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Leviatán o la ballena
De niño a Philip Hoare le fascinaban las maquetas gigantes de ballenas del museo de Historia Natural, y como adulto fue al encuentro de esos magníficos animales, que se convirtieron en una obsesión para él. A caballo entre la historia, la literatura y el libro de viajes,Leviatán es el glorioso resultado de esta obsesión y del libro que la inspiró: Moby Dick.
Philip Hoare nos guía hacia las profundidades del dominio de la ballena, y nos muestra esos animales como jamás se han visto antes.
Philip Hoare nos guía hacia las profundidades del dominio de la ballena, y nos muestra esos animales como jamás se han visto antes.
510 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2008
389 people are currently reading
7349 people want to read
About the author
Philip Hoare
44 books131 followersPhilip Hoare is an English writer, especially of history and biography. He instigated the Moby Dick Big Read project. He is Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Southampton and Leverhulme artist-in-residence at the Marine Institute, Plymouth University, which awarded him an honorary doctorate in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 467 reviews
February 18, 2011
I don't know if I can finish this book. In the early pages the author wrote "I was ready to believe in whales" and I shut the book in anger. Now whenever I'm about to pick it up I remember, "I was ready to believe in whales" and start muttering crankily to myself something like the following "the fuck? ready to believe in whales? they exist. you don't believe in fucking whales. ready to fucking believe in whales? fuck this. tv time". so....i don't know if i can get past that.
So I finished it. I stand by everything I said above.
So I finished it. I stand by everything I said above.
April 25, 2010
First, let me say that this book should probably mention Moby Dick in the title, as nearly half of the book is about Melville's white whale. Now, I don't have any problem with reading about Moby Dick, but the focus on that book made this one a little uneven. At times I felt like I was reading a comp lit dissertation. At other times it is sort of a natural history and at others it is a bit of a travelogue. Occasionally there is a really interesting fact or tidbit, or a nice bit of writing that captures the mystery and awesomeness of the whale, but these moments are outnumbered by the choppy, boring, and lame parts of the book.
April 6, 2012
An acquaintance recently remarked that there has not been any good criticism of Melville in the last half-century. The comment got me thinking about the best critical texts on "Moby-Dick." They rarely deal with the novel itself, and generally read as semi-autonomous poetic works with enough artistic merit to deserve critical attention themselves. The critical history of "Moby-Dick" is incomparable to the critical history of any other literary text; limited is the number of academic jerk-off sessions, great is the number of poems and "creative non-fiction" that don't so much address the mysteries of the great novel as they do exist in its orbit. "The Whale: In Search of the Giants," nearly as long as Melville's best known work, is such a text. It offers little in the way of physiological or behavioral details of the great swimming mammal that are not found in MB(I had borrowed the book in hopes of finding something like a Frans de Waal primatology text but for whales and was, surprisingly, not disappointed to find that the research necessary for such a treatise doesn't exist: how could it, when these animals traverse the entirety of the planet in relatively brief intervals, making extended research on their social customs impossible?). "The Whale" is a very good book for anyone interested in vastness, Melville and the psychic impact of human consumption. Human consumption, I suppose, is the real theme of the book: we consume space, knowledge and resources at an unimaginable pace. The whale is that facet of humanity's natural counterpart: it is unimaginably large, inhabits an impossibly vast swath of the planet, and has been brought to its knees only by the harpoon, mechanical sonar, and mercury poisoning. The impact of man on the sperm whale's population is sad but also impressive, in a guiltily chest-thumping sort of way; after all, this is an animal whose natural enemy is the giant squid, which is said to grow up to 200 feet long, has two hearts, a super-mean beak, and has the general appearance of a space creature intended to devour whole planets. And maybe that's what "Moby-Dick" is all about, too. That, or homosexuality. Or intertextual connections to every Western text, ever. Or good and evil. Or the danger in viewing the world in absolute terms. Or whatever.
September 12, 2022
Pretty good - lots of interesting stories of whale sightings, but far too light on the photos, and it's the photos that tell the best stories, right? Oh well, it appears it was published in 2010, which is a long time ago in this field. Still, I quite liked it! Well worth the price and the time!
January 29, 2014
Like most people, I have loved whales since I was a kid (though I have always been more fascinated by sharks...). This book's title, however, was a bit misleading... there were a lot of fascinating facts about whales, but it was honestly more about whaling than the whales themselves. Which made it a pretty depressing (albeit very interesting) read, all in all. And throughout, the book constantly references Moby-Dick: or, The Whale, and the life of Herman Melville. So, if you are very familiar with that piece of classic literature, I think you will enjoy this more than someone who only has limited knowledge of the book.
My only real complaint was that I would have liked even more information about the whales themselves, their lives and their habits, and a little less about the cruelty and utter destruction brought upon them by mankind. Although, this book managed to give a balanced look into whaling, and did not come off as the Sea Shepard's, or another eco-terrorist group's, manual. There certainly were a lot of facts that any eco-group could use, however. In handling this sensitive topic of history, this author certainly did a wonderfully detailed job. Well-written (despite a few rather abrupt transitions), and well-researched, the photos and drawings added a lot to this good, but on the whole, rather depressing look into the history of humanity's relationship with the whale.
