Product Description
This book was just awarded the 2009 Merit Award for excellence in book design, book production and book manufacturing. This award was presented to Brookes Publishing by the 23rd Annual New York Book Show, sponsored by the Bookbinders' Guild in New York.
When learners with autism have deep, consuming fascinations trains, triangles, basketballs, whales teachers often wonder what to do. This concise, highly practical guidebook gives educators across grade levels a powerful new way to think about students obsessions as positive teaching tools that calm, motivate, and improve learning.
Written by top autism experts and nationally renowned speakers Paula Kluth and Patrick Schwarz, this guide is brimming with easy tips and strategies for folding students' special interests, strengths, and areas of expertise into classroom lessons and routines. Teachers will discover how making the most of fascinations can help their students learn standards-based academic content, boost literacy learning and mathematics skills, develop social connections, expand communication skills minimize anxiety, and much more.
Packed from start to finish with unforgettable stories based on the authors' experience, firsthand perspectives from people with autism themselves, research-based recommendations that are easy to use right away, and sample forms teachers can adapt for use in their own classrooms. An enjoyable read with an eye-opening message, this short book will have a long-lasting impact on teachers' understanding of autism and on their students' social and academic success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Just Give Him the Whale
Great ideas for educators to implement in their curriculum.The solutions in this book are not just for students with ASD but for keeping any student interested in the course materials.

A truly inspiring and positive book!
An amazing book!Paula Kluth reveals a collection of fascinating stories that provide insight into the truths about students with autism in our schools. This book is filled with useful information for tools and strategies we can use to support inclusion and facilitate a valuable learning experience for all students.As teachers we should always strive to motivate and engage our students as individual learners.I would recommend this book to any teacher who aims to appreciate the interests and passions of his or her students and use those fascinations in the implementation of valuable lessons.
A truly inspiring and positive book.

Motivation
At its core, Autism isn't a deficit of intellect or capacity - its a deficit or misalignment of motivation and engagement.

If you can motivate; if you can keep the child engaged - then the possibilities are enormous.

Motivation and engagement aren't simple to achieve, though. And "giving the child the whale" won't work as a party trick. Children with autism have a keen sense of sincerity and authenticity.

This book is great and a wonderful resource for parents, teachers, supports and friends and family of a child with ASD.

My only word of caution is that, as with all things, balance is really important. Sometimes "giving the child the whale" will contribute to engagement. But sometimes, the attachment of the child's attention to the "whale" is so great, that the child will then find it difficult to engage with anything or anyone other than the "whale" itself.

Butthat's ok. Because the suggestions in this book aren't party tricks. They aren't cute little tips that will automatically transform a child struggling with a loud and confusing classroom or other environment into a model student.The suggestions are gateways. They're about motivating the adult to think about things differently, to work a little harder (with less judgment) to find the keys to motivation and engagement.

A MUST read...
It's hard to decide what I love most about this book. Throughout the book Kluth and Schwartz combine three essential elements for working with All children:Respecting difference, challenging assumptions, and empowering learners.From the cover to the last page they get the reader thinking about the biases that influence how we view children(they're fascinations, not obssessions!) and they offer hands-on, realistic strategies for bringing out the best in all students.They tell stories from teachers and students who have found success in creative ways. It's inspiring and positive throughout. I bought a copy for myself, then ordered several more to share.

Tons of great ideas
Great book-- filled with dozens of examples and has ideas on using fascinations to calm, comfort, inspire, teach literacy and math, and support social skills & communication efforts. Lots of good stories too and applications for elementary and secondary classrooms. My friend recommended it to me & now I am recommending it to both parents and teachers. ... Read more

Product Description
Eleven-year-old Isabel is a “plain old” girl living in Provincetown, Massachusetts, who believes that she is destined to accomplish something special. When her fifth-grade class goes on a whale-watch field trip, something amazing happens: Dozens of different species of whales surround the boat, bumping the deck and sending Isabel flying into the ocean. Isabel is shocked to hear the whales speaking to her—she is a mermaid, they tell her, a “Chosen One” who has the ability to turn from a human into a whale and back again. She is destined to live among the whales long enough to learn their ways, and teach them about the human world.

Living among her pod is fun, at first, but Isabel has an important mission. She will change the whales’ future forever, and learn a lot about herself in the process.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Isabel the whale
Isabel of the Whales is definetly one of the best books I have ever read. It is about a girl who turns into a whale, and when she does this, she basically travel to and fro as the seasons come and go with her new found whale family. The travels are told from a what seems kindove like a whale's point of view, instead of a humans. (Even though it basically is both!) An exciting twist on a modern story, and a definite page turner, I highly recommend this book to anyone!

A beautiful and pure fantasy for all ages...
I only recently discovered this book, and, I have to say I almost could not put it down! Not only is the fantasy part lovely in its imagery, but, the technical facts about the sea creatures are informative and amazing. Any author would be proud to call this tome her own, and, Ms. Velmans should be congratulated. I only hope that one day this is made into a movie of the Disney/Pixar type. It would be an instant classic, not like those forgettable straight-to-dvds they seem to be churning out the past ten years.

best whale book !!!
I think this book is excellent !!! This book made me stay up late to keep on reading it until my mom told me to turn out the light.I think it is the best whale book I've ever read. Isabel of the whales makes me think I'm actually with her learning to ping and ring and sing. I would definitely recommend this book. I think itwould be very hard to have two families like Isabel.

I loved it!
This book was amazing.I read it with my seven year old daughter.We both couldn't wait to read some more the next night.My daughter learned a ton about whales and the writing was fabulous.Wonderful, imaginative, creative book.I hope she writes some more.

This book is truly amazing!
This book is just wonderful. Packed with romance, adventure and tragedy, you won't want to put this book down. The story gets more exciting with every sentence you read. A surprise is packed inside every page. This is honestly one of the best books I've ever read. You should DEFINETLY get your copy today! ... Read more

Product Description
Glashka can . . . but with that mysterious power comes great responsibility. When she discovers thousands of whales trapped in a rapidly freezing inlet, she knows it is up to her to gather the people of her town to help them.
Based on an actual event, this inspiring story follows Glashka and her people as they come to understand the importance of all life.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Superb
A perfect book in so many ways for a unit study.It includes unique illustrations begging to be imitated.It takes place in a remote part of the world which lends itself well to geography studies.Bring in the study of Beluga whales, icebreakers and the Inuit lifestyle and you've got an incredible story.

Even better that it's based on a true story.My kids beg me to read this over and over.It's time to avoid the library late fees and just buy the book now.

Touching Story with Beautiful Illustrations
This is based on the true story of the rescue of beluga whales by the people of the Chuchki peninsular, told through the eyes of of a young girl. It is beautifully illustrated in soft muted tones that inspire a wonderful sense of the arctic winter. I used this story as part of earth day education for my scout troop, to demonstrate the relationship between people and the earth.It is best suited to 6 -8 year olds as the story and illustrations are complex and require good listening/observation skills. My girls loved the true story notes at the end. I had many parents ask me about the story afterward - so obviously there was a lot of retelling of the story by the girls at home.

Symphony of Whales
Honours children's closeness to Spirit and is a beautiful story - being based on a true story all the more memorable.

An Excellent Book on Community and Relationships
I purchased this book (among many on here) for my unit on whales and the Inuit (Eskimo) people for my first grade class.This was a great book to share the relationship the people have with whales.It also shared a wonderful way the communities work together as well.What a great book! If you like whales, this is a great one to read to children!

