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Water Baby: The Story of Alvin Hardcover – October 18, 1990

5.0 out of 5 stars 7

A riveting history of the world's first deep-diving submarine. Packed with colorful characters, close calls, and amazing discoveries, Water Baby provides a fascinating warts-and-all portrait of how science is actually done. Beautifully illustrated with sixteen pages of full-color and dozens of black-and-white photographs.

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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

The location of the Titanic and the discovery of marine plants surviving at unheard-of ocean depths were among the many underwater wonders espied by scientists aboard the submarine Alvin in the early 1970s. Kaharl, a science writer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, at which Alvin is based, conveys the excitement of these discoveries. Readers will also learn of the initial skepticism of many scientists and administrators toward the idea of a research submersible, of the politics of obtaining funding for its operation, of rivalry among scientists, the technical problems of safely operating a vessel and equipment of great complexity, and the difficulties encountered by female oceanographers before 1980. Of interest to the general public as well as to young adults, the book could nevertheless have been improved through tighter editing and the inclusion of suggestions for further reading.
- Judith B. Barnett, Pell Marine Science Lib., Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

About the Author:
Victoria A. Kaharl is Science Writer in Residence at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; First Edition (October 18, 1990)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0195061918
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195061918
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.79 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.46 x 9.56 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 out of 5 stars 7

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Victoria A. Kaharl
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Customer reviews

5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5
7 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2015
An excellent in-depth look at the early history of the Alvin submersible (up to 1989, the vehicle's 25th anniversary) that gives a real picture of how difficult and tenuous those early years before its current superstardom were. So many details both profound and amusing that I had never read elsewhere were included, including several vintage editorial cartoons about Alvin's early career and the Palomares incident. I would recommend this book to devoted fans of the history of underwater exploration, although those considering buying it for younger fans should be aware that Kaharl presents the authentic "sailor talk" of the seagoing folk involved, dirty-words and all, without asterisks or dashes. For the hardcore Alvin fan, this book is a must, and one can only hope a similar sequel convering the subsequent 25 years of Alvin's career may someday be produced.
Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2016
Alvin is a deep submersible managed by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution which after 50 years of service and some overhauls is still one of the best tools available to the scientists for exploring the deep oceans.In this book Victoria Kaharl describes the origin of Alvin, the first exciting explorations, including the dive on the famed wreck of the Titanic, and how it was a game changer for oceanography. Through the pages of the book a surprising picture of Alvin and its pilots, the scientists that dived with the sub, the ingenuity of the crew, and the complex politics of finding funds for the operations develops. The book is a deserved tribute to the people that made possible to build and operate Alvin.
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2011
I was happy to stumble upon this book while browsing on Amazon. It is a thicker book than I anticipated. If you are interested in Alvin or oceanography, get a copy of this if you can.
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