My only real complaint was that I would have liked even more information about the whales themselves, their lives and their habits, and a little less about the cruelty and utter destruction brought upon them by mankind. Although, this book managed to give a balanced look into whaling, and did not come off as the Sea Shepard's, or another eco-terrorist group's, manual. There certainly were a lot of facts that any eco-group could use, however. In handling this sensitive topic of history, this author certainly did a wonderfully detailed job. Well-written (despite a few rather abrupt transitions), and well-researched, the photos and drawings added a lot to this good, but on the whole, rather depressing look into the history of humanity's relationship with the whale.
May 11, 2016
"E come l'insieme delle nuvole dà vita ad atlanti celesti, così ogni balena è una nazione a sé stante, una comunità planetaria di cirripedi e pidocchi di mare che vaga la mercè della deriva continentale. Ambasciatrici internazionali del potere indiscriminato della natura, le balene sono nazioni senza Stato, dotate di una forza che trascende la loro mera presenza fisica. La balena vive una vita tra due mondi, all'insegna quindi del miracolo e della follia. Che mai avrà fatto per meritarsi una sorte simile? Respinta da Noè (come infilarla nell'arca?), sconta il fio dell'esilio che impose se stessa quando alla terra preferì le acque degli oceani".
October 21, 2015
Are you a wildlife enthusiast looking for a really good overview of the current state of marine mammal science especially cetology? Me, too! Let me know if you find a book like that! Because it's not this one.
I'm really glad I"read this book by listening to it rather than by reading it as a dead-tree book. Listening to it aloud allowed me to argue with the author but still basically enjoy the book. If I'd been reading it with my eyes, I probably would either not have finished it, or it would have taken me far longer.
For one thing, Hoare kept making sweeping statements that either can't be true or that he couldn't possibly prove or know. (Such as "sperm whales have the most sophisticated social system of any non-human mammal on the planet." Or "sperm whales have the slowest reproductive rate of any mammal.") That type of thing, especially in a book that claims to be science writing, just aggravates me.
Overall, though this book isn't actually science writing. There is some science writing in it, but it's also a detailed look into the writing, details, meaning, and symbolism of Moby-Dick; or, The Whale and the circumstances of Herman Melville's life. And, like Moby Dick itself, there was a surprising amount of discussion of homoeroticism and of penises.
(Speaking of odd emphasis: If you've been asked to narrate a book on whales and wildlife, possibly you should consult with a biologist about any words you're unfamiliar with. For instance, it's CEPH-alopod not ce-PHAL-opod. Though that did fit in with the phallic emphasis of the rest of the book.)
I'm glad I read it, and there was some interesting information about whaling, about sailing, and about the history of humanity's interaction with whales. And even some novel information about whales! There's a whole bunch of good information once we move past Moby Dick, and some great stuff about rescues. Stormy's even in it! If the whole book had been like that, I would have loved it. But it's not the book I was hoping for.
I'm really glad I"read this book by listening to it rather than by reading it as a dead-tree book. Listening to it aloud allowed me to argue with the author but still basically enjoy the book. If I'd been reading it with my eyes, I probably would either not have finished it, or it would have taken me far longer.
For one thing, Hoare kept making sweeping statements that either can't be true or that he couldn't possibly prove or know. (Such as "sperm whales have the most sophisticated social system of any non-human mammal on the planet." Or "sperm whales have the slowest reproductive rate of any mammal.") That type of thing, especially in a book that claims to be science writing, just aggravates me.
Overall, though this book isn't actually science writing. There is some science writing in it, but it's also a detailed look into the writing, details, meaning, and symbolism of Moby-Dick; or, The Whale and the circumstances of Herman Melville's life. And, like Moby Dick itself, there was a surprising amount of discussion of homoeroticism and of penises.
(Speaking of odd emphasis: If you've been asked to narrate a book on whales and wildlife, possibly you should consult with a biologist about any words you're unfamiliar with. For instance, it's CEPH-alopod not ce-PHAL-opod. Though that did fit in with the phallic emphasis of the rest of the book.)
I'm glad I read it, and there was some interesting information about whaling, about sailing, and about the history of humanity's interaction with whales. And even some novel information about whales! There's a whole bunch of good information once we move past Moby Dick, and some great stuff about rescues. Stormy's even in it! If the whole book had been like that, I would have loved it. But it's not the book I was hoping for.
January 19, 2012
De lo más sorprendente que ha caido en mis manos en los últimos meses! Su lectura es la leche! Nunca imaginé que un ensayo sobre cetáceos pudiera convertirse en algo así! Y es que es increible como este señor mezcla la biología con la historia y la literatura! Nada más terminarlo me vi obligado a meterle mano a Moby Dick! No dudeis un segundo en leerlo! Las ballenas nunca volverán a ser lo mismo!
