shark Trouble (Hardcover)

by Peter Benchley (Author) "LET'S START WITH A STORY ABOUT SHARKS: DANGEROUS REEF, IN THE Neptune Islands, 1974..." (more)
Key Phrases: bull sharks, giant squid, great white shark, Peter Benchle, Shark Trouble, South Australia (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Last summer, the media fueled a shark attack scare when in fact the number of incidents was below average. This year seems primed to be the "Summer of the Shark Book," in which authors interested in the predatory fish capitalize on last summer's hype just in time for this summer's beach crowd. Shark is an anthology of excerpts from previously published books and articles, including Peter Benchley's Jaws, Eugenie Clark's Lady with a Spear, Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, and Jean-Michel Cousteau's Cousteau's Great White Shark. The only apparent common thread is that the selections feature people being attacked by sharks or sharks being attacked by people. The fact that this is part of the "Adrenaline Book" series is a good clue as to the nature of this volume. Benchley's Shark Trouble is intended more as an argument against the hype than more fuel for it. The author's introduction emphasizes how much has been learned since he wrote Jaws in 1974 and that sharks, including the most fearsome ones, are in much more danger from humans than humans from sharks. A chapter called "The Summer of Hype" sets the record straight on last year's media hysteria. Other chapters discuss the real dangers of swimming in the ocean (e.g., tides, rips, and other currents) and how to avoid getting caught. Some personal shark anecdotes add excitement as well. Benchley's solid and informative book is recommended for public and school libraries, especially where there is an interest in the ocean and scuba diving. Shark is not recommended; libraries would do better to purchase the publications that it highlights, plus a few other classic shark books, such as Thomas H. Lineaweaver's The Natural History of the Shark. [John A. Musick and Beverly McMillan's The Shark Chronicles: A Scientist Tracks the Consummate Predator is coming in September from Holt. Ed.] Margaret A. Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., M.
- Margaret A. Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
The man who wrote Jaws in 1974 and White Shark 20 yearslater is not merely a wily storyteller playing on our fears ofmonsters from the deep but, rather, a knowledgeable and intrepid diverand a passionate advocate for the preservation of ocean life. Inaddition to writing his best-selling, movie-compatible novels,Benchley has also reported for National Geographic and the NewYork Times and written and hosted television documentaries, and hedraws on both his research and risky but revelatory ocean experiencesto create a suspenseful and resonantly informative overview of thelives of sharks and other amazing creatures who dwell in the nowworrisomely overfished seas. Benchley begins by gently mocking thehysteria of both the media and the public over shark attacks duringthe summer of 2001. Not only was the number of tragic run-ins betweenhumans and sharks normal, Benchley writes, the truth of the matter isthat "for every human being killed by a shark, roughly ten millionsharks are killed by humans." Handy with statistics and quick to cracka joke with himself as the target, Benchley offers riveting accountsof his and his family's up close and personal encounters with sharks,a gigantic manta ray, a friendly killer whale, barracuda, and sundryother wild creatures. These vivid moments inspire clarion tributes tothe wonder of the entire marine ecosystem, and a no-nonsense warningabout the disastrous consequences of continued assaults against "theworld's largest primal wilderness." It's a boon to have a writer withsuch tremendous name recognition speak up for nature. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Random House; 1st edition (June 4, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375508244
• ISBN-13: 978-0375508240
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,204,095 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable listening, but..., April 15, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Shark Trouble: True Stories About Sharks and the Sea by the author of Jaws (Audio CD)

Peter Benchley makes a good, light, and accomplished reading of his own book. This is easily accessible and not bogged down with science, though depending on what you want, that could be a drawback also. There are some good personal anecdotes. I liked the story of Peter's swim (flight?) on the back of a Manta Ray, and the time he nearly got his family eaten by Hammerheads.

It should be said that the book seems a little disjointed at times, and there are chapters that actually have nothing to do with sharks, but instead talk about safety in the water and other sea creatures. The author takes a strong environmental attitude throughout with regard to shark conservation, and is critical of the bad press sharks get in the media (but Peter, didn't you.. er.. have just a little to do with that?)

A good book for light reading or listening, but don't expect too much in the way of serious information.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ for all who swim in the ocean, July 22, 2002

By	Matthew Munyon (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I highly recommend this book for anyone who swims in the ocean, parents of children who will swim in the ocean (even for those who simply wade in) and for anyone who has trouble re-entering the ocean after reading and/or watching "JAWS."

Peter Benchley takes an almost apologetic tone in the first part (of three parts) of the book to first the general public and second to ocean and marine life scientists for writing a book (JAWS, 1974), that turned into a movie, that scared so many reader's/viewer's pants off to go into any body of water other than the family pool or bathtub. He also tells the very interesting story of how he came to write "JAWS".

Peter Benchley masterfully weaves his and family's many awe-inspiring as well as heart-pounding, real-life adventures in bodies of water all over the world (as well as the adventure of others) with lots of "how-to" and "you-can-use" information about the ocean, from her shores to her depths and all the life inbetween.

His point? Know and respect the ocean and life within, and she'll welcome you in; ignore her (warning) signs and she'll bite you (sometimes literally).

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super book!, July 14, 2002

By	Library director "medinalib" (Medina, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Highly recommended for the armchair adventurer: entertaining, engrossing, informative, well written. Peter Benchley describes some of his personal shark-adventures with intelligence, modesty and wit. Interwoven with the extraordinary episodes he describes are both general ecological observations and specific, practical advice for seashore swimmers.