Between Species: Celebrating the Dolphin-Human Bond (Hardcover)

~ Toni Frohoff (Editor), Brenda Peterson (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The prospect of interspecies communication is replete with utopian and even religious implications, an animistic spirituality wrapped in scientific trappings. This interesting but uneven collection, edited by behavioral biologist Frohoff and nature writer Peterson (Living by Water), brings together essays by writers, scientists, poets and even musicians, all of whom claim some ambassadorship to the cetacean world. Diane Ackerman, in her essay "At-One-Ment," recounts a blithely enchanting round of dolphin horseplay in the Bahamas. The late John Lilly-counterculture neurophysiologist, inventor of the isolation tank and most eloquent spokesperson for dolphin sentience-delivers a final, previously unpublished plea for a "cetacean nation." Many of the essays weigh in on the topic of "swim with the dolphins" programs that have blossomed in popularity over the last decade or so, and which pose tough questions about the tourist economy that often arbitrates the dolphin/human interface. While many of the essays are amateurishly written, or somewhat treacly in their New Age world view (one writer brags of playing live reggae music to a pod of beluga whales in the Arctic, punctuated with Tibetan gongs), the collection presents an important group of voices in the world community of dolphin lovers, perhaps providing a step towards more sophisticated writings in the future.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Takes the classic 1974 collection of essays, 'Mind in the Waters,' compiled by Joanna McIntyre, one step further. . . . A gentle book by people whose lives have been changed by their relationships with dolphins. Some of the writers want to be forgiven; others set free. A few, and these are the best, just want to tell you what it feels like to be made more human by their relationships with dolphins."--Los Angeles Times Book Review, Discoveries column -- Review

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 373 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club Books; 1 edition (May 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578050707
• ISBN-13: 978-1578050703
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,156,411 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading for Dolphin Scientists and Naturalists, July 31, 2003

By	Robert Feldman (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

Finally, a book that looks at dolphins and people from a scientific perspective and not just the standard New Age hype. It was exciting to read essays by the leading experts in this field - some of the world's leading nature writers and dolphin biologist together. The writers aren't afraid to take an honest look at how we influence dolphins, which may be surprising for those who frequent Sea World waiting for a free ride from a dolphin. Instead, look forward to a seminal collection about how far (or little) we've come since John Lilly first spoke about human dolphin communication 25 years ago.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "Must-Read" for Dolphin Lovers, December 30, 2007

By	Ana Burroughs (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This book was amazing. It was an elegant yet honest exploration of swimming with dolphins and dolphins in general. It was like taking an outdoor class with some of the world's best and most varied dolphin experts around the world. Nowhere else can I learn about dolphins in original pieces by Jean Michel Cousteau, Marc Bekoff, Sy Montgomery, Kathleen Dudzinski, Diane Ackerman, John Lilly, Paul Spong, and other stellar dolphin pioneers. I'm a marine biologist and yet I learned things about dolphins and interspecies communication that I never have learned anywhere else. It opened my eyes to new things about dolphins and people ... how dolphins save human lives, how people save dolphins, and how people can even unintentionally hurt dolphins because they want to be so close to them. I drank this book up, and when I see dolphins now, I relate to them so much more. The only downfall was that the book had some sad notes, but that is how the real life of a dolphin is. Overall I thought it was incredibly inspiring and I felt like I'd been swimming with dolphins for years after reading it!

5.0 out of 5 stars Between Species, January 20, 2008

By	Alice Ashley (California) - See all my reviews

This book touched me so deeply. The stories are powerful and incredibly moving. It's a must read for anyone who calls themselves an animal lover. I have a new found respect and insight for the dolphins, as well as, the people who put themselves at great risk to save them. I, like many others, merely think about helping these wonderful creatures... thank God there are actually people out there that walk the talk and are making a difference for the lives of these amazing and beautiful beings. This book has lifted my spirits and inspired me in way that no other book has done before. Bravo!