rainbowbookworm's review
4.0
I have to begin by saying this is my first book in this series, but it certainly won't be the last.
Grebowicz frames her chapters by talking about whales and then delves into topics such as oceanic noise pollution, loneliness, music, and even Carl Sagan's golden record. All-in-all a satisfying read that will whet the readers appetite for more information on all the topics covered.
Grebowicz frames her chapters by talking about whales and then delves into topics such as oceanic noise pollution, loneliness, music, and even Carl Sagan's golden record. All-in-all a satisfying read that will whet the readers appetite for more information on all the topics covered.
wordsofclover's review
3.0
I received a free digital copy of this book from the publishers/author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This is a short non-fiction book about whales, but also about whales’ relationship with humans.
I enjoyed this but not quite as much as I thought i would - I think I would have liked it to be more focused on whale facts rather than some of the deep thinking that went on about humans and whales. There were times I felt like the author went on a bit of a ramble about different things and also began talking about other animals and experiments that went on (that were interesting but just no specifically about whales aka Peter the dolphin).
I did actually, out of curiosity, put on a Spotify playlist of whale sounds while reading this and i think I may be converted now to a big whale sounds fan because it was so lovely, and relaxing!
This book was short(ish) but did managed to really put in a lot of different topics and discussions within the small book.
This is a short non-fiction book about whales, but also about whales’ relationship with humans.
I enjoyed this but not quite as much as I thought i would - I think I would have liked it to be more focused on whale facts rather than some of the deep thinking that went on about humans and whales. There were times I felt like the author went on a bit of a ramble about different things and also began talking about other animals and experiments that went on (that were interesting but just no specifically about whales aka Peter the dolphin).
I did actually, out of curiosity, put on a Spotify playlist of whale sounds while reading this and i think I may be converted now to a big whale sounds fan because it was so lovely, and relaxing!
This book was short(ish) but did managed to really put in a lot of different topics and discussions within the small book.
corey's review against another edition
5.0
As a former student of Dr. Grebowicz's, I am extremely biased here and would not normally review one of her books. I did, however, receive a copy of her latest work, WHALE SONG, through Netgalley, which requires me to write a review in exchange for a complimentary e-book.
This accessible and concise text sets itself to the task of examining (relatively) recent efforts at interspecies communication, namely between humans and cetaceans. The thesis at the core of WHALE SONG seems to be this: On the one hand, Grebowicz sees such efforts as absolutely necessary. If done successfully and interestingly, experiments in interspecies communication would entirely undo and revolutionize the way we think the environment, language, relationality, desire, and thought itself. On the other hand, the contemporary human subject (perhaps by definition) is entirely unequipped to carry out such an experiment, trapped as she is in available modes of thought and being, as well as the underlying assumptions that bring her to such experiments in the first place.
WHALE SONG reads to me much like a plea: for human beings to take themselves, each other, and the animals with which they live seriously. The book can be read as a warning about the consequences of relating to one another through screens (ironic, given the medium of this review, but so it goes), as well as a thoughtful meditation on what is at stake in our attempts at interspecies communication (it turns out, quite a lot).
This accessible and concise text sets itself to the task of examining (relatively) recent efforts at interspecies communication, namely between humans and cetaceans. The thesis at the core of WHALE SONG seems to be this: On the one hand, Grebowicz sees such efforts as absolutely necessary. If done successfully and interestingly, experiments in interspecies communication would entirely undo and revolutionize the way we think the environment, language, relationality, desire, and thought itself. On the other hand, the contemporary human subject (perhaps by definition) is entirely unequipped to carry out such an experiment, trapped as she is in available modes of thought and being, as well as the underlying assumptions that bring her to such experiments in the first place.
WHALE SONG reads to me much like a plea: for human beings to take themselves, each other, and the animals with which they live seriously. The book can be read as a warning about the consequences of relating to one another through screens (ironic, given the medium of this review, but so it goes), as well as a thoughtful meditation on what is at stake in our attempts at interspecies communication (it turns out, quite a lot).
More...