Rating: 
Summary: A different Steinbeck
Review: I read this book while preparing to follow the footsteps of Steinbeck and Ricketts to the Sea of Cortez (the Gulf of California). I was living, at the time, in 'Steinbeck Country,' Monterey, California--where Ed 'Doc' Ricketts kept his lab (referred to in "Cannery Row."). In this book, "The Log From the Sea of Cortez," Steinbeck sheds his fiction-writer persona, and regales his readers with the story of his trip, which Ricketts initiated for scientific purposes. The thing that interested me the most, aside from the descriptive passages about the area in question, was the juxtaposition of Ed Rickett's pragmatism and Steinbeck's unabashed idealism and populism. Steinbeck comes across as a flaming socialist--not too surprising, considering "The Grapes of Wrath" and some of his other works. The friendship of these two men, despite the radical differences in their philosophies, is intriguing. If you are a fan of Steinbeck's fiction, this book will give you more insight into his character and philosophy than any of his other books save, perhaps, "Travels With Charlie," which came much later.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite From Steinbeck
Review: As someone who has been reading and admiring Steinbeck since childhood, this was by far my favorite of all his books. The book is full of adventure, amazing insight, and quite a bit more of humor than one would expect from a non-fiction story pertaining largely to biology.
Steinbeck is joined by biologist Ed Ricketts as they sail the Sea of Cortez and examine the various conditions and sea life within. Upon each discovery or finding, Steinbeck offers a detailed description of their encounter, and further makes a correlation to life on the land as it is experienced by humankind. Just to cite one example, Steinbeck notes how animals that prey on others and have stronger instincts are seen as "survivors" and admired, whereas human beings who step on others to get to the top are seen as evil or heartless. I would highly recommend this book to anybody that enjoys well-written non-fiction that reads just as if it were fiction. If you enjoy this book you should definitely read Travels With Charley by Steinbeck next.
Rating: 
Summary: Not the usual Steinbeck fare
Review: But still a good read. If you are an aficianado of Steinbeck you are gonna find few less pleasurable than this one.
The writer's other works from that period, Tortilla Flat, Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday are the Steinbeck masterpieces, in my opinion. Reading this one is all about filling in the gaps between readings of the major pieces of the Steinbeck puzzle.
On the other hand, the Steinbeck lover, if he's true to the passion, will wish to read them all. This one will tell you much about Steinbeck as a young man, which makes it worth the price of admission.
Rating:
Summary: Mixed Bag of Specimens and Thoughts
Review: I have mixed feelings about this book. I was an oceonographer wannabe, so I'm familiar with many of the specimens described in the collection process. But without a visual guide, I think it may be difficult for some readers. It made me want to see the full 600 page text, which was the scientific (not narrative) portion of the Sea of Cortez. I liked Steinbeck's intimate stories within the narrative - the stories of Tiny and Sparky, Tony and Tex, and the villagers and fishermen of Mexico. I tend to dislike the philosophical discussions - tho the intro says that the inner workings of Steinbeck's mind has been revealed. Many of the societal attitudes seem outdated. It's a definite period piece - the gringos visiting the Mexicans and Indios during a time when few gringos came into their isolated world. When Baja California was an unspoiled habitat for marine life, instead of a resort/sportsman area. A time when you could freely collect marine specimens without desimating the species. What a great adventure, though, to make many discoveries (not of unusual species) but of the abundance and variety of species - and to record them for other science lovers. The book jumps in tone, emphasis, and style - showing the variety of Steinbeck's interests, strengths and weaknesses, and makes you want to go back to his classic fiction -where he is strongest in telling the stories of common man. A good read!
Rating:
Summary: Profound
Review: I was compelled to read this book several years ago, as it made a list of "Most inspirational books to Marine Biologists." Since I consider myself a marine biologist and was then taking some free time to revisit the classics I couldn't resist. I had appreciated Of Mice and Men and other Steinbeck work in highschool, but was tragically unaware of his interest in marine science. Needless to say I now read this book at least once a year.
The Log From the Sea of Cortez starts out as a factual telling of a tail about the crew of a boat, seamen, fishermen and scientists who journey to the little traveled Gulf of California (sea of Cortez). The book does an wonderful job of describing the day to day toil of the journey where they must stop every day and collect large numbers of specimens at each low tide. The work is drudgery but it is offset by the fact that they are doing something new, learning things unknown. Throughout Steinbeck explores the metaphysics of being a scientist and an explorer. The characters, who happen to be real people, are excellent vehicles for this exploration. We feel as if we are there with them and appreciating the things that they are, thinking their thoughts and feeling there pain. The trip on the Western Flyer (the boat) would have been the trip of anyone's lifetime. If you read this book it is almost as if you made it also.