Very Surprising
Although technically a children's book, "A Symphony of Whales" shook me up and blew me away with rich illustrations and an even more potent story.Sweet and simple, author Schuch tells the beautiful story of an Inuit girl and her whale spirit friend "Narna" -- and (not to give away the ending) the dramatic escape of three thousand whales trapped in an icy inlet of the Pacific ocean.

Not to be cute, but the book really is as much for adults as for children.Illustrator Peter Sylvada's pictures must literally be seen to be believed. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes how a migrating humpback whale mistakenly entered the San Francisco Bay in 1985 and swam sixty-four miles inland before being led back to the sea by people concerned for his welfare. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Humphrey the Lost Whale
A wonderful story of nature helping humans, help nature.Humphrey helped focus on the wonder of the seas for just a little while.A great read for children just starting to appreciate books.

Humphrey the lost whale
I was so happy to find this book for a friends little boy.I was there to watch them help Humphrey out os San Francisco Bay....We had followed his path.I know he will love having it read to him...
They had to locate the book and took the time to find it for me...Thank you so much!!!

A True and Wonderful Tale
Several years ago I read this book to my nephews while we waited for the doctor.Over the years I reminded them of the story, whenever the subject of whales came up. I purchased the book to share again with my nephews, and during this school year they studied ocean life.When they told their teacher about the book she wanted to share with it the class.All of the children loved the story of Humphrey.

Great story
Got this too, after seeing it on Reading Rainbow. I grew up 30 mins from where Humphrey was and remembered it from when I was a kid. I wanted to share it with my kids and they love it too.

Humphrey the lost whale
I think this book is good because it is a true story about a lost humpback whale that goes into the Sacramento River. I like this book because we are studying marine mammals in class. ... Read more

Product Description
In Cheryl Kaye Tardif's heart-wrenching Whale Song, haunting native legends merge with the modern world as two cultures collide, and a young woman struggles with long-forgotten memories of her mother's suicide.

Thirteen years ago, Sarah Richardson's life was shattered when her mother committed suicide. The shocking tragedy left a grief-stricken teen-aged Sarah with partial amnesia.

Some things are easier to forget.

But now a familiar voice from her past sends Sarah, a talented mid-twenties ad exec, back to her past. A past that she had thought was long buried.

Some things are meant to be buried.

Torn by nightmares and visions of a yellow-eyed wolf, yet aided by the creatures of the Earth and by the killer whales that call to her in the night, Sarah must face her fears and uncover the truth―even if it destroys her.

Some things are meant to be remembered―at all cost. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

An amazing story
I read Whale Song over a few nights and was unable to put it down at the end.
Whale Song is a powerful story of love and loss, family and friendship, bullying and ultimate forgiveness. Cheryl draws you into the lives of the Nootka Indians and allows the reader to experience Indian folklore firsthand.
I experienced a myriad of emotions...I laughed and cried and my heart soared at the ultimate act of love.

I will recommend this book to everyone who is looking for a great book.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif writes like the flow of a river
I found this book spiritual, mystical and very sweet. Cheryl Kaye Tardif writes like the flow of a river. I was transported to this tiny island in Canada and felt life I had also grown up there. Some people will say that since it is focused on a young girl coming of age, men/boys may not relate to it... this is absolutely false... anyone who is young or young at heart will love this book. I plan on buying copies for many of my friends and family this December. It will forever hold a small place in my heart.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif, you are an inspiration!
Anyone who has heard the haunting sound of a whale's song will never forget it. So it is with this story, mystical, honest, haunting and wonderful. So emotional in fact, that I am writing this review while my eyes are still damp with tears. Tears of joy, tears of sorrow, and a great feeling of enlightenment and belonging.The rich blend of lifestyles from the prairies of Wyoming to Vancouver Island's rugged west coast in British Columbia, both very remote, brings together a family who have never seen an ocean to the very shores in their new home, and a traditional indian family whose roots go back many hundreds of years.The area around Bamfield is largely populated by the Huu-ay-aht Tribe and the warmth of the people represented in this novel is passed on to us in a way that feels personal. Cheryl Kaye Tardif, you moved me. I read this straight through without setting it down once.

The story begins with Sarah, an eleven year old girl, learning that her marine-biologist father has been offered an opportunity he can't refuse, nor wants to, to live and work near Bamfield for a couple of years. His artist wife, well-known for her paintings of the plains will have the opportunity to paint different scenes in their new home.Sarah of course does not want to move, her best friend is here in Wyoming. However, at eleven one has little in the way of choices. But Sarah has no idea how much her new home will change her life.Though well-populated with many full-fledged characters, this is really Sarah's story.

If I take nothing more away with me from reading this book, these three alone were worth the read:live life fully; "forgiveness will set you free"; know when to let go. Of course I loved many things about this book, and it deals with many subjects that afflict peoples lives today. [On a personal note, I mean no disrespect when I refer to our native people as indian. As a Chief once told my husband when he asked what he wanted him to call him, he said to call him an indian, the government made him an indian when they created the legislation in the 1800s, and they call themselves indian because why should they keep changing names, because someone tells them to?]*

Very soon after arriving at their new rural home, Sarah meets Goldie, her neighbor who is indian and also eleven. They become the best of friends and very soon both families become as close as non-family can be.Goldie's grandmother Nana, regales the girls with many legends, and yet it seems that she is tapping into something that Sarah is thinking or troubled about. I know, you are wondering about the whales. Sarah had been warned by her parents never to swim past the float because a young boy had tried to swim to the nearby island the year before and drowned. Sarah soon hears from Goldie that she believes her brother is now an Orca (Killer Whale) and swims nearby so she can talk to him. Nana narrates the legend to the girls later and Sarah then understands what Goldie was talking about. Sarah's mother and Nana have also become good friends, and incorporating something of the legends in her newer paintings have given her even more notice for the mystic quality they present.

When school starts, the girls find they are in the same classroom, and sit next to each other.But trouble brews for Sarah in a case of racism and bullying all through the first year.All is not terror for her though, as she becomes popular among her classmates and has also caught the eye of a popular young boy Adam, causing her to giggle and blush every time he looks at her.Goldie tells her he is part Haida, part white. A field trip on the boat Sarah's father does his research on brings a great windup to the school year. They are all mesmerized by the sounds of both fish and whales after Sarah's father drops the echolocation microphone into the water and turns the volume up so all can hear. Adam in particular looks toward his future as he learns as much as he can from Sarah's father.

The book takes place over approximately 13-14 years and there is so much to tell, but I will not plant spoilers. I have left a large part of the book undiscussed. Let me just say that this is one book I am thrilled to have had the opportunity not only to read, but to feel.It is as though I was dropped into the mind of Sarah and existing within these pages myself, feeling every emotion.Cheryl Kaye Tardif, you are an inspiration!The version I am reviewing is an ebook, and is more recent than the original printed book (I chose the pdf file and printed it because I don't have a reader). This book should be read by everyone, perhaps a little too sad in places for young children but definitely for 12+ because some of the lessons learned, almost by absorption, are particularly applicable to that age group.For the rest of us, we are never too old to learn something new, and sometimes you can go home again.
*This review is written by a Canadian reader, I refer to Canadian legislation

"Forgiveness sets you free"

Canadian author Cheryl Kaye Tardif has a winning combination in her young adult book Whale Song: A Novel. Against a vivid Vancouver Island backdrop she weaves together many effective elements: the native American spirit world, symbolism of the orca (killer whale), racism and bullying, and the tragedy and redemption that run through young Sarah's family.

