Survival

As much about the Farallons as the great whites there. All the drama of the sharks plus a look into the characters that are obsessed by them. Very worth the read. ( )

I selected this book because of my particular interest in White sharks. However, tthe book is less about sharks, and more about the history of the islands, the author’s interaction with a few onsite biologists, as well certain birds, seals, and sea life native to the area. In fairness, the book provides a wonderful account of the natural beauty and solemnity of the islands.

It is an excellent story, but frankly contains a bit more fluff than I would have preferred. Nonetheless, an enjoyable read for those who do not expect too much analysis of great white sharks. ( )

I really enjoyed this book and ended up going on my own Great White Shark dive at the Farallon islands, only to see a jellyfish after 8 hours on a boat and in and out of a cage :( Oh well, it's probably for the better. This is just an exciting place to be with a lot of interesting history, especially the large sharks. ( )

I agree almost word for word with a goodreads review written by Stephanie. I do not know Stephanie but I agree this book left me with mixed emotions. Deciding how to rate was difficult.

The Farallon Islands were described in detail during the first half of the book. Until this book, I hardly knew about the islands or the wildlife in that area. I was enthusiastic about the marine life I discovered. YouTube was always nearby as I spent more time lookng up sea creatures and more books.

The second half of the book was more about the author's obsession with getting to the island by any means possible. She did not seem to respect the researchers as professionals with notable degrees. She was pushy and unethical. What was ironic, Susan Casey did not disguise the researchers reactions to her behavior. She did not curb her ways despite their polite attempts to curb her ways.

Throughout her visits to the islands, the researchers were always nice to her. Perhaps that was the problem. Had they been grough, she may not have abused their kindness.

Learning that one of the researchers lost his job because of her negligence was gut wrenching. I am sure he has found other work but it seems the debacle that ensued could have been avoided. At least, if things happened the way Susan Casey wrote them... ( )