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Rating: 
Summary: An inspirational and engrossing book
Review: An engrossing and inspirational book cateloguing the devastation we are causing to the Oceans and the environment around us. Carl Safina has written a book that anyone who cares for the Ocean and the life within it must read. The balance of his views is remarkable, showing the struggle between the demands of the people who's lives depend on the fishing industry and the devastation we have wrought in the oceans by overfishing and the damage to the environment. The book is also a travelogue as well and describes the different environments and the people who live in them with a travellers eye as well as telling the story of the fishing industry there. It opens up an acedemic and complex subject and makes it accessible to those of us who love the oceans and the environment. One of the best books I have ever read.
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Summary: Song for the Blue Ocean - a phenomenal book
Review: I could not put this book down. It is well written and well- balanced. Dr. Safina describes three different areas of the world, the North Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest and Palau, east of the Phillipines. He describes in detail how intricate ecosystems are, and all the complicated relationships between fish , man and the environment. He describes in wonderful detail the biology of the bluefin tuna and salmon. More importantly, he impressed me with how devastating certain fishing techniques have effected fish. I think this book should be read by everyone who cares about wildlife and the environment.
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Summary: Highly informative work dealing with the worlds fisheries
Review: I found this book to provide the most accurate portrayal of the interactions of the different facits of society and how that affects our marine fish populations. In particular, I found Mr.Safinas description of the commercial fishing persona to be in my my experience, profoundly accurate. In particular, Dr. Safina was able to grasp the essence of how the profit motive subverts good men and women and causes them to destroy the very animals their lives depend on. I have been involved with the fisheries of the North Pacific for fourty years, both in recreational and commercial aspects. This is the first literary work that I have come across that so accurately describes the present condition of our salmon populations in real terms, and how that affects the people who depend upon these fish for work and play. Although I do not have any intimate knowledge of the other areas of the world Dr. Safina deals with in his book, I found it to be very intersting. I found the information that he stated about the salmon situation to be implicitely true. Therefore, I feel safe to say that the information in this book can be relied upon without fail.
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Summary: Heavyweight expose of conservation corruption
Review: I read this book because a professor of mine mentioned he was reading it. With a background in marine biology, I began reading this book in hopes of returning to my marine roots. At times, this book had me so upset that I could not even go to sleep at night. I have been up in arms ever since trying to make people aware of the status of the world's oceans. This book is clearly well written and Safina gets to the root of the problems that the world's fisheries are experiencing. Safina was not one sided though and many sides of the issues here are explored. I recommend this book to all. I will read this book again and again.
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Summary: Absolute poetry
Review: I'm only about halfway through this book, but it's so moving that I decided I needed to rave now. Carl Safina uses an amazing grasp of language to paint mental pictures of what he writes about. I work in the scientific community and have spent a lot of time on that water, and his writings are not only objective and scientifically sound, he constructs them in such a way that they are beautiful. You will have a thirst for each topic and region of which he writes. I borrowed this book from the library and had vowed to buy it before I'd finished the first chapter. It has only improved as I've proceeded.
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Summary: Entertaining Science
Review: Is it a novel, a journey through the seas, or a scientific work describing the demise of fishes around the world while offering policy suggestions? It doesn't matter what kind of book it is- it may be all in one. What matters is that Carl Safina has written a book, Song for the Blue Ocean, which tells the story of living oceans; a book that catches your attention through adventure and interesting characters, witty writing, strong emotion, and terse opinions strewn amongst simple science. In the preface, Safina mentions that he will be our guide and interpreter, but ultimately we have to make our own decisions regarding what the oceans and their inhabitants really mean to us. Nonetheless, I feel quite comfortable following Safina's lead. After receiving his doctorate in ecology and starting a career as an academic, Safina decided that he needed to take a stronger stand on conservation and scientific policy regarding the world's imperiled fish. He founded and now directs the National Audubon Society's Living Oceans Program, and wrote Song for the Blue Ocean merely 10 years after graduate school. Safina has a unique and open perspective on the state of the world's fishes, once as a commercial and sport fisherman, and now as a world-renowned scientist. Personally, I feel quite comfortable allowing Safina's guide and interpretations to influence my own opinions. Song for the Blue Ocean is split into three distinct sections: the Northeast, the Northwest, and the Far Pacific. In addition, each section focuses on an imperiled species, namely the Giant Bluefin Tuna, pacific Salmon, and coral reefs; nonetheless, Safina is able to depict the bigger picture of the world's fisheries and common problems with these three examples. Not only does the reader get an inside look at fishing culture and the conservationist culture, but we also learn about the bigger picture of fisheries, i.e. externalities of fishing like by-catch, various fishing styles (from spear fishing to cyanide poisoning), the state of these fisheries, and the huge political aspects of fishing. Safina artfully intertwines information about national and international agencies involved in the conservation of fisheries, like CITES and the Endangered Species Act, without it sounding like a lecture. We learn about various species of sponges and coral reef fish, or the difference between steelhead trout and Chinook salmon, during the while we are enchanted by Safina's adventures floating down an icy Northwest river or almost dying of nitrogen narcosis while SCUBA diving 160 feet deep in the Palau islands. The book flows very smoothly. Safina builds up the story, grasps ahold of your attention, and then leads you through the steps until he has made his point clear. For instance, Safina talks of the beautiful large and diverse trees in the Pacific Northwest, then introduces the concept of a snag- a tree that has died, but continues to stand upright for many years. Once it finally falls, hundreds of species move in, under, through, and around the fallen log. Finally, we understand that clear cutting and second growth forests near rivers do not provide adequate habitat for spawning salmon, which rely on the deep pool behind the fallen snag to deposit their eggs. All the while, this simple chain of events is presented in a very romantic and mysterious way, and it all seems so important. Safina also captures my attention with the conversations between the amazing characters in his book. They are funny, disturbing, happy, sad- they are martyrs, antagonists and clueless. They provide much of the information in the book, but they also provide relief from the continuous science and bleak outlook on the state of the fisheries. Truthfully, there is not much about Song for the Blue Ocean that I did not enjoy, but Safina does tend to dwell on the past, with a few too many "back in the good old days" stories. This type of talk can be fun and contagious, nonetheless too much of this babble is unhelpful in the context of conservation. Similarly, Safina slips from time to time with sarcastic remarks. Some may find this witty, but I find it ineffective. Enjoyment of this book also depends on what your expectations are, some may find it too political, or others may not find it scientific enough. Safina approaches his journey with an open mind- and this is also the best way to approach his book. Safina's unique perspective lends itself to an original story. He is a weary scientist in the middle of a debate over the state of the world's fisheries, who wants to discover the truth for himself. His journey takes him to all corners of the ocean, where he meets and listens to real people whose livelihood depends on the fish. His book therefore portrays all angles of the story, which allows the reader to form her own opinion (as Safina wanted). Safina does distinguish between fact and opinion on a regular basis; nonetheless he is not afraid to express his opinion, sometimes very strongly. This book is for anyone- scientists and non-scientists. Young and old alike. People who want to learn more about the worlds imperiled fisheries will get their fill. Others who are mildly interested in fish, or fishing, or the world's oceans will be entertained. Even people who just pick up the book without any preface will find the writing, unique characters, and Safina's journeys across the Atlantic and Pacific extremely refreshing. This book really is all-in-one. Safina has mastered the art of hybridization, with perfect proportions of science, policy, and adventure.
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Summary: Powerful Reading
Review: Magnificently written by a world-class scientist and gifted communicator -- a fortunate combination that might be as rare as some of the wondrous marine animals and habitats he describes. I am a landlubber businessman who, until I read this book, merely had a spectator's idle interest in the fate of the world's fisheries and marine environments. Dr. Safina eloquently convinces the reader how directly connected we all are to the world's oceans for the well-being of our purses, our physical bodies and our spirits. Safina doesn't merely describe and bemoan the degradation of the seas and marine life. He objectively (well, as objectively as he can) examines the issues from the broad perspectives of those who rely upon these wild animals for subsistence, for profit and for enjoyment (that just about covers 6 billion or so people). In light of the abundant intellectual honesty Safina brings to the task, even the most skeptical reader will conclude that the oceans and their denizens are in a bad way, portending serious consequences for all of us, no matter what our agenda (and even for those of us who, like myself once, don't think we even have a marine agenda). Safina says we have options, that the destruction so far is not completely irreversible and that further destruction is not inevitable. I came away from this book thinking not only that something has to be done, but asking myself how I can help do it.
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Summary: McPhee on Red Bull
Review: This book would be twice as good if it were half as long. Evidently the only editors were fawning friends of the author, who must have felt that every observation, no matter how offhand or trivial, needed to be included in the bloated text. This is too bad, because he is a decent writer, knows and cares about fish and fisheries, and the story is compelling. Imagine John McPhee full of Red Bull and vodka and you get the idea.
Also, a book that uses the silly word "waitron" without irony, and "heregia" twice in a hundred pages can be a little precious.
Rating:
Summary: Beauty beyond compare
Review: This is one of the most beautiful, powerful books I have ever read. Safina's journey encompasses the entire world and all points of view. His words have inspired me to pursue my dreams and opened up new worlds of knowledge. Now, every time I hear of politicians doing something stupid to the oceans or rivers, I just shake my head and say "'Song' should be required reading for them before they can draft a piece of legislation dealing with the oceans."
Rating:
Summary: Beauty beyond compare
Review: This is one of the most beautiful, powerful books I have ever read. Safina's journey encompasses the entire world and all points of view. His words have inspired me to pursue my dreams and opened up new worlds of knowledge. Now, every time I hear of politicians doing something stupid to the oceans or rivers, I just shake my head and say "'Song' should be required reading for them before they can draft a piece of legislation dealing with the oceans."
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