June 20, 2013
A captivating narrative on Moby Dick, Herman Melville and whales. One gets the impression that the author is smitten with Melville’s tale of the white whale – its’ grandeur and elusiveness. Indeed it is a story unlike any other. The author ventures to Melville territory in Cape Code and gives fitting descriptions of whaling life there in the 19th century.
He also explores the treatment of whales since the end of World War II – when millions more have been slaughtered by the increased efficiency of modern hunting weapons. The natural history and the changing scientific view of the whale are examined over the last few centuries – leading to many zoological observations.
It is an entertaining book to read and has wonderful illustrations. If one is obsessed by Melville’s Moby Dick, as I am, there is much of interest!
One of my favourite quotes on page 343 from Friedrich Nietzsche “Beyond Good and Evil”: “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby becomes a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.”
He also explores the treatment of whales since the end of World War II – when millions more have been slaughtered by the increased efficiency of modern hunting weapons. The natural history and the changing scientific view of the whale are examined over the last few centuries – leading to many zoological observations.
It is an entertaining book to read and has wonderful illustrations. If one is obsessed by Melville’s Moby Dick, as I am, there is much of interest!
One of my favourite quotes on page 343 from Friedrich Nietzsche “Beyond Good and Evil”: “He who fights with monsters should be careful lest he thereby becomes a monster. And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee.”
September 4, 2022
Click here to hear my thoughts on this book over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
March 14, 2017
If you are interested in Whales, perhaps three stars. But if you, like me, have a deep love for Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, then overall this is a 4 star read. Loved it.
August 9, 2016
4,2
En ALGUNS moments (pocs) se m'ha fet una mica pesat, però en general manté un ritme força trepidant. No està ordenat ni cronològica ni temàticament, és una bona història on es combina biologia, literatura, geografia.....es nota l'absoluta passió que té Hoare per les balenes, i els tocs més personals també milloren el llibre.
En ALGUNS moments (pocs) se m'ha fet una mica pesat, però en general manté un ritme força trepidant. No està ordenat ni cronològica ni temàticament, és una bona història on es combina biologia, literatura, geografia.....es nota l'absoluta passió que té Hoare per les balenes, i els tocs més personals també milloren el llibre.
March 24, 2019
"El mundo moderno se construyó sobre la ballena hasta un punto que quizás nadie ha sabido apreciar (…) parecía que estas bestias antediluvianas hubieran de morir para que el mundo moderno pudiera afirmarse".
Cuándo leí esto en uno de los extensos capítulos de este, a mi parecer, precioso ensayo pensé que Hoare no había salido de su época punk.
En el siglo dieciocho los peregrinos que se asentaron en Cape Cod, Nantucket y New Bedford, levantaron estas ciudades y prosperaron gracias a las ballenas que pasaron a ser el equivalente del búfalo pero en el mar.
El esperma de las ballenas iluminaba las ciudades literalmente y si el aceite de ballena era el petróleo de la época, las barbas eran el plástico.
La ballena formaba parte del imaginario de la época, de ella se sacaban fertilizantes, combustible de trenes, tinta, gelatina, cordones y un largo etc.
Numerosos relatos e ilustraciones muestran esa relación casi mística que se estableció entre el hombre y el leviatán.
Cuando los americanos pasaron a colonizar el medio oeste en busca de oro y petróleo las ballenas podrían haber encontrado un descanso pero pasaron a ser patrimonio de otros países y serian sus esfuerzos los que llevarían a las ballenas al borde de la extinción en 1951, cien años después de que se publicara Moby Dick, murieron más ballenas en todo el mundo de las que cazaron los balleneros de New Bedford en un siglo y medio.
A día de hoy EEUU recrimina a Japón que no respete el cupo en la caza de ballena mientras que ellos casi exterminan a la ballena boreal. El mismo cuento de codicia de siempre ¿os suena?
Este libro no es un manual de cetologia, es un recorrido por la historia donde las ilustraciones nos acompañan durante la lectura y vemos muchas referencias a la literatura de la mano de Melville y su Moby Dick o de Thoreau con Walden y Cape Cod.
November 15, 2019
A favorite childhood novel, Watership Down, often features pictures of rabbits on the front cover. Though I was confused by the title when younger, unfamiliar with English geographical terms, I knew this book contained rabbits. However, if this book had featured a picture of a rabbit, a crocodile, and a mountain lion, I would expect that the crocodile and mountain lion would make significant appearances within the book. Though it is said, "do not judge a book by the cover," the cover nonetheless sets expectations together with the title.
This book appeared to promise a variety of whales- orca, sperm, bowhead, and narwhal all grace the cover. The title promises "The Whale" the general term, a term that encompasses many varieties. In reality the book featured mostly the sperm whale through the lens of Moby Dick, and dwells heavily on the practice of whaling. By the time other whales are featured more than in passing the book is near the end.