Eleven-year-old Sarah Richardson moves from Wyoming to Vancouver Island in Canada where her marine biologist father has a new job. Sarah feels alienated, but she makes a new friend in her neighbor Goldie, a Nootka Indian whose grandmother introduces Sarah to the traditional stories of their tribe. Goldie's family tragically lost a son to drowning and the young Goldie believes that the orcas are a link to the spirit of her brother.

When Sarah's artist mother becomes gravely ill, things spin out of control; at the height of her pain Sarah develops a hysterical amnesia and loses both her parents. Years later, emotionally closed-off to everything that had been meaningful to her, she finally finds peace in the love that she had known on Vancouver Island.

The author tells the story in Sarah's voice, and the prose is plaintive and rich. At times you may be reminded of gothic romance:

"...I felt restless and uneasy. I somehow knew that my life would change the second we drove into those trees.

"Destiny...or fate?"

The foreshadowing of tragedy, the intense emotion, a mystery, the suggestion of supernatural elements, loved ones kept apart by a misunderstanding... all gothic elements. But WHALE SONG is decidedly contemporary in the issues faced by adolescents finding their way to adulthood. The values and outcomes are just what you'd want for family reading, and this book will be enjoyed by all ages.

Cheryl Kaye Tardif handles the good and bad of family life with a sure hand, and tells a story that sings; you will remember this award-winning book for a long, long time.

Linda Bulger, 2009

Beautiful Tale of a Young Girl
This book told a beautiful story of a young girl who experienced a personal tragedy, but at the same time, learned life lessons from some very special people and even from the whales her father studied.

Within a native culture setting in Canada, young Sarah moved there with her mom and dad, away from everything she knew. After they arrived at their new home, her father (a marine biologist) began his new job and shared his excitement with his wife and daughter Sarah. His study of killer whales would turn out to be more significant to his daughter than any of them knew.

Sarah met a new young friend, Goldie, and her very spiritual, mystical grandmother, Nana, who showed Sarah the ways of her people and taught her a different way of thinking.

Sarah experienced a difficult time adapting to a new school with mostly Indian children. But nothing could compare with what Sarah experienced later, when her whole world came crashing down around her.

Although the book was a very easy read, I could not put it down. The text flowed perfectly and the story was very beautiful. A great story for young or old. ... Read more

Product Description
"The questions he poses about the relationship between technical change and political power are pressing ones that can no longer be ignored, and identifying them is perhaps the most a nascent 'philosophy of technology' can expect to achieve at the present time."--David Dickson, New York Times Book Review

"The Whale and the Reactor is the philosopher's equivalent of superb public history.In its pages an analytically trained mind confronts some of the most pressing political issues of our day."--Ruth Schwartz Cowan, Isis ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

recognition and reflection
In The Whale and the Reactor, Langdon Winner asserts that technology is inseparably connected with politics, in that the technological decisions we make are often decisions significantly shaped and motivated by political forces.Some of these politically shaped technologies are obvious, such as those created for and used by the military.However, most are much more subtle.Winner provides an example early in the book about the bridges over parkways in Long Island, New York, describing how they are only nine feet tall.He then claims that these bridges were actually politically designed and built to achieve a specific social affect; to keep busses, and thus the poor and racial minorities, out of public parks.
Winner's primary intention is not necessarily to restructure or provide alternatives to the role politics has in technology, but rather to first recognize it.Winner asserts that the concept of technological determinism is much too strong, but claims that currently we exist in technological somnambulism, "willingly sleepwalking through the process of reconstituting the conditions of human existence."Although it need not be, technology, driven by politics, is shaping the world in which we live, rather than a cognitive society as a whole.
Winner also argues that politics also uses the promise of technology to restructure and format society to its liking.Many technologies need a specific structure around them to function at their greatest potential.By controlling technology, something society has blindly placed their faith in, politics can in turn control the structure of society necessary for technology to prosper.This does not, however, take into consideration the possibility that instead of society attuning itself to the demands of technology, technology may instead attune itself to the demands of society.The characteristics of technology may in fact be a result of cultural values rather than exclusively political ones.
Either way Winner makes a significant point in that whatever our current situation is, we appear to be sleepwalking through it.To rectify our condition, we must first recognize, and reflect on it thoroughly.Winner's book is well worth reading and at the very least sheds some important light on our circumstance at present.

This is a Great Book!!
We have just finished this book in our Book Club here in Ann Arbor, Michigan.The debate that we spawned from the material was intense and exciting.

This book clearly defines an interesting problem that is hidden underneath a complex facade of consumerism and innovation.Winner chooses not to offer alternatives to our pursuit of unlimited technology, but instead, he describes certain aspects of technology, such as politics, that should be taken into consideration as society blindly accepts technology on a product-by-product basis.How are we being limited??This is an important question to ponder as you read this.

His way of citing examples is actually VERY humorous and embarrassing at times, which makes the book easy and enjoyable to read. Instead of being told WHAT to be aware of, he sets up a method that informs the reader on HOW to be MORE aware of the technology around us and the implications of it.I believe that this a very effective way to make people think without ranting about political views, etc.

I wish they would reissue this book with a beautiful cover design, it truly deserves more attention...

This is a Great Book!!
The debate that our book club spawned from the material was intense and exciting.

This book clearly defines an interesting problem that is hidden underneath a complex facade of consumerism and innovation.Winner chooses not to offer alternatives to our pursuit of unlimited technology, but instead, he describes certain aspects of technology, such as politics, that should be taken into consideration as society blindly accepts technology on a product-by-product basis.How are we being limited??This is an important question to ponder as you read this.

His way of citing examples is actually VERY humorous and embarrassing at times, which makes the book easy and enjoyable to read. Instead of being told WHAT to be aware of, he sets up a method that informs the reader on HOW to be MORE aware of the technology around us and the implications of it.I believe that this a very effective way to make people think without ranting about political views, etc.

I wish they would reissue this book with a beautiful cover design, it truly deserves more attention.

Darkness of Technology
In this book, Langdon Winner presents a philosophical description of the position of those who oppose the paramount place technology has taken in society. Central to Winner�s argument is his observation that technology is inherently political. He presets two ways in which this is so. The first, which is rather unconvincing, is that a piece of technology can be used as a means of political coercion. He cites the fact that Robert Moses designed the overpasses on the parkways around New York City to be so low as to prevent buses from using them. This ensured that low-income people could not live in the communities adjacent to these parkways which was a political aim of Moses. Now Moses used technology in this case but since technology represents the means by which things are done in the world, this seems to have been inevitable.

Winner makes a much more convincing case for his second form of politics in technology. Any technology requires a compatible environment to work in to achieve maximum efficiency. People who benefit from a specific technology will through political means strive to change society to achieve this compatibility.Specific technologies carry their own political imperatives.

Now in itself the co-evolution of society and technology is not necessarily harmful to human society. Modern technology requires and educated work force and hence drives a political imperative for an educated middleclass population. The needs of technology and a beneficial state of society are compatible in this case. However Winner does not see it this way. He sees technology as an independent force for change that will indifferently discard traditions and social structures that are incompatible with it. Reading his descriptions of society, one realizes that Winner appreciates what could be called the �darkness of society� in analogy to the �darkness of god.�

The darkness of god is the sense of ineffable mystery when one contemplates the power and intentions of god.The magnificence of god is tied to the fact that he is infinitely good and beyond human comprehension. His ineffable mystery provides comfit to his believers. In the same way, Winner wants to find a sense of belonging in society. He objects to the technological view that society is a purely instrumental means of achieving some desirable end. For his society is the thing that gives meaning. Depriving it of this renders the individual helpless and alone.

