Synopses & Reviews
How can we understand the language of whales? How will the evolving composition of seawater affect life on earth? Why do whales sing?
Roger Payne has listened to the whales' haunting songs for most of his adult life and taught us to listen too. He's swum with them. He's fought for them. He's studied them and become the world's foremost cetacean biologist.
Sharing his scientific observations in spellbinding detail, Payne brings vividly to life the awesome presence of these great, noble -- and desperately threatened -- creatures. A work of biology, of philosophy, and most certainly of literature, Among Whales is more than a book about whales. It is also a journey of the heart, a journey of discovery about the larger questions of life on earth.
Passionate in his love, Roger Payne is also passionate in his outrage at the whalers who slaughter whales for profit and at the pollutants that are destroying our oceans. His words shimmer with truth; his ideas strike powerfully at our consciences. Destined to become a classic, Among Whales is a book of great beauty -- a cautionary tale every one of us who cares about our planet must read.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 403-412) and index.
About the Author
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.