Lacking the more naturalist discussion hinted at, this work delves deeply into the lives of early whalers and those, who like Melville, observed the giants of the sea. It discusses our history with the whale adequately, but the strong focus on this period and single author detracts from the broader topic.
Though the writing is well done, admittedly at times over the top, this book is a bit of a disappointment if only for it's failure to deliver on the outward promise of the cover and title. I suspect an hour long nature documentary would have provided more information on "The Whale" than this book. Instead we dwelt mostly with Melville and his literary white whale, one that appears to have obsessed more than one author.
This book appeared to promise a variety of whales- orca, sperm, bowhead, and narwhal all grace the cover. The title promises "The Whale" the general term, a term that encompasses many varieties. In reality the book featured mostly the sperm whale through the lens of Moby Dick, and dwells heavily on the practice of whaling. By the time other whales are featured more than in passing the book is near the end.
Lacking the more naturalist discussion hinted at, this work delves deeply into the lives of early whalers and those, who like Melville, observed the giants of the sea. It discusses our history with the whale adequately, but the strong focus on this period and single author detracts from the broader topic.
Though the writing is well done, admittedly at times over the top, this book is a bit of a disappointment if only for it's failure to deliver on the outward promise of the cover and title. I suspect an hour long nature documentary would have provided more information on "The Whale" than this book. Instead we dwelt mostly with Melville and his literary white whale, one that appears to have obsessed more than one author.
September 24, 2009
I didn't realise I was so interested in whales! Well, perhaps I'm not but the brilliance of this book is such that it doesn't matter. It's a very engaging read and full of lovely illustrations. In fact, you get the impression the publishers were surprisingly supportive of what sounds like a slightly leftfield book (400 pages of why I'm interested in whales, the history of commercial whaling and Moby Dick) - they haven't crammed the text in and there are plenty of pictures (black and white). However, I take heart (coming from the 'cut it' school) from the fact that he doesn't seem to have been able to get permission to include the full 'Herman Melville' by W. H. Auden though he clearly wanted to, quoting snippets here and there (or perhaps he did and I just didn't notice, or perhaps it is hideously long?) - anyway, I might look it up. And I want to give Moby Dick itself another go now, having given up at one of the many digressions about whale byproducts first time around. Def worth a read unless you are really determined to have some plot and action.
December 5, 2016
First let me say, this was a book challenge read. This wouldn't have been on my radar otherwise. So with that little disclaimer, this was just alright. It was loaded with research, facts and little lesser-known tidbits, and....lots of references to Moby Dick, Ishmael, and Herman Melville (btw, I didn't like that book). This book had its interesting moments, but I always went back to wanting this to be over.
I think it is sad though, how these magnificent beings were unnecessarily hunted and butchered by mankind. This book visited that message over and over again. It was painful. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy this more.
I think it is sad though, how these magnificent beings were unnecessarily hunted and butchered by mankind. This book visited that message over and over again. It was painful. I'm sorry I didn't enjoy this more.
August 9, 2019
I was expecting The Whale to be just that, a book about whales. And it is, but it is so much more. The Whale is a meditation on whales, on Moby Dick, on loss, on whaling, on history, even on life. Philip Hoare writes from a position of deep knowledge as well as deep love, and he writes about his subjects---whales, Herman Melville, whalers, whaling ships---as a starting point for his thoughts about vast themes---history, loss, loneliness, human connections---eloquently, almost following the model of his much-admired author, Melville himself.
The Whale is a perfect book to read alongside Moby Dick. I recommend watching Philip Hoare's documentary, The Hunt for Moby Dick, too.
The Whale is a perfect book to read alongside Moby Dick. I recommend watching Philip Hoare's documentary, The Hunt for Moby Dick, too.
September 21, 2016
"...E da qualche parte, avvolti in un buio insondabile, perennemente vigili nell’interrotto sogno a occhi aperti che è la loro vita, nuotano i capodogli, seguendo valli che increspano per trentamila chilometri il letto dell’oceano, attraversando laghi adagiati sull’abisso come polle di mercurio isolate dal differenziale termico, e sfilando dietro a meduse palpitanti, che pulsano come spettrali spose vittoriane nelle loro crinoline ectoplasmatiche."
Le balene e tutto ciò che le circonda hanno sempre avuto su di me un effetto affascinate, fatto di mistero e bellezza assieme. Questo libro di non-fiction rende magnificamente l’idea del Leviatano nell’immaginario collettivo. Certo, la presenza e i riferimenti a Melville sono presenti e ingombranti, ma si tratta di riferimenti assolutamente obbligati e mai fastidiosi: PH riesce a destreggiarsi abilmente tra i continui rimandi a Moby Dick e a tutto ciò che ne deriva: divagazioni letterarie, narrative, antropologiche, storiche, naturalistiche, ambientaliste…
Un po’ memoir, un po’ storia culturale e naturale, un po’ diario di viaggio, il libro vaga dalle suggestioni della nativa Inghilterra alle isole Azzorre, dallo Sri Lanka alla Nuova Zelanda dei Maori. Un memorabile romanzo del mare, un viaggio, ma anche miraggio: di un mare bianco, interiore, fatto di divagazioni e di silenziosa solitudine... la suggestione che riesce ad ispirarci PH è totale.
