The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans Hardcover – January 1, 2002

DK Publishers have put out some stunning volumes recently, but they have especially outdone themselves with two: "Animal" and "The Blue Planet". Lavishly illustrated and gloriously photographed, "The Blue Planet" is a fascinating exploration of the 70% of our world that we don't live in. As one of the authors states, we know more about the surface of the moon than we do about our own oceans. "Blue Planet" tries to address the imbalance and, for the lay reader, succeeds admirably. The book is excellently organized and written in plain language comprehensible to almost any reader. It's divided into seven main parts: an overview of the ocean system, coastal shorelines, tropical seas, temperate seas, frozen seas, the open ocean, and the deep. Each part is divided into subsections with reference arrows to other relevant sections, making it easy to use for research. We learn a lot about the feeding, mating and survival patterns of the inhabitants of each layer of the ocean; most fascinating to this reviewer was the dazzling spectacle of the light shows caused by bioluminescence in fish that live so deep down that most of us will only see them on film. There's also a photograph of a dead giant squid, proving that archyteuthis is no figment of anyone's imagination; we wonder if anyone will ever glimpse a live one. The book is a companion volume to the excellent series on the Discovery Channel but it stands up very well on its own. It's a must-have for anyone interested in the infinite variety of life on this world.

I replaced mjy copy with this one. Some how my copy was water damaged.

Got this for my 7 year son who loves anything to do with whales and the ocean. Great pictures and interesting facts. It is a beautiful book.

The Blue Planet - Seas of Life is the companion book to the BBC documentary of the same name. As has been mentioned in earlier reviews, the photography is stunning. The book is very concise, easy to follow (although at times it can get a little technical) and really, just fun to read.Seeing as how it's the companion book to the series, it has a lot of shared information and is quite similar. Still, there is plenty of new information not mentioned in the series. There are, though, a few differences in the order of programs from the series and chapters from the book...Programs:1. OCEAN WORLD2. FROZEN SEAS3. OPEN OCEAN4. THE DEEP5. SEASONAL SEAS6. CORAL SEAS7. TIDAL SEAS8. COASTSChapters:1. THE WATER PLANET: With water generally so available to us at the turn of a tap, it is easy to forget how essential it is for life on Earth. Water, collected in the great ocean basins, regulates the planet's temperature and climate as well as providing numerous habitats for plant and animal life.2. LIFE ON THE EDGE: Around the borders of the ocean, where the land meets the sea, lie some of the most challenging of the ocean habitats. From sandy beaches to rocky shores and river estuaries, waves and weather constantly erode coastal areas. While many creatures come here to breed, there are few permanent residents. Those that do live here must be hardy and adaptable enough to survive the daily ebb and flow of the tides, which transform their habitat on a daily basis.3. TROPICAL SEAS: The warm waters of the tropics are relatively poor in nutrients and oxygen, making substantial stretches of the shallows somewhat barren. However, in certain areas, where conditions are favourable, seagrass beds, mangroves and the most diverse marine communities of all - coral reefs - can be found. The efficient recycling of nutrients in these habitats allows them to flourish.4. TEMPERATE SEAS: The green, algae-rich waters of the world's temperate zones are some of the most productive on the planet. These intensely seasonal areas see an annual cycle of boom and bust that depends upon the plankton: a bounty for which many animals will migrate thousands of miles to harvest. These waters are also home to most of the world's seaweed and the underwater cliffs are festooned with invertebrates that are as colorful as any coral reef.5. FROZEN SEAS: The perimeters of the frozen seas of the Arctic and Antarctic attract surprising numbers of birds, seals and whales. But most of these migrate away as the annual sea ice forms in autumn; only a handful remain to cope with the rigours of a polar winter.6. THE OPEN OCEAN: Much of this seemingly limitless wilderness is a virtual desert, yet in the right conditions life explodes into intense productivity. This is a world in perpetual motion: plankton engage in an incessant daily migration from the dark depths to the surface and back, and many of the most powerful marine predators cruise these shelterless seas in search of prey. But simply finding food is not enough: somehow each species must ensure the survival of their offspring in this most unforgiving of habitats.7. THE DEEP: Below 150 m (492 feet), where there is no longer enough light for photosynthesis, the deep ocean begins. By far the largest habitat for life on Earth, it is also the one about which we know least, since the enormous pressures and perpetual darkness make exploration extremely difficult. Until very recently thought to be barren, we now know that in these inhospitable waters lives a rich variety of extraordinary creatures that have adapted in a variety of ways for life in this challenging environment.A great companion book to the series (can also work as a stand-alone volume) is well worth the time it takes to read it, (and it does take a while, seeing as how there's 380+ pages) highly recommended!

Great book.

A wonderful book with absolutely staggering photography throughout. You can snorkle and scuba-dive without even leaving your armchair. Just flicking through it when it first arrived I saw page after page of creatures I had never seen before. Packed with information, beautifully presented on good quality paper. What else can you expect from a product linked to the BBC, David Attenborough, and Discovery Channel. DK publishing excel again. The authors Andrew Byatt, Alastair Fothergill and Martha Holmes deserve a round of applause. This is a much valued addition to my collection of books.

This was a very good book and it goes great with the Blue Planet video series. Ocean creatures are amazing. I bet you'll at least find at least one thing in this book you have never known before. If you love the ocean and want to know what's in it, this will be an excellent book to read.

After watching the 'Blue Planet' documentaries on TV I developed an interest about life under the sea. Some of the documentary footage was truly groundbreaking work in terms of capturing the animals on film and bringing it to our homes in such a unique way.The book, like the documentary is truly a great piece of work. It's well planned, presented and written. It covers all aspects of ocean life with out becoming to specific with regard to certain species. Some of the photographs throughout the book are truly wonderful; this book is a must for everyone, of all ages. It will satisfy any appetite for deep-sea discovery, shore life and marine biology.5 Stars, This book has everything you need and more, and the presentation is second to none.