Explore the depths (Oceans - Anne Laking)

Member Name: sun-is-shining

Product:	Oceans - Anne Laking
Date:	19/06/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: interesting read, great photos

Disadvantages: none

"The oceans are the single most important feature of our planet. They shape our climate, our culture and our future. But despite this, their depths have remained a mysterious and uncharted expanse on our maps."

After reading the very first chapter of the book I was hooked and I knew that this was going to be an all-time favourite!

Oceans and marine lifeforms are my big passion, big enough to make it my profession. As a (future) marine biologist student I'm reading and watching every tiny article /program about the fascinating under water world. Unfortunately there's neither much to read nor to watch if it wouldn't be for the BBC. The BBC and David Attenborough won my heart when I first watched the 'Blue Planet' from 2005- a documentary that showed and explained marine life without being overly scientific. It's a family program and explains you the basic backgrounds in a cheerful and easily understandable manner.

The BBC 'Oceans' documentary from 2008, however, is not so easily to understand. It's more about the scientific backgrounds and the biological origins mixed with technical info about diving. The beauty of the underwater world is not the main element anymore - it's more about explaining how this beauty could evolve.

The book however combines these two aspects, the beauty perfectly displayed by stunning photos and the well written and interesting articles that explain you so much about a world we scarcely notice.

It makes an incredibly interesting read and it would be worth buying this book even if you only look at the photos.
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Chapters

The book is divided into the seven chapters for seven different oceans or seas. The chapters in the book follow the arrangement of the TV series:

* The Mediterranean
* The Atlantic Ocean
* The Sea of Cortez
* The Indian Ocean
* The Red Sea
* The Southern Ocean
* The Arctic Ocean

Each chapter starts with a short overview about the origins and history of the area, where to find it and what it is - or what it should be - famous for. Their main life forms are described like the sperm whales in the Sea of Cortez or the big walrus of the Arctic Ocean. You can get a fascinating glimpse into the lives of animals that are uncommon to us - uncommon not because they are unimportant but because they live in the deepest depths of the oceans or in inaccessible areas.

Don't be afraid, it's not a scientific essay that you are used from you old school books. The style of writing grips you from the first minute, it's easy to read and very, very interesting.

You don't have to read it like a normal book, you can skip through the parts you are not so interested in. I first read the part about the Indian Ocean as I've been diving there recently and still haven't finished all parts of the 'Arctic Ocean'. Every few pages you can find a small article describing spacial dives like night time or cave diving - if this is not you thing you can easily ignore these pages without missing anything out.
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Photos

This is finest BBC quality. The photos are of an amazing quality, even the underwater shots are clear, detail and focused. You can have a sixgill shark staring at you with its huge eye and in the next moment at cute Nemo Clown fish trying to hide in its anemone.

The photos make the text more real and more easily accessible; it's not easy to imagine how a huge sunfish is looking but when you see the photo you'll instantly understand why it's the highlight of every diver if he encounters one.

The deadly yet beautiful lion fish looks so real, so alive and vivid that I cannot touch the page without feeling it deadly stings. Thumbs up for the photographers - this is world-class level!

The maps are well explained and easily to understand - a great way to polish your geography knowledge.
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The BBC TV series 'Oceans'

The book accompanies the TV series. 'Oceans' is amazing to watch, the HD format is not promising too much, the images are crystal clear, the colours are breathtaking and it almost feels as if you'd be really there with the biologists and divers exploring the oceans depths.

As the book the series is divided into the same 7 episodes with two episodes for the Indian ocean (8 in total). Compared to the other big BBC marine life documentary it is more scientific.
Well, I think that's the point, when the 'Blue Planet' is about Marine life forms the 'Oceans' documentary is about the scientific (geographical, geological, chemical etc) backgrounds that enabled these amazing life forms to evolve.

'Oceans' explains you how the oceans were formed and how they are changing. It explains you the basics you have to know about understanding the biggest habitat on the planet without being to patronising.

I loved 'Oceans', my friend however found it too scientific and too focused on details than just giving an overview.
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A great read for everyone who's interested in the blue parts of our blue planet!

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