L’autore ci racconta perché i cetacei sono stati per lungo tempo il grande motore delle esplorazioni e dei commerci più redditizi e arditi (nessuna parte della balena andava sprecata!) partendo dalle vicende dell’industria baleniera americana. Scopriremo che le balene non sono tutte uguali, che sono capaci di performace estreme, che amano strofinarsi tra di loro e fare una pennichella dopo i pasti (galleggiando in verticale, con lo sfiatatoio proprio sopra il pelo dell’acqua!), che possiedono un complessissimo sistema di comunicazione e di caccia, sono assai longeve, tendono a dare un forte significato ai legami familiari e di gruppo, combattono per davvero contro i calamari giganti e molto spesso se li mangiano interi.
Le pagine scorrono veloci alla lettura e ci consegnano gli estremi di una parabola tanto eloquente quanto terribile sotto il profilo antropologico: il capodoglio, da riserva di merce preziosa a mostro, per finire a creatura da proteggere, metafora di un mondo perduto. PH, con queste bellissime pagine, ci porge uno specchio dove possiamo “ammirare” la nostra stessa storia di mammiferi di piccola taglia, abilissimi nel portare a compimento, tra innumerevoli contraddizioni, grandi stermini per conseguire un precario e insulso dominio.
Le balene e tutto ciò che le circonda hanno sempre avuto su di me un effetto affascinate, fatto di mistero e bellezza assieme. Questo libro di non-fiction rende magnificamente l’idea del Leviatano nell’immaginario collettivo. Certo, la presenza e i riferimenti a Melville sono presenti e ingombranti, ma si tratta di riferimenti assolutamente obbligati e mai fastidiosi: PH riesce a destreggiarsi abilmente tra i continui rimandi a Moby Dick e a tutto ciò che ne deriva: divagazioni letterarie, narrative, antropologiche, storiche, naturalistiche, ambientaliste…
Un po’ memoir, un po’ storia culturale e naturale, un po’ diario di viaggio, il libro vaga dalle suggestioni della nativa Inghilterra alle isole Azzorre, dallo Sri Lanka alla Nuova Zelanda dei Maori. Un memorabile romanzo del mare, un viaggio, ma anche miraggio: di un mare bianco, interiore, fatto di divagazioni e di silenziosa solitudine... la suggestione che riesce ad ispirarci PH è totale.
L’autore ci racconta perché i cetacei sono stati per lungo tempo il grande motore delle esplorazioni e dei commerci più redditizi e arditi (nessuna parte della balena andava sprecata!) partendo dalle vicende dell’industria baleniera americana. Scopriremo che le balene non sono tutte uguali, che sono capaci di performace estreme, che amano strofinarsi tra di loro e fare una pennichella dopo i pasti (galleggiando in verticale, con lo sfiatatoio proprio sopra il pelo dell’acqua!), che possiedono un complessissimo sistema di comunicazione e di caccia, sono assai longeve, tendono a dare un forte significato ai legami familiari e di gruppo, combattono per davvero contro i calamari giganti e molto spesso se li mangiano interi.
Le pagine scorrono veloci alla lettura e ci consegnano gli estremi di una parabola tanto eloquente quanto terribile sotto il profilo antropologico: il capodoglio, da riserva di merce preziosa a mostro, per finire a creatura da proteggere, metafora di un mondo perduto. PH, con queste bellissime pagine, ci porge uno specchio dove possiamo “ammirare” la nostra stessa storia di mammiferi di piccola taglia, abilissimi nel portare a compimento, tra innumerevoli contraddizioni, grandi stermini per conseguire un precario e insulso dominio.
April 5, 2021
So, at the beginning of the year and currently, I have been slightly obsessed with whales. Hence, when I saw this book on the shelf of my dad's library, I knew I had to take it with me back to school and read the book.
I did not expect the first half to be a homage to Herman Melville and his (enormous) novel, Moby Dick. I now have vicariously read Moby Dick and all of its symbolism after finishing the book. So, it was a drag to get to the second half as I wanted to read about whales!
The second half came, and boy did the book go above and beyond my expectations! The author dived into great details about whaling, which I will never romanticize again, due to my ancestor being whalers as it was hazardous and gruesome. The narrative of whales, especially the sperm whale, being leviathans to the gentle and highly intelligent animals we think of them now was so fascinating to explore. The act of seeing whales as inferior to humans enabled the exploitation of their oil and meat, which almost caused entire whale species to go extinct. Some today are still endangered, due to mass whaling, such as the right whale, blue whale and sperm whale, and still are affected by human activities. It was interesting how whaling tied with slavery, World War I efforts, the UK economy, and the Australian prisoner settlement. Overall, I have a greater appreciation for whales and think they are one of the most majestic creatures on earth.
