Shark Trouble

February 1, 2002
After three decades, Benchley is still talking about sharks.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2002
The man who wrote "Jaws" in 1974 and "White Shark" 20 years later is not merely a wily storyteller playing on our fears of monsters from the deep but, rather, a knowledgeable and intrepid diver and a passionate advocate for the preservation of ocean life. In addition to writing his best-selling, movie-compatible novels, Benchley has also reported for "National Geographic" and the "New York Times" and written and hosted television documentaries, and he draws on both his research and risky but revelatory ocean experiences to create a suspenseful and resonantly informative overview of the lives of sharks and other amazing creatures who dwell in the now worrisomely overfished seas. Benchley begins by gently mocking the hysteria of both the media and the public over shark attacks during the summer of 2001. Not only was the number of tragic run-ins between humans and sharks normal, Benchley writes, the truth of the matter is that "for every human being killed by a shark, roughly "ten million" sharks are killed by humans." Handy with statistics and quick to crack a joke with himself as the target, Benchley offers riveting accounts of his and his family's up close and personal encounters with sharks, a gigantic manta ray, a friendly killer whale, barracuda, and sundry other wild creatures. These vivid moments inspire clarion tributes to the wonder of the entire marine ecosystem, and a no-nonsense warning about the disastrous consequences of continued assaults against "the world's largest primal wilderness." It's a boon to have a writer with such tremendous name recognition speak up for nature. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)

June 15, 2002
Last summer, the media fueled a shark attack scare when in fact the number of incidents was below average. This year seems primed to be the "Summer of the Shark Book," in which authors interested in the predatory fish capitalize on last summer's hype just in time for this summer's beach crowd. Shark is an anthology of excerpts from previously published books and articles, including Peter Benchley's Jaws, Eugenie Clark's Lady with a Spear, Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, and Jean-Michel Cousteau's Cousteau's Great White Shark. The only apparent common thread is that the selections feature people being attacked by sharks or sharks being attacked by people. The fact that this is part of the "Adrenaline Book" series is a good clue as to the nature of this volume. Benchley's Shark Trouble is intended more as an argument against the hype than more fuel for it. The author's introduction emphasizes how much has been learned since he wrote Jaws in 1974 and that sharks, including the most fearsome ones, are in much more danger from humans than humans from sharks. A chapter called "The Summer of Hype" sets the record straight on last year's media hysteria. Other chapters discuss the real dangers of swimming in the ocean (e.g., tides, rips, and other currents) and how to avoid getting caught. Some personal shark anecdotes add excitement as well. Benchley's solid and informative book is recommended for public and school libraries, especially where there is an interest in the ocean and scuba diving. Shark is not recommended; libraries would do better to purchase the publications that it highlights, plus a few other classic shark books, such as Thomas H. Lineaweaver's The Natural History of the Shark. [John A. Musick and Beverly McMillan's The Shark Chronicles: A Scientist Tracks the Consummate Predator is coming in September from Holt. Ed.] Margaret A. Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA

Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.