Rating:
Summary: First Rate
Review: John Steinbeck had a high interest in marine biology, one that helped forge an extraordinary friendship with Ed Ricketts in the 1930s. Ricketts, the model for Doc in CANNERY ROW, was a professional biologist living in Monterey. He proposed an exploration of the Gulf of California and in the spring of 1940 he and Steinbeck set sail on a rented boat with a colorful crew that should have suggested a sea novel along the lines of CANNERY ROW and TORTILLA FLAT. The original result from this trip was the book THE SEA OF CORTEZ, which included the "log" fashioned by Steinbeck and an extensive inventory of the scientific information collected. It was published in the fall of 1941 and promptly forgotten when Pearl Harbor was struck. A decade later, the scientific catalogue was removed and Steinbeck added another section, a moving and often hilarious appreciation of his friend Ed Ricketts. The title became THE LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ and that's what we have here. This is a great book for the beach, where I read it. It is filled with the imagery of a warm coastal area. It is several things, really: a book filled with the wonder and scientific knowledge of marine life, a how-to (and sometimes how-not-to) guide for collecting specimens, a travelogue that captures the wilderness communities of Baja California in its time, and an often hilarious account of staying amused at sea with the likes of a crew with names like Tony, Tex, Sparky and Tiny. Steinbeck also takes the occasion to explore his own philosophy as inspired by their studies. Especially interesting is his Easter Day entry, in which he defines and explores at length what he calls "teleological" and "non-teleological" thinking. He gives us much to think about, and does so in clear, fluent prose. If you pay close attention, you will see him forming the idea for what years later became THE PEARL. One caution: read the critical introduction AFTER enjoying the text. Like most introductions, it contains some spoilers and it also makes references that are better understood once one is familiar with the material it limns.
Rating: 
Summary: A unique blend of science, philosophy, and social commentary
Review: John Steinbeck's recollections of a 1940 marine expedition in which he took part form an often funny and deeply thoughtful account lacking much in the way of adventure or narrative structure. A unique blend of oceanography, philosophy, and social commentary, the book often succeeds and sometimes falters. Much of the "log" alternates between lists of the specimens gathered by the seafarers and reflections stimulated by the species (including the humans) encountered on the trip. The descriptions of sea life are occasionally fascinating, such as Steinbeck's delightful portrayal of the wily Sally Lightfoot crabs: "They seem to be able to run in any one of four directions; but more than this, perhaps because of their rapid reaction time, they appear to read the mind of their hunter.... [Man`s] tendency eventually is to scream curses, to hurl himself at them, and to come up foaming with rage and bruised all over his chest." But for every passage like this one, there are a dozen sentences that have all the interest of a catalog entry ("Rock oysters there were, and oysters; limpets and sponges; corals of two types; peanut worms; sea-cucumbers; and many crabs....). Steinbeck's philosophical and political meditations are far more compelling, especially when he offers his views on social Darwinism, contemporary affairs, or local history. He enters murky waters, however, when he delves into abstract philosophical matters (for example, his often impenetrable deliberations on the differences between teleological and non-teleological thinking). Curiously enough, the most fully illustrated "characters" in this book are the offshore collecting pools, onshore natives, and--most memorably--the "Sea Cow," an insolent outboard motor with which the crew struggles throughout the voyage. The passengers themselves are nearly indistinguishable: the biologist Ed Ricketts is rarely mentioned, and only very observant readers will realize that Steinbeck's wife Carol was a member of the expedition. (They separated a year later, which might explain the vague references.) The scarcity of human interest is partially rectified in "About Ed Ricketts," a poignant eulogy Steinbeck added a decade after the book was originally published. Readers who skip appendixes will end up missing one of the best parts of the book.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Great Travel Stories of All Time
Review: One of my good friends from high school introduced me to this book after we were both middle-aged. He set the challenge that we should complete this journey together. I look forward to it. John Steinbeck, the great fiction writer, is just as intriguing as a nonfiction writer. In fact, there is more scope here than in any of the novels. Steinbeck was fascinated by his friend, Ed Ricketts, Baja California, The Sea of Cortez (located in Baja), the marine life there, and the people along the way. You can read this book for any of those dimensions and be well rewarded. In fact, it is interesting to learn more about Steinbeck, the man, through his reminiscences of this trip. Although I enjoyed all of these dimensions,to me the element that is most appealing is the story of two friends simply traveling and learning. It is very much a tale of the voyage that we all make through life, by way of analogy. In a way, it reminds me of a literal Pilgrim's Progress, except that this actually occurred. Fact, in this case, is more interesting than fiction. If you liked Steinbeck's novels, read this. If you like travel stories, read this. If you like stories of scientific research, read this. If you like adventure, read this. Even if you don't fall into one of those categories, read this. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: collection of animals and a sense of adventure
Review: steinbeck's darwinian novel that captues a sense of adventure as well with his good friend. there may be a need to be interested in the science of animal classification to really enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: a real classic & a great read
Review: This is the book that really "turned me around" on Steinbeck. I had been forced to read RED PONY & THE PEARL in High School & while I acknowledged Steinbeck's ability I found his subjects unbearably depressing. LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ showed me another, funnier, more thoughtful, and more engaging Steibeck that then lead me to CANNERY ROW etc. This is the so-called Narrative Portion of a much longer guidebook co-authored by Steinbeck & Ed Ricketts that was simply called SEA OF CORTEZ and includes both illustrations and keys to the marine intertidal of Baja. The longer version is alas now long out of print & a real collectors item. LOG it turns out is a mixture of an actual travel log as Ricketts, Steinbeck & the crew of the Western Flyer wander in and out of the coves on the eastern side of the Baja peninsula, and also some philosophical essays by Ricketts that I gather actually pre-date th Cortez trip. I have frequently assigned the Easter Sunday chapter to my students as an marvellous discourse on science & scientists, but in fact the whole book is just that -we get a real sense of the joys & follys of field ecology & a wonderful look at an amazing piece of country before it was "discovered" and at least in part spoiled. The book is like a wonderful conversation with two very very smart & funny people & one comes away having learned a great deal & wishing one could have gone along on the original trip.
| 