P.S. When whales exhale and blow from their blowholes, there are disease-causing bacteria in it. So you might not want to breathe it in and face away in the future if you ever see a whale in the wild!
I did not expect the first half to be a homage to Herman Melville and his (enormous) novel, Moby Dick. I now have vicariously read Moby Dick and all of its symbolism after finishing the book. So, it was a drag to get to the second half as I wanted to read about whales!
The second half came, and boy did the book go above and beyond my expectations! The author dived into great details about whaling, which I will never romanticize again, due to my ancestor being whalers as it was hazardous and gruesome. The narrative of whales, especially the sperm whale, being leviathans to the gentle and highly intelligent animals we think of them now was so fascinating to explore. The act of seeing whales as inferior to humans enabled the exploitation of their oil and meat, which almost caused entire whale species to go extinct. Some today are still endangered, due to mass whaling, such as the right whale, blue whale and sperm whale, and still are affected by human activities. It was interesting how whaling tied with slavery, World War I efforts, the UK economy, and the Australian prisoner settlement. Overall, I have a greater appreciation for whales and think they are one of the most majestic creatures on earth.
P.S. When whales exhale and blow from their blowholes, there are disease-causing bacteria in it. So you might not want to breathe it in and face away in the future if you ever see a whale in the wild!
August 23, 2010
"It was shockingly strange."
I wish I had read this before reading "Moby Dick" instead of after. Hoare uses Melville's book as a touchpoint for his musings on whales and whaling, and his insights give a valuable counterpoint to the novel. I definitely would have absorbed more from from both Melville's factual and imaginative digressions, and I think it would also have enhanced for me the book's broader vision.
The sheer destructiveness, wastefulness, and voracious appetite of man is laid out in numbing numbers. The complete disregard for other species and lack of awareness of the tiny space we should occupy in the fragile balance of the planet are reflected in the story of our treatment of this ancient species. But then, consider how we treat one another. The history of whaling intersects the history of slavery and continuous warfare. Mystery, awe, repect--lost to the God of Mammon.
Circling around his subject, Hoare manages to create those lost feelings even as he chronicles both the facts and the still-unknowns. An absorbing read, encompassing history, literature, science, ecology, technology, relationships, geography, the personal and the spiritual; artistic vision illuminating the political and social interactions between human and cetacean.
I wish I had read this before reading "Moby Dick" instead of after. Hoare uses Melville's book as a touchpoint for his musings on whales and whaling, and his insights give a valuable counterpoint to the novel. I definitely would have absorbed more from from both Melville's factual and imaginative digressions, and I think it would also have enhanced for me the book's broader vision.
The sheer destructiveness, wastefulness, and voracious appetite of man is laid out in numbing numbers. The complete disregard for other species and lack of awareness of the tiny space we should occupy in the fragile balance of the planet are reflected in the story of our treatment of this ancient species. But then, consider how we treat one another. The history of whaling intersects the history of slavery and continuous warfare. Mystery, awe, repect--lost to the God of Mammon.
Circling around his subject, Hoare manages to create those lost feelings even as he chronicles both the facts and the still-unknowns. An absorbing read, encompassing history, literature, science, ecology, technology, relationships, geography, the personal and the spiritual; artistic vision illuminating the political and social interactions between human and cetacean.
May 14, 2010
Outstanding book by Philip Hoare which walks in the footsteps of Herman Melville while writing Moby Dick, and a general history of whaling, with fascinating sidetrips. People have been whaling for a very long time, but the commercial-type whaling only dates from around the eighteenth century. Hoare goes all around the world tracing the development of whaling, the birth of the International Whaling Commission, (and the birth of the environmental movement) types of whaling and the creation of the post-World War II "factory ships" which drove most species of whales to extinction within 20 years. This is a highly-recommended, almost magical book for people interested in natural history, whales, obscure parts of the world, (the islands of the South Pacific or the Azores, for example) and whaling lore.
August 16, 2023
El libro es una maravilla, pero hasta los últimos capítulos, que son más amables, lo he pasado mal y me ha costado mucho leer, he tenido que ir parando e intercalando con otras cosas. La culpa no es de Hoare sino de la humanidad entera, que él solo se limita a narrar todo lo que les hemos hecho a las ballenas, pero que quede como advertencia a sensibles, que es durillo.
August 1, 2024
Lo que más me cautivó fue el intenso amor y pasión que tiene el autor con las ballenas y el océano.
Es bellísimo y totalmente interesante, poco a poco te va explicando su relación con ellas, y sus propias experiencias al tener la oportunidad de presenciar esos increíbles animales marinos.
También nos lleva a que conozcamos a estos cetáceos profundamente, desde los tipos de especies que hay, el folclore, (y sí, Moby Dick), hasta la triste y decepcionante relación y trato que le han dado los seres humanos a lo largo de los años (que fue muy fuerte de leer, al menos para mí, nos odio!!).
