Product Description

Explores this fascinating environment in all its variety, from the apparent desert of the open ocean to the abyssal depths where monstrous creatures lurk in the darkness.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #73103 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Amazon.co.uk Reviews
Whether you have seen the BBC TV series or not, The Blue Planet is a must-have book. It tells the story of life in the oceans, upon which we all ultimately depend. From the tropics to the poles, from the shores to the deeps, the waters of the planet teem with an amazing diversity of creatures and plants and a wonderful sample of it is portrayed here in the book's 400 or so colour photos.

The Blue Planet is a reminder of what we know and what we still don't know about the oceans and is a timely reminder of how fragile its ecosystems can be. We still know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the floor of the oceans. As David Attenborough reminds us in his introduction the highest peaks on Earth are still unclimbed and there are still thousands, maybe even millions, of animal species that remain undiscovered because all are hidden under the waves of the oceans. People have walked on the surface of the moon, nobody has walked on the floor of the deep ocean and probably never will. Looking at a book such as this you can get some idea of the thrill of exploring the last unknown section of our planet. And since 70 per cent of Earth's surface is covered in water, there is still plenty left to find out about.

The story the book tells is so momentous that much of the scientific background has to be condensed. For the general reader, however, this is an excellent and up-to-date introduction. Martha Holmes, one of the three authors is a marine biologist and all have worked in the Natural History Unit, the jewel in the crown of BBC TV, and so have been exposed to most of the researchers whose work has helped inform the series and the book. There is a useful glossary and index but, disappointingly, there is no Further Reading list for those who want to find out more. The Blue Planet will no doubt encourage a whole new generation of marine biologists and oceanographers.-- Douglas Palmer

Customer Reviews

An excellent accompaniment to the documentary series
The book is designed to accompany the BBC documentary series The Blue Planet. However, it certainly deserves to be considered on its own as a very well produced book on the natural history of our marine environment. It is divided into the chapters that mirror the documentary series and there is a wealth of information that is not discussed in the TV program. The photographic images of the deep sea inhabitants and the open ocean fish are incredible.

The text is very readable, informative and scientific and up to the usual BBC standard.

The photos , diagrams and print quality are superb. I do not particularly like the insets that are distributed throughout the pages to focus in on a particular subject or point. Although they are very informative, they tend to distract the reader from his/her train of thought.

A must for anyone interested in the natural history of our oceans.

More than just an accompaniment to the television series.
This book is absolutely brilliant. The exquisite photography accompanying the infomative text is an absolute must for anyone who enjoyed the television series. As a student I found it very interesting but it is designed for anyone of any age with an interest in the subject matter. The BBC did a grand job on the series and the book emphasises this ten fold. Well done the beeb

Not quite as good as the TV!
Well I was seduced by the hype and duly tuned in to the TV and was smitten. TV being the ephemeral thing that it is I thought I'd try the book and it's great. The text's informative and the photos beyond compare. Buy.