Winner attempts to understand why others do not see society in this way. In particular he tries to understand why people are quite willing to adapt themselves and their society to the needs of technology. Winner sees that this acceptance of technological change has brought prosperity but cannot see how shallow economic prosperity is preferable to a stable meaning-giving society. Hence the Whale and the Reactor of his title.

What Winner seems to miss is that while technology has political imperatives, as he correctly observes, it is also subject to political imperatives. There is no monolithic thing called technology. Rather there are various technologies that all compete to fit into what would best be called a ecosystem of technological and societal arrangements. Successful technologies then must be aware and adapt to the needs of the larger ecosystem of society.Societal and technological arrangements co-evolve and a successful arrangement must be sensitive to larger needs outside of itself.

This co-evolution is best done in a open educated affluent society that is tolerant of change and divergent views. Technology rather than being a straightjacket requiring conformity from members of society is a slave to society�s needs. It will be By fostering an open educated society it creates the conditions that foster the dignity of the individual.The very political imperatives that control technological development are the reasons why people are willing to adapt to technology. They adapt in an open educated way that provides frees them from obsolete constraints while emphasizing long held beliefs of individual dignity and freedom.

The movies �Modern Times� and �Metropolis� show technology in the way it is viewed by Winner. Technology is shown as an over-powering force that indifferently shapes mankind to its needs. However the dystopias presented in these movies and seen by Winner has not come about. Society has become more open. Society has become freer with the political changes driven by technology.

Winner decries the lack of meaning and tradition he sees around him. To him meaning comes from society and change eliminates meaning. For others, meaning comes from an eternal process of which change is a part. Meaning is not fixed but a continual striving for understanding. Technology is accepted because it is part of that process. Technology is then part of an ineffable darkness by which mankind evolves its meaning.

This is a book well worth reading. Winner's views have wide consonance in society. His feeling of unease in the face of technological change is shared by many. There is a wide gulf in understanding between those who share Winner's view and the bulk of society which finds that its beliefs are compatible with technological change. This gulf can be seen by the mutual incomprehension on both sides of the globalization debate. I disagree with Winner's views and find his view of technology as political incomplete. However he masterfully describes the issues that a5re driving these worldwide protests. Most of these protests are inarticulate expressions of an emotional horror at the loss of meaning. Winner provides us with an insightful analysis of the issues that is clear and thoughtful.

This is a book well worth reading.

Stop and Think About It!
A popular morning radio broadcast here in Detroit has a great bit periodically entitled this, "Stop and think about it."Winner passionately writes with this theme in mind when it comes to technology.

As technology as we now know it seems steamrolling always into new area never ventured and most react with "can't stop progress," this book delivers the good gift of "we'd better start, stopping and thinking more carefully about it."The "it" is the impact of technologies upon society.

Discussions of risk analysis, tradeoffs, environment and ecology, and of course, economics and politics and social sciences and philosophy are all here.

I came away at times frustrated with the critique going on which didn't truly provide great alternatives, but certainly one obtains from reading this profitable work the valuable premise, i.e. shouldn't we be engaging more seriously in setting limits on technology?

Stem cells, and medical technology regarding life & death issues have clearly pushed the technological envelope to the breaking point for all of society.Engage with this subject.This book is good place to enter the dialogue. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (18)

Great Viking Novel
I really enjoyed this book. Admittedly, I'm a fan of Viking novels, so I'm a bit biased. Low demonstrates an immense amount of knowledge about this period, and I believed him from the start. His prose is gritty but paints an amazing picture. Some of the imagery stays with me a year later.

This book is gory and not for the faint of heart. It isn't a very happy tale, and Low pulls no punches. I recommend it to fans of Cornwell, Scarrow, Iggulden, etc.

Visceral debut novel about Vikings
The Whale Road is a stirring historical novel about Orm, a young warrior who joins a band of Viking raiders as they chase artifacts. The author, Robert Low, excels at placing the reader alongside the characters, setting the time and place as NOW instead of THEN. I never felt that I was reading about events that occurred long in the past. Low is a wonderful descriptive writer, flavoring his prose with rich historical and sensory detail. He focuses on smell and taste as much as sight and feel. I also like how he sprinkles in compound words (crow-dark, snake-knots, star-glimmered), which were a staple of sagas of this time. He depicts combat vividly, with plenty of gore. His passion for this period shines through in his writing. The novel features some fantasy elements, which might turn off history purists.

Structurally, the plotting and narration could be stronger. The storyline takes a backseat to the setting and action. The pace lags in the middle, and I expected the climax to pack a better punch. Despite these drawbacks, The Whale Road is a fine debut novel, and I am eager to read Low's next work.

Disappointing
The story is fairly good: the sort of plot that you would expect from the likes of Conn Iggulden. However, The Whale Road doesn't come close to the class of Iggulden, or any other of my favourite historical fiction writers.

I really struggled my way through from beginning to end. There is plenty of action, and most of it is very gory, but the style is tedious. One feels that the author is the proud owner of a book of tenth century Norse names, and is trying to break the record for how many of them he can cram into 340 pages. He also seems to be continually trying to invent new ways for the vicious Vikings to slice up their enemies, and even some of their brothers.

The second book in the series is called The Wolf Sea. I may get around to reading it someday, but, for the moment I have had enough of Orm's adventures. Although the storyline is good, I wouldn't go so far as to recommend it to any of my friends.

One Whale of a Ride!
Wow. I came upon this novel by chance, and the reviews I read were intriguing, so I took a flyer and bought the book. Growing up I liked Edison Marshall's THE VIKING. I loved Frans Bengtsson's THE LONG SHIPS. I loved Jane Smiley's GREENLANDERS. I loved Dorothy Dunnett's KING HEREAFTER. More recently I have been reading Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series with great enjoyment.

THE WHALE ROAD is one of the absolute best Viking tales I have ever read. The language is starkly beautiful. You find yourself going back to reread a turn of phrase -- and going back to make sure what you think just happened did indeed happen. This story moves fast, yet captures the spirit/language of an ancient saga. Yet it leaves room for your imagination to fill in details.

The story moves with conviction, and does not rely heavily on coincidence, but on logical assumptions and actions by the principal characters. If you like stories of the Northmen, this is a must read.

Great Nordic Anti-Hero
Orm Bearslayer, Nordic youth, sets out on great adventures, encumbered by a quick intelligence, loyalty to his oath, and a sense of right and wrong, all of which complicate his efforts to survive in a savage world. This is the first part of a trilogy that will take Orm and his companions to the Mediterranean, where populations of warriors from the Baltic and the North Sea serve the Emperor of Constantinople. Orm's quest for a legendary treasure puts him head to head with powerful Nordic lords, cunning men of the Church, and deceitful Greeks. You will like Orm, the anti-hero, as he comes of age in a medieval yet fascinating era. ... Read more

Product Description
‘The title epitomizes Esbensen’s creative presentation of an important concept: how whales differ from the fish they seem to resemble and share characteristics with other mammals.… An excellent addition to the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Outseries.’—K. ‘Introduces a full range of information about whale anatomy, development, and behavior.… Esbensen’s simple, informative text keeps its young audience clearly in view.’—BL.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

good science book for young readers
This is yet another fine addition to a great series for young children. It contained quite a bit of information on whales, but not too much for young readers to digest. The illustrations could have been a bit more varied. ... Read more

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Ella's mother ends up in a coma after giving birth to her new baby brother and Ella is forced to make her peace with her new stepdad. At school, she loses a best friend and copes with a bully, but her new friend Joseph shares her enthusiasm for whales and becomes an unexpected source of support. ... Read more

Product Description
Onboard a vessel that would make Jacques Cousteau green with envy, the Cat and Co. take to the high seas in search of whales, dolphins, and porpoises—those aquatic mammals known as cetaceans. While learning how cetaceans stay warm without hair, have teeth or baleen, swim in troops, spyhop, spin, breach, and see via ecolocation, kids are introduced to almost 20 different species—including sperm, right, humpback, and blue whales; Gulf, spectacled, and finless porpoise; and boto, common, hourglass, and bottlenose dolphins. A shipshape selection for summer reading!