Al fin y al cabo fue una muy interesante y bella lectura, nos invita a que tomemos un momento para admirar y apreciar estas criaturas que han estado más tiempo en el planeta que nosotros.
Siento que ahora soy una amiga íntima de Hoare ah, yo también quiero ir a nadar con las ballenas :((
Es bellísimo y totalmente interesante, poco a poco te va explicando su relación con ellas, y sus propias experiencias al tener la oportunidad de presenciar esos increíbles animales marinos.
También nos lleva a que conozcamos a estos cetáceos profundamente, desde los tipos de especies que hay, el folclore, (y sí, Moby Dick), hasta la triste y decepcionante relación y trato que le han dado los seres humanos a lo largo de los años (que fue muy fuerte de leer, al menos para mí, nos odio!!).
Al fin y al cabo fue una muy interesante y bella lectura, nos invita a que tomemos un momento para admirar y apreciar estas criaturas que han estado más tiempo en el planeta que nosotros.
Siento que ahora soy una amiga íntima de Hoare ah, yo también quiero ir a nadar con las ballenas :((
September 18, 2018
Over the years you have been hunted
By the men who threw harpoons
And in the long run he will kill you
Just to feed the pets we raise,
Put the flowers in your vase
And make the lipstick for your face.
-"Wind on the Water," CSN
I am very pleased that I read this book. I learned quite a bit about whales of several different species. I understand that those expecting simply a natural history of the mother of all fantastic beasts could be disappointed or annoyed when they see how much of the book is devoted to the whales' mostly grim experiences with the human species, as well as humans' attempts to capture the whale in art and literature.
However, like it or not, what we have done to the whale has shaped and continues to shape its behavior, habitat, and mere survival. Kudos to the author for acknowledging that just because some nations have scuttled their whaling fleets doesn't mean we have entered into a new, harmonious way of living with these otherworldly beings--he sees past the "research" and "cultural" whaling excuses to see them for exactly what they are, unsustainable and unnecessary, not to mention the new-world threats to whales posed by factory fishing practices, collisions with ships, and military sonar.
By the men who threw harpoons
And in the long run he will kill you
Just to feed the pets we raise,
Put the flowers in your vase
And make the lipstick for your face.
-"Wind on the Water," CSN
I am very pleased that I read this book. I learned quite a bit about whales of several different species. I understand that those expecting simply a natural history of the mother of all fantastic beasts could be disappointed or annoyed when they see how much of the book is devoted to the whales' mostly grim experiences with the human species, as well as humans' attempts to capture the whale in art and literature.
However, like it or not, what we have done to the whale has shaped and continues to shape its behavior, habitat, and mere survival. Kudos to the author for acknowledging that just because some nations have scuttled their whaling fleets doesn't mean we have entered into a new, harmonious way of living with these otherworldly beings--he sees past the "research" and "cultural" whaling excuses to see them for exactly what they are, unsustainable and unnecessary, not to mention the new-world threats to whales posed by factory fishing practices, collisions with ships, and military sonar.
October 30, 2023
i just fucking love whales!
October 27, 2011
Let me tell you, I was SO glad that I had previously read Moby-Dick or, The Whale and was relatively familiar with it before reading this book. This is really the author’s paean to Herman Melville, who he seems to have a bit of a crush on. I personally think Herman Melville was a little weird, so I was not totally thrilled with the deviation from whales to whalers, BUT the author’s unbridled enthusiasm for the topic carried the book.
I did have to fight the urge to gently remind the author that Ishmael is a fictional character, and not a historical figure. While it is extremely likely that he was based on a real person, or amalgam of persons, it is not as though Moby Dick is the personal journal of an actual individual. However, quotes from Ishmael are included interspersed with information from actual real people – scholars & historians. This made me twitch.
I was also glad that I had a good frame of reference to work with – I’ve been on the Charles W. Morgan, to Nantucket & New Bedford, etc. (I went to a couple of Moby Dick marathons, which were actually pretty awesome. They live tweet them now: @mbydickmarathon) If not, I think it would have been difficult to visualize or connect with a LOT of this book. It helped to have read In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex previously as well.
I think the author is completely crazy, based on reading this, but he was SO ENTHUSIASTIC about everything having to do with whales and (especially) Herman Melville that it was endearing. He was so honest in his enthusiasm and interest that it was hard not to like this book.
Although – two things.
1. I cannot believe he did not mention the Star Trek movie with the whales, when discussing whales in popular culture!! I find it hard to believe that this dude has NOT seen this movie.
2. I do not think this review would be complete without this video:
Mariachis Serenading a Beluga
I did have to fight the urge to gently remind the author that Ishmael is a fictional character, and not a historical figure. While it is extremely likely that he was based on a real person, or amalgam of persons, it is not as though Moby Dick is the personal journal of an actual individual. However, quotes from Ishmael are included interspersed with information from actual real people – scholars & historians. This made me twitch.
I was also glad that I had a good frame of reference to work with – I’ve been on the Charles W. Morgan, to Nantucket & New Bedford, etc. (I went to a couple of Moby Dick marathons, which were actually pretty awesome. They live tweet them now: @mbydickmarathon) If not, I think it would have been difficult to visualize or connect with a LOT of this book. It helped to have read In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex previously as well.
I think the author is completely crazy, based on reading this, but he was SO ENTHUSIASTIC about everything having to do with whales and (especially) Herman Melville that it was endearing. He was so honest in his enthusiasm and interest that it was hard not to like this book.
Although – two things.
1. I cannot believe he did not mention the Star Trek movie with the whales, when discussing whales in popular culture!! I find it hard to believe that this dude has NOT seen this movie.
2. I do not think this review would be complete without this video:
Mariachis Serenading a Beluga
March 12, 2011
It's hard to know exactly what the aims of the author were with this book. Is it a travelogue, a journey through the authors eyes in the footsteps of Herman Melville, in a similar light to the excellent writing of Tony Horwitz, is it an literary exploration of Moby Dick, or is it simply an exploration of whaling and the whale. I'm not sure the author knows, and is desperately hoping that if he writes in emulation of what was the new and unique voice used in Moby Dick, perhaps you won't notice.
This is, perhaps, ultimately a biblical study. The author admits that he reads Moby Dick in the same way as a Muslim reads the Qur'an. The confused narrative has the feel of someone justifying their own writings by pulling text randomly from the bible, seeking the justification of a higher power, in this case the knowledge of Melville. That's not to say that the book isn't very well written in places, it is just that it seems to step outside of the voice of the author again and again, back into the phraseology of someone seeking past justification.
Ishmael is used continually as a source, alongside real people and real stories. The Whale is seen as a being itself, as powerful as in Melville's story, but we are told exactly what a Real Whale is - it is not a Blue Whale, or Fin Whale, that are too large, to difficult to catch, or a Right Whale, that is too easy. Only a Sperm Whale counts, because it becomes part of the epic, noble, disguising, industrial and ultimately confused battle between man and beast.
This is where the book ultimately fails. It is desperate to explain to us that this is a battle of true importance, but can neither pick sides, constantly romanising and demonising both Whale and Whaler, or provide a objective view of either. It tries too hard to capture the same mysticism that it often references within Moby Dick, and as a result fails to be objective, but at the same time tries to provide an authentic document of the past, without providing dispassionate grounding for the reader.
This is, perhaps, ultimately a biblical study. The author admits that he reads Moby Dick in the same way as a Muslim reads the Qur'an. The confused narrative has the feel of someone justifying their own writings by pulling text randomly from the bible, seeking the justification of a higher power, in this case the knowledge of Melville. That's not to say that the book isn't very well written in places, it is just that it seems to step outside of the voice of the author again and again, back into the phraseology of someone seeking past justification.
Ishmael is used continually as a source, alongside real people and real stories. The Whale is seen as a being itself, as powerful as in Melville's story, but we are told exactly what a Real Whale is - it is not a Blue Whale, or Fin Whale, that are too large, to difficult to catch, or a Right Whale, that is too easy. Only a Sperm Whale counts, because it becomes part of the epic, noble, disguising, industrial and ultimately confused battle between man and beast.
This is where the book ultimately fails. It is desperate to explain to us that this is a battle of true importance, but can neither pick sides, constantly romanising and demonising both Whale and Whaler, or provide a objective view of either. It tries too hard to capture the same mysticism that it often references within Moby Dick, and as a result fails to be objective, but at the same time tries to provide an authentic document of the past, without providing dispassionate grounding for the reader.
August 4, 2014
This book is the eloquently written biography of the whale, told from the perspective of an individual who is on a journey of discovery to satisfy his passionate desire for knowledge of these magnificent creatures. It is a richly woven tapestry which is part historical, party biographical and autobiographical and part zoology. The prose used is magnificently written and there is a real sense of connection, not only with the creatures which form the main subject of the book, but also with the author themselves.
There was considerable time spent within the text on Herman Melville's life, which while it was certainly fascinating, could probably have been omitted or replaced with more information on the whales themselves, or their relationship with humans.
Several highlights in the book included the information on what the body of a whale provides to humans, even in todays enlightened times. Also, the final segment of the book involves the author finally having the opportunity to dive with these majestic creatures, and the style in which the writers feelings and emotions throughout this experience were conveyed through the written word was truly a joy.
A great book but not quite in my 'top books' category, due to the lack of content on whales themselves and the greater degree of focus on the authors journey to discover more on this subject.
There was considerable time spent within the text on Herman Melville's life, which while it was certainly fascinating, could probably have been omitted or replaced with more information on the whales themselves, or their relationship with humans.
Several highlights in the book included the information on what the body of a whale provides to humans, even in todays enlightened times. Also, the final segment of the book involves the