“Whale is a lyrical portrait of the animals that have a special place in the hearts and minds of every sailor.”
Whale explores the role cetaceans have played in history, the human imagination, and the oceans themselves. The largest animals to have lived on earth, whales inspire awe: the longest individual on record measured more than 33 meters, and a blue whale’s tongue alone can weigh more than an African elephant. Whales have also inspired greed. At the height of industrial whaling, more than 60,000 whales were removed from the oceans each year. It wasn’t until humans brought these diving mammals to the brink of extinction that we truly appreciated their charisma, intelligence, even culture as revealed in song.
This book shows how our perceptions and relationships regarding this animal have changed over the centuries. From the tales of Jonah and Brendan the Navigator to Moby Dick and the modern debate over whaling, Whale considers the role of cetaceans in human history, mythology, art, literature, commerce, and science. The illustrations range from Stone Age carvings to Victorian whaling prints to the latest full-color underwater photographs. This book will appeal to whale watchers as well as marine historians and anyone studying cultural history and the natural sciences.