Atlas of the Ocean : The Deep Frontier

Rating:
Summary: Barely an atlas
Review: After hearing a discussion of this book on NPR, I ordered this book expecting a thorough atlas of the ocean floor. I was sorely disappointed. Although there are some good maps in this book, the bulk of the book deals with other topics such as: ecology or the need for protecting our oceans, current temperatures, predicting El Nino, etc. Don't get me wrong, it is a good book but it is far from what I expected. Full of pretty photographs and illustrations as usual for a National Geographic effort. I believe that the hype made me believe the book would have details associated with a land atlas.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding photographs, interesting maps, dodgy text.
Review: If you are looking for a coffee book with excellent illustrations I would definately recommend this book. Should you wish to read it I would hesitate on recommending it. The text is disjointed and the main topic of a paragraph is often confused with numerous (tentatively linked) topics. Issues are readdressed time and time again, which leads me to think the book is more a series of strung together papers rather than a well thought out book. However, if you don't mind that, the book does introduce many interesting people involved in marine science and as I said, the illustrations are outstanding.