Marine & Aquatic Life, Nature, Mammals, Ecology & Environmental Sciences, Environmental Conservation & Protection

Among Whales

Name: Among Whales
Author: Roger Payne
ISBN: 9780385316590

by Roger Payne

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Overview

Among Whales presents the state of our most advanced knowledge about whales, but in doing so also embraces a rich variety of subjects and disciplines. It is a work of biology - cetacean, marine, and human; of exploration of sociology, of cultural mythology, of philosophy, and most certainly, of literature. As Payne takes us on a journey from the home territory we thought we knew and across the spectrum of life forms, we realize we are also on a journey of the heart, of discovery about the larger questions of life on earth. Among Whales addresses a broad scope of important and penetrating questions: How will the evolving composition of seawater affect life on earth? What is the device by which whales sing, and why do they do it? How can we know that whales use rhyme if we don't understand their language? For what purposes do dolphins use their unparalleled large and complex brains? What is the purpose of the human brain? What is the nature of wilderness? How and why do creatures come together in peace? Among Whales is unique in its scholarly integrity and breadth of vision, biologically absorbing and humanly rich.

Taking readers on a journey across the spectrum of life to discover the answers to the larger questions of life on Earth, an eminent field biologist addresses a wide range of subjects--from the purpose of the brain to the possibilities of peaceful cohabitation among the world's creatures. 9 charts.

About the Author, Roger Payne

Roger Payne is the world's leading expert on whales, having devoted the better part of his life to their study. He is president of the Whale Conservation Institute in Lincoln, Massachusetts, and a scientific advisor to the International Whaling Commission. Payne first rose to prominence in the late 1960s for his discovery that the vocalizations of humpback whales can be classified as songs. The songs were later distributed as a bestselling recording entitled The Songs of Humpback Whales. More recently, Dr. Payne's work has focused on developing benign methods of whale research that nullify the argument for "scientific" whaling. Roger Payne has led over one hundred expeditions to all oceans and has studied all species of large whale in their natural environments. He lives mainly in London, and occasionally in Lincoln, Massachusetts.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

From a leading whale biologist comes this wide-ranging account of cetacean behavior. (Oct.)

Booknews

Payne, an activist, romantic, explorer, and musician as well as the world's leading expert on whales, embraces a rich variety of subjects and disciplines in his presentation on the state of our knowledge about whales, touching on biology, sociology, cultural mythology, philosophy, and literature. He considers questions concerning the evolving composition of seawater, whales' songs, and the purpose of the human brain. The appendix offers a primer of ocean acoustics. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

From Barnes & Noble

A work of biology, exploration, sociology, cultural mythology, philosophy, & literature, this book presents the state of our knowledge about whales, delving into such associated topics as whale-song, the nature of wildness, & the purpose of the brain.