A review by andrew_russell
Leviathan: Or, The Whale by Philip Hoare
4.0
This book is the eloquently written biography of the whale, told from the perspective of an individual who is on a journey of discovery to satisfy his passionate desire for knowledge of these magnificent creatures. It is a richly woven tapestry which is part historical, party biographical and autobiographical and part zoology. The prose used is magnificently written and there is a real sense of connection, not only with the creatures which form the main subject of the book, but also with the author themselves.
There was considerable time spent within the text on Herman Melville's life, which while it was certainly fascinating, could probably have been omitted or replaced with more information on the whales themselves, or their relationship with humans.
Several highlights in the book included the information on what the body of a whale provides to humans, even in todays enlightened times. Also, the final segment of the book involves the author finally having the opportunity to dive with these majestic creatures, and the style in which the writers feelings and emotions throughout this experience were conveyed through the written word was truly a joy.
A great book but not quite in my 'top books' category, due to the lack of content on whales themselves and the greater degree of focus on the authors journey to discover more on this subject.
There was considerable time spent within the text on Herman Melville's life, which while it was certainly fascinating, could probably have been omitted or replaced with more information on the whales themselves, or their relationship with humans.
Several highlights in the book included the information on what the body of a whale provides to humans, even in todays enlightened times. Also, the final segment of the book involves the author finally having the opportunity to dive with these majestic creatures, and the style in which the writers feelings and emotions throughout this experience were conveyed through the written word was truly a joy.
A great book but not quite in my 'top books' category, due to the lack of content on whales themselves and the greater degree of focus on the authors journey to discover more on this subject.