“The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library shows young readers that books can be entertaining and educational at the same time. This is a wonderful series!” —Barbara Kiefer, Ph.D., Charlotte S. Huck Professor of Children’s Literature, Ohio State University ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Wonderful Tale
This is a wonderful introduction to Whales, Porpoises, and Dolphins for children.Is is filled with scientific facts that are fun to learn because of the delightful rhyme.My four-year-old daughter loves the book and likes to have it read to her often.Even better, it has sparked an interest in these animals which has led to trips to museums, the library, and an aquarium for more study.

Nothing fishy about this tale
My granddaughter and I enjoy this book immensely.It's a fun way to get info about a big subject.

great reading!
I bought this book for my almost 3 yr old son who we ready this book to almost every night and he loves it. He has almost all the pages memorized. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Hilarious story
Is there any type of story MT Anderson can't pull off?Whales on Stilts is one of the funniest things I've read in a long time.His droll asides, the deadpan humor, and extreme situations make this a tale that reluctant readers will gobble up!

Stupid on Stilts
I really wanted to dislike this book.

As a big fan of the old juvenile series books Mr. Anderson is making fun of here, I've found most attempts at satirizing them pretty lame, despite the fact that I fully recognize they have been ripe for satire since at least the turn of the century...

from the 19th to the 20th Centuries that is.

In addition IMHO Mr. Anderson is only about half as funny as he thinks he is.Having Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut, come up with a way to secretly record all photocopies made in the villain's lair onto one convenient, 220 pound wax roll instead of a modern recording medium is kind of funny.

Having Jasper select for the getaway car something with a top speed of 35 mph instead of faster vehicles he already owns because they're not rocket-powered, is not.

And the only word appropriate for describing most of the too frequent authorial asides is tedious.However, I have to admit that Mr. Anderson's story slowly grew on me, kind of like a toenail fungus that won't go away no matter what you do, that makes your toenails so yellow and unsightly that you are ashamed to be seen barefoot until you finally clear it up by taking Natren Healthy Trinity Probiotics 90 Capsules Dairy Free.

Hey, if he can get away with it....

What I cannot deny, though, is that the book got better and better as it careened along.I started out giving it 3 stars, gradually raised it to 4, and then VERY grudgingly raised it 5 as he actually pulled off a pretty spectacular ending.

Unfortunately, since this is the first book in a series: M. T. Anderson's Thrilling Tales, I guess that means I shall now be forced to read The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen and Jasper Dash and the Flame-Pits of Delaware.

I can hardly wait!

the funniest book I've ever read
I read this aloud to my kiddos (ages 11, 8, and 5). We laughed until we cried, literally. I've recommended it to all of my friends with kids. It's just huge fun. It was tough deciding what to follow it with, it was that good. (We decided on the Percy Jackson series.)

funny and random
Lily is just a normal girl.Her best friends are anything but normal. One is Jasper Dash, Boy Technonaut.He can invent anything!Her other best friend is a super hero that has her own series of book and active fan club.Lily leads a normal life until one day she visits her father's office as part of a school assignment.While there she makes a startling discovery!Her father's company is making stilts for evil robotic whales that plan to take over the word.It's all up to Lily and her friends to save the day!This book reminded us of the Lemony Snicket's "A Series of Unfortunate Events" stories.It'svery random and full of humor!

Great for all ages
My kids and I listened to this book on CD while on a trip. I had to talk my 16-year-old son into it, as he was convinced he would not like it. We all loved it. The reader was great, but the book itself was brilliant. Great pace, great characters, smart humor. You won't be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by children's authors and compiled by leading experts in the field of literacy, DK READERS capture children's interest and help them learn.

DK Readers is a multi-level learning-to-read program combining DK's highly visual style with appealing stories at four graduated levels. Stunning photographs and engaging, age-appropriate stories are guaranteed to capture a child's interest while developing reading skills and general knowledge. DK Readers allow progression from stories for beginning readers with simple sentences and word repetition through to stories with rich vocabulary and more challenging sentence structure for proficient readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

The highs and lows of being a big mammal in the oceans...
Journey of a Humpback Whale, by Caryn Jenner, is a whale of a book (pun intended!).As kids' books go, this brief, 32 page book (booklet?) is packed full of age appropriate information and factoids about (primarily) humpback whales.It is a DK Readers "2" book (recommended for those beginning to read alone; longer sentences and increased vocabulary over level 1; information boxes with additional facts; and an index).The font size is about 24!

There are three humpbacks featured:Triton, Spoon, and Salt.Triton is a male, and is the featured whale.The names are perhaps the corniest parts of the story, but they don't destroy the discussion of humpback natural history and biology.

You'll learn (however briefly) about the unique markings on a whale's fluke, how and when they breath, songs, migration, swimming behavior, food habits and feeding ecology, the role of blubber, and the impact of civilization on whales (whaling, pollution, entanglement, and ecotourism).

It's a good book for early readers.

Great photos, as you should expect from all DK books.To help "save the whales", the author suggests Greenpeace and Cetacean Society International.

Go look at in a bookstore first
So I ordered this book of of the strength of some other DK books that I have purchased for my son.All of the other books I looked at in a bookstore first - this time I did not.So imagine my surprise to find a picture of a dead dolphin floating upside down in a drift net.

For me that is not an appropriate image for a child to see.I can understand if they want to bring up the topic, and the other picture of a whale with a drift net where the words say that he breaks free is fine.But a picture of a dead dolphin - the book went staight back to Amazon.

I love this book so, so much!
I love this book so, so much because it has a map. I learned that he swims from the warm water to the cold water. There's not much food in the warm water but there's lots of food in the cold water. I learned that a whale's tail goes up and down but a fish's tail goes side to side.

You should read this book because it's awesome and has a map.

Travis, age 5 ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (18)

Courtesy of Teens Read Too
When Michael's family moves to Israel to be closer to family, Michael quickly strikes up a friendship with his grandfather.As time goes by, the elderly man shows the boy how he can control his dreams and be with his grandfather in the dream world.

Dangers in the form of his grandfather's failing health and an overbearing housekeeper threaten to end the two's friendship. Will Michael be able to continue enjoying his grandfather's dreams with him, or will their special time soon end?

A fun, lighthearted story despite the underlying saddening problems with the grandfather's health.The plot is interesting, and the characters are memorable and likeable.Readers who like fantasy, dreams, and spending time with their own grandparents will enjoy reading THE SONG OF THE WHALES.

Reviewed by:Kira M

Perchance to Dream
In this tale, Orlev's magical voice leads a reader willingly into the realm of the improbable.

When Michael is nine his parents move from Long Island to Jerusalem. Grandpa is old, and Michael's parents worry that the housekeeper will inherit his huge house and fortune.

Michael prefers books, models and odd collections to kids his age. His friends have been a junkman and a stone polisher. In Israel, he becomes "Mikha'el", and Grandpa becomes his new friend. Grandpa, too, likes junk, books and odd collections. He can repair furniture. He also sharpens knives in a poor and religious neighborhood, and soon Mikha'el becomes his apprentice.

When Grandpa falls ill and comes to live with Mikha'el's parents, Mikha'el learns his secret: Grandpa can create special dreams and invite others into them. Soon, in dreams, Mikha'el swims alongside singing whales with his grandfather; watches Grandpa crowned emperor for inventing an anti-time machine; or bicycles with him across the sky.

Each dream brings insights for Mikha'el, and some are followed by synchronicity in real life. Then Grandpa gives him a key that Mikha'el still holds when he awakes. The key brings a new discovery and shows how much Mikha'el's life has changed.

Reviewed by Elizabeth Varadan

Very strong children's book about life, families, and death
The Song of the Whales is a well written and enjoyable book about a young boy whose family moves to Israel to spend time with his grandfather late in his life. It is an appropriate book to share with young readers. It could be helpful for a young reader with older grandparents to help them gain some perspective on family life (across generations).

Although difficult to tackle, this book is a easy to read story that isn't overtly strong in it's theme. Although sometimes sad, it also is not overwhelming. There is one theme, of the "kept woman" which I do not think was an essential part of the story, which some parents of young readers would object to. For me, I would not expose my children to it because of this issue.

3.5 stars actually - A sweet and mostly realistic tale, with touches of the magical. The storyaddresses connections to loved o
Mini Synopsis:This is a translated work which is a sweet and fantastic tale about a young boy whose family moves to Israel from New York to care for his aging and dying grandfather. Michael, his American name, is a loner of a child and prefers adult company to that of children. He is comfortable with this move since he does speak fluent Hebrew.

Upon arrival to Israel, he meets his grandfather and they become very close. Over their time together his grandfather shares his knowledge of his special gift, that Michael also possess. Only Michael doesn't realize how special he really is.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this tale with its many interesting themes, such as addressing dreams, death, respect for the old, thinking about rebirth, reincarnation, sharing past lives, vegetarianism, morality and recognizing special gifts.

Several problems I had with the book is that it did not feel completely translated in a few small areas; there were bits which could be confusing for an American reader. I imagine that this was remedied since the copy that I read was an ARC - advanced read copy.Another is that one of the characters, Michael's grandfather's housekeeper/girlfriend, was portrayed as a difficult person. My problem was that although she cared for his grandfather, his grandfather's home, did all the cooking, and after a move did these things for Michael's family as well, she was treated with disrespect by the entire family. Not a great role model for a child.

All in all, I adore translations and when looking beyond the annoyances mentioned above, I give this book 3.5 stars. I liked it a lot.

Disappointed
The name of the book, and the fact that the author was a winner of the Hans Christian Anderson Medal caught my attention.
I wanted to give it to my grandson on his eleventh birthday.
However, I was so disappointed with it that I returned it.
The relationship between the Grandfather and the boy are nice, and some of the dreams are fine as well. Still, there seems to be a disjointedness to the dreams with time, and no real sense comes from some of them. I looked for depth and love within the story, but found it sadly lacking in many cases.
I know the difference between the really real world and the unreal world of dreams and imaginitive,or creative thinking, but something was missing in this book.
I thought perhaps in translation, something got lost.
I am sorry to see the book in such negative terms, but I could not find a lot of redeeming value in it, for a gift to any child especially my grandson.
I wish that I had visited this website before I spent my time reading it. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on the real-life event that inspired Paula Kluth and Patrick Schwarz s bestselling Just Give Him the Whale!, this simple but powerful story introduces educators to one of the best, most effective inclusion strategies: using students fascinations to help them learn.

Pedro, a young boy who loves whales more than anything, is heartbroken when he s told to put away his favorite toy whale on the first day of school. But then Pedro s teacher discovers the secret to helping him do his best work: not only giving him his whale, but also incorporating his special interest into the whole curriculum. Soon, Pedro s whale is helping all the children learn, as the teacher works whales into math lessons, storytime, simple science experiments, and more! Pedro s whale helps him make friends, too, as the other children start to share his special interest.

An ideal teaching tool, Pedro s Whale will inspire educators to harness their students natural motivations. The engaging, full-color illustrations (by Justin Canha, a gifted artist on the autism spectrum) also make this book perfect for storytime, so all children can increase their sensitivity to peers with special needs and learning differences.

Everyone who reads Pedro s Whale will remember its eye-opening message: when you work with instead of against what students love, they feel safe, happy, and ready to learn. Used in tandem with Just Give Him the Whale!, this enlightening story will help teachers maximize inclusion and ensure that students with and without disabilities reach their full potential. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

5 Species, 5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed this brief book with chapters on 5 whale species: humpback, blue, orca, minke, and northern bottlenose. Each chapter is filled with a good mix of what is known about the species, anecdotes about time spent at sea with whale researchers (and whales), and reflections on subjects such as whaling and interspecies communications.

I've been on quite a few whale watches off the coast of Massachusetts and have seen the excitement of people described in this book. Although it's not as exciting as watching the whales, it's a pleasure to people watch on a whale watch also.

Perhaps because most of the whales I've seen were humpbacks and minkes, those were my favorite chapters in the book. Anyone with an interest in nature and oceans will enjoy this book, and gain some basic knowledge about whales as well. The book also includes several pages of info on groups involved with whale research including opportunities to volunteer.

wonderful book
I concur with the previous reviewers: this is a very special book. It is filled with information about an exceptionally interesting group of animals, and is also exceptionally successful at conveying the visceral excitement one feels during encounters with whales. This is something I have never tired of, after many dozens of whale watching trips, and I expect to re-read passages in this book many times. The book is beautifully written and gives sheer pleasure from that perspective as well.

I would also highly recommend Roger Payne's "Among Whales", a book more clearly written from a research scientist's perspective but in a way that is still highly accessible to non-specialists.

What a Grand Book!
This is a wonderfully written account of some of the most interesting animals in the ocean, the whales.The author has composed a great book that is divided into well devised chapters that use one whale to explain these giants of the sea.

What a Wonderful Little Book
Douglas Chadwick has written and excellent book on several different types of whales but, really, about whales in general.

A wonderful eye-opener to those who just look at them as "fish".These creatures seem to be intelligent beings not far behind us (or maybe far ahead of us).Chadwick brings us into a relationship with them that will change your opinion.This book would be especially good as an excellent summer read for someone in junior or senior high school who may be thinking of their future.

The older I get, the more I realize it's a big world out there and we're just a small part of it.This book makes me feel more militant in protecting our sea-going friends, the grandest of lives.

Chadwick does it again.
Once again, scientist/author Doug Chadwick has written a book that charms with its prose and intrigues with its message.One of the finest nature writers of our time, Chadwick has outdone himself with this book on whales and other cetacea.It provides a wealth of information on these animals that was previously hidden away in scientfic journals.Beyond that, it provides a very personal glimpse of how whale research is being conducted and of the researchers themselves -- how they relate to whales in ways that never make it into technical articles.Yet, best of all is Chadwick's exploration into the nature of whale societies or cultures.Careful not to slip into anthropomorphism, Chadwick deftly graples with some of the most compelling issues of our time, concerning conservation of highly intelligent wildlife.Conventional wildlife management focues on numbers of animals, thinking of each member of a species as being equal to every other member of that age-sex class, then striving to maintain optimal numbers in each class to maximize harvstable yield.Only recently, with in depth studies of known individuals, have scientists begun to glimpse how much chimpanzees, gorillas, bears, and yes whales differ as individuals and groups, and how this affects overall welfare of populations and species.There is no book on non-primate animals to equal this one in trying to look beyond humanity to understand 'minds within the skins of other kinds.'
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Stephen F. Stringham, PhD, Wildlife Biologist ... Read more

Product Description
Using a question-and-answer format, this entertaining book addresses over 100 general interest questions about the sea, sea life, seabirds and man s relationship with the sea. Why is the sea salty? Does anything eat jellyfish? Why do whales sing? How do flying fish fly? Who owns the oceans? Inspired by questions raised while the author was a guest lecturer on cruise ships, this fascinating and informative book is a lighthearted, surprising, and entertaining read for anyone interested in the sea in its many forms. Each bite-sized entry is no more than two or three pages long, making it an ideal book to dip into for anyone interested in the oceans and the teeming life above and below them. ... Read more

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"Once in a while, a book comes along that redefines its subject to the extent that most previous works immediately become obsolete. Eye of the Whale is such a book...it will change the way you think about the natural world." -RICHARD ELLIS, LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Named a Best Book of the Year by three major newspapers upon its initial publication, and now available for the first time in paperback, Eye of the Whale offers an exhilarating blend of adventure and natural history as Dick Russell follows the migration of the gray whale from Mexico's Baja peninsula to the Arctic's Bering Strait.

Originally named "Devil-fish' by nineteenth-century whalers, the gray whale's friendly overtures toward humans over the past generation helped to spark the growth of today's whale-watching industry. This majestic marine mammal has also become a focus of controversy, as environmentalists fought to protect its breeding area from industrial development, some protested renewed hunting by a Native American tribe, and, more recently, scientific studies have noted a new decline in the whale's population.

Russell's narrative interweaves the remarkable story of Charles Melville Scammon, a nineteenth-century whaling captain responsible for bringing gray whales to the brink of extinction, whose change of heart led to his becoming a renowned naturalist. Retracing Scammon's path, the author encounters contemporary marine biologists who have devoted their lives to studying the gray whale, and native peoples for whom subsistence whale hunting means survival in the most remote regions of the North Pacific.

Called "an extraordinary book" by The Washington Post, Eye of the Whale is a stirring account of a creature that is changing our consciousness about the relationship between human beings and the animal kingdom.

The good news, as Russell writes, is that the Mexican salt plant was eventually stopped. The bad news is that the gray whale is still everywhere under siege. Though it does not displace recent books such as Serge Dedina's Saving the Gray Whale and Robert Sullivan's A Whale Hunt, Russell's is by far the most complete popular account of the gray whale across its wide range, and it makes useful reading for anyone seeking to learn more about this key marine species. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

A Wonderful Book
The critics are right to rave about "Eye of the Whale" by Dick Russell. In it's plainest form, the book entails a synopsis of the legendary gray whale and it's journeys through Oregon, Washington, the shores of Monterey, Vancouver Island, the Bearing Sea, the Bering Strait (Alaska), and Sakhalin Island, a hot topic in recent news. One of the best explanations of the book I can find is when someone describes encountering a gray whale. "Especially when you looked at its eyes, you just knew it probably thought it was a boatload of those [people] who like to pet them" In this passage we see a lot of what the book is about: People encountering the majestic grays and suddenly have a new opinion of them.
The book has many passage from Charles Melville Scammon, a nineteenth century whaler who brought gray whales to popularity, by nearly killing them all. He then turned naturalist, and studied the gray whale extensively, following them around the globe. Russell tells the story of retracing Scammon's steps and gaining a new perspective.

What is so strong about the book is the writing. When I opened it I didn't think I was going have a thrill a minute, and I didn't. But, I was surprised of it's intricately weaved passages, interesting readers, telling a simple story, and making a strong point without yelling it at you. In this way, Russell has helped the grays greatly by encouraging whale conservation, and showing the many sides of being an endangered species.

The books weaknesses were few and far between, in my opinion. I will say, sometimes the passages, though well worked out were a bit lengthy and could have been more concise. The largeness of the book is intimidating to some, but hopefully this review will help in the case that it isn't a hard read, and also it good to read in just sections, and good to have for reference.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in saving a great thing and encouraging conservation of nature in your friends, neighbors, children, and yourself. It's not worded at a hard reading level, and offers great views into the world of the deep.

gray whales!
Expecting another boring science book on whales, I was surprised at the way Dick Russell made the whales seem what they should be: interesting.Russell covers almost all aspects of the gray whales in his book Eye of the Whale. As he follows the migratory path of the whales along the coast, the reader gets a good sense of the science, history, and issues surrounding gray whales.He writes about the story of Charles Scammon, the legendary whaler whose research on gray whales is still used by scientists today.He writes about conservation issues and the politics behind the plan to build a saltworks in the protected lagoons. He writes about the individuals involved in gray whale research along the coast.What I really liked about this book though was that instead of just telling the reader about these things, he shows them.He makes the book read more like a story than just a research paper about conservation by using personal accounts and treating the people in his book not just as researchers but as characters.I didn't like when he would go into long, and confusing background explanations that were hard not to skip over.Other than that though it was a well written and up to date account of the interaction between humans and the gray whales.I would reccomend this book to anyone interested in whales at all.You don't need to be a scientist to understand it and it is interesting and informational at the same time.

"That immense...intense and impeccable eye"
Staring into THE EYE OF THE WHALE certainly seems to be a mystical experience. Unfortunately on the whale watching trips I've been on you get no closer to the whales than the deck of the ship. Not close up and personal (sometimes even rubbing and patting the "friendly whales")as is the case in Baja, California, with watching the Gray whales from small Zodiac boats. Perhaps you are like me then and (unlike the author) know nothing about the metaphysical powers of whales and their ability to bring about meditative and contemplative states in mankind while imparting transcendental wisdom. This book is therefore equal parts a journey of self discovery by the author and a natural history and scientific discourse on the Pacific Gray whale. For my liking there are just a few too many experiences here such as this one by a marine biologist: "It was a calf and I could see its eye looking into my eyes...I knew we were talking..." Mr Spock mind-melds with Gracie the Humpback a la STAR TREK: THE VOYAGE HOME.

Although the author and others see "whales smile by my fingertips" and get all "misty eyed" and believe that the whales are "trying to save us from our human side" these sentimental and lyrical asides are simply a matter of writing style. Overall theydo not spoil the book. There is sufficient science and history here to satisfy those looking for something other than a "save the whales / save the world" soft-sell.The defeat of Mitsubishi's proposed salt-works at one of the whale breedinglagoons and the story of Charles Melville Scammon are themes that run throughout the book. Mitsubishi represents the modern day commercial threat to the whales while Scammon was an old-time whale-butchering sea captain. Scammons' conversion from hunter to benefactor (he ended up writing the definitive book on gray whales) is a tale well told. Perhaps, like the author, he too looked into the EYE OF THE WHALE.

"Nature and books belong to the eyes that see them" (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

An excellent chronicle and tribute to the Gray Whale
Dick Russell has produced an amazing chronicle of the life of the California Gray whale. This is a book that is not only important today but will hold a place of value and respect hundreds of years into the future. Sadly this book may most likely survive the species itself.
I have spent over two decades studying and working to protect the Gray whale and I've lead four major conservation expeditons to protect the species. The first was in 1981 to Siberia, the 2nd and 3rd to Neah Bay in 98 and 99 to oppose the Makah whale hunt and the 4th to San Ignacio in 2000 to oppose the development of an industrial salt processing scheme that would have damaged the breeding and calving homes of the Grays.
Dick Russell got all the facts right in the areas that I have intimate involvement with so I can safely assume that his facts in all other areas are equally investigated and thus correct.
This is a wonderful story and it is a great work of historical documentation both natural,social and cultural.
My life was changed by looking into the eye of a whale in 1975. I believe that Dick also caught a glimpse of the mystery, the majesty, the magic and the marvel of the mind of the whale reflected from the eye of one of these great and gentle giants.
For only a person who has seen into the eye of a whale could have written such an insightful book.
I intend to buy a dozen of Dick Russell's books for Christmas presents this year.

Not Just Whales, But Humans
_Eye of the Whale: Epic Passage from Baja to Siberia_ (Simon and
Schuster) by Dick Russell is a brilliant and comprehensive account not
so much about the gray whale, but about how the humans and whales have
interacted over the centuries, and especially in the past few
decades. It is hard to imagine that there is any aspect of this
subject that Russell has not covered. The truly amazing part of the
gray whale�s story is that it had a terrible reputation in the
whaler�s day. It was called a devilfish, and was viewed as a
dangerous quarry, especially when it was protecting its young. It had
to be approached with fear (and this was realized in the Japanese
fisheries as well). It is a devilfish no longer. No one knows why, but
sometime in the 1970s the behavior of the whales changed. Into the
lagoons of Baja, the whales go in the winter to mate and to deliver
calves. The whales started becoming interested in the humans that had
put out in their boats to see them. They presented themselves at the
surface, turning on their sides to point an eye up to look at the
humans that used to kill them for oil and meat, and for baleen to
stiffen their corsets. They seemed to enjoy being scratched and
touched. Individual whales, returning year after year, seemed to
spread the behavior, which has become the norm. They even nudge the
calves toward the boats to introduce the new arrivals into the
activity.

All the eastern Pacific gray whales come to Baja in an
annual migration from the Siberian-Alaskan waters where they feed. It
is a 13,000 mile round trip, the longest annual migration of any
mammal, and Russell has traveled the length of that migration, and
more, to interview almost everyone who has researched the gray whale
or campaigned on its behalf. The result is a multifaceted,
wide-ranging tale that takes in important stories about the
interaction of humans and grays. The Makah tribe in Washington resumed
whaling with a controversial kill in 1999, possibly of a whale that
thought they were friendly. They get support from the Japanese, who
want to bring whaling back in general. The area of lagoons where the
whales calve was in danger of becoming a giant salt production
facility; Russell covers the anguish and triumphs of the
environmentalists pitted against huge commercial and governmental
foes. The grays have made a comeback, but seem to be less healthy; we
don�t know if we can blame warming of the waters or other causes, as
research on the whales is only in the beginning stages.

Best of all,
though, is that the book is full of attempts to describe just what
happens between two species as they regard each other. "Once you get
a chance to see these whales," says one observer, I think it is a
natural reaction to fall in love with them. And to want to do the
utmost so this continues to be a place where they can come and feel
safe and secure." Another: "The mother was just lying there as if
she was watching the young one, and sometimes she came up and rocked
the front of the boat. I must say it was sometimes a little bit
frightening. But then when she came and looked at us, you were not
scared at all, just happy. I can't explain it." A crusty marine
scientist reaches out to touch a whale for the first time, and
although no one has ever seen him do it before, he starts weeping. It
is an overwhelming experience that no one who has had it ever
forgets. The whales seem to have many mysteries to tell us. They can
be thankful that their ambassador, Dick Russell, and his imposing,
full, and readable book, are bringing to us their story.





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Product Description
Relates the adventures of a humpback whale calf that gets tangled in a fishing net and is later freed by a team of helpful whale watchers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting!
the book Ibis is a must read. it is fun to read and it is interesting. Ibis is fun to read you should read it.

Touching and sweet, without being too cheesy.
My four year old son checked this out from our local library, and he and his seven year old sister loved it.As their mom, I did, too!The drama of a real-life whale rescue at the waters' surface contrasts with the peaceful world of whales below.The comparison of the starfish with a human's hand was touching and makes one wonder how whales really think.A very sweet book, one that makes you realize how we put animals at risk by our behavior all the time, yet our hearts are not all that hardened... yet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Remarkble
Rose crafts a remarkable web around one of the last decade's most bizarre media events. The stranding of three Alaska Grey Whales enabled the rarely connected worlds of increasingly visually dependent media, environmentalists, Inuits and two superpowers in a vortex of international attention. Perhaps it was the low expectations, but I found this short, crisp book, impossible to put down. You will too.

Terrible.
I lived in Barrow in 1988 and was on hand for the rescue effort, from beginning to end. Tom Rose had a great story before him but chose to ignore it and instead created a poor work of fiction. He used real peoples names but beyond that pretty much make everything up. The nicest thing that canbe said about this book is that Tom Rose took the concept of "literarylicense" and multiplied it to 1000th degree. ... Read more

Product Description
Trading in Texas heat for Maine's tangy salt air, Natalie Barnes risked it all to buy the Gray Whale Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast on Cranberry Island. She adores whipping up buttery muffins and other rich breakfast treats for her guests until Bernard Katz checks in. The overbearing land developer plans to build a resort next door where an endangered colony of black-chinned terns is nesting. Worried about the birds, the inevitable transformation of the sleepy fishing community, and her livelihood, Natalie takes a public stand against the project. But the town board sides with Katz. Just when it seems like things can't get any worse, Natalie finds Katz dead. Now the police and much of the town think she's guilty. Can Natalie track down the true killer before she's hauled off to jail...or becomes the next victim?

Murder on the Rocks is an Agatha Award nominee. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

LOVE THIS SERIES!
I LOVE THIS SERIES. I HAVE READ ALL 3 BOOKS AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE 4TH! THE DESCRIPTIONS OF MAINE MAKE ME WANT TO TAKE A VACATION AND THE MYSTERIES ARE A CHALLENGE TO FIGURE OUT. I HOPE THIS SERIES CONTINUES FOR A LONG TIME!!

Clue In Cranberry Island Maine
The pieces (a picturesque island, small town eccentrics, and murder) lie before you but MacInerney fails to connect the dots.Underdeveloped characters, forced plot movement, and a "Scooby Doo" wrap up make one run from the resort island with only the recipes cooked up at the Bed and Breakfast.Two and ½ stars - for the recipes.

Very Entertaining
Murder on the Rocks (Gray Whale Inn Mysteries, No. 1)


This was the first Gray Whale Inn Mysteries that I've read and this is a new author for me as well. I really enjoyed the mystery and all of the quirky characters. The owner of Gray Whale Inn seems to be able to get herself into a situation in a hurry.I found it to be entertaining and fast paced and look forward to reading the next mystery.

Great New(er) Mystery Series
This book is an enjoyable get-away in itself.The heroine is strong, she takes a lot physically in this book and keeps pushing forward.I look forward to this main character being developed further in the next books.

The location, like any good cozy, becomes a character in itself.This island off Maine's coast is a delightful setting.Where there is room for growth and improvement by the author - this certainly is a series to watch and follow.

Try the recipes!
The book was entertaining, but the recipes are great!The Wicked Blueberry Coffee cake and the chocolate chippers were both big hits with my staff! ... Read more