A review by k_phin
The Ocean of Life: The Fate of Man and the Sea by Callum Roberts
4.0
In short: please read this. It's important to understand what's going on in our oceans.
A recent issue of the Economist focused on this book, and as I was looking for a comprehensive overview of the state of our oceans, I picked it up at the library. The first part of The Ocean of Life goes into detail on the problems that humans have created: overfishing to the point that we don't even realize the abundance of fish that used to be in the sea; pollution such as plastics, nutrient flows from agriculture and pharmaceuticals; climate change including the heating and acidification of oceans; noise pollution, an effect that I certainly hadn't thought of before; the introduction of non-native and invasive species and the decline in diversity; and more. The second half of the book focuses on the ways we can work to save the oceans, from reducing our use of plastics and reducing emissions to setting aside more marine reserves to allow space for the flora and fauna to regrow. The author ends on a positive note, but it's clear that there's a difficult challenge ahead. We face tough odds in trying to preserve what we have left. The Appendices recommend some great resources to figure out how you can do your part in preserving the oceans.
While it's not gripping in the manner of many popular nonfiction novels, if you grasp what the author is saying about our world, the book should hold attention throughout. My only negative review is that I wish I had a condensed version to pass off to more skeptical friends who might not be willing to put in the time for this longer read. Nonetheless, more people should be aware of how the growth of the human race has affected oceans, so I hope this review will encourage someone to read this book.
A recent issue of the Economist focused on this book, and as I was looking for a comprehensive overview of the state of our oceans, I picked it up at the library. The first part of The Ocean of Life goes into detail on the problems that humans have created: overfishing to the point that we don't even realize the abundance of fish that used to be in the sea; pollution such as plastics, nutrient flows from agriculture and pharmaceuticals; climate change including the heating and acidification of oceans; noise pollution, an effect that I certainly hadn't thought of before; the introduction of non-native and invasive species and the decline in diversity; and more. The second half of the book focuses on the ways we can work to save the oceans, from reducing our use of plastics and reducing emissions to setting aside more marine reserves to allow space for the flora and fauna to regrow. The author ends on a positive note, but it's clear that there's a difficult challenge ahead. We face tough odds in trying to preserve what we have left. The Appendices recommend some great resources to figure out how you can do your part in preserving the oceans.
While it's not gripping in the manner of many popular nonfiction novels, if you grasp what the author is saying about our world, the book should hold attention throughout. My only negative review is that I wish I had a condensed version to pass off to more skeptical friends who might not be willing to put in the time for this longer read. Nonetheless, more people should be aware of how the growth of the human race has affected oceans, so I hope this review will encourage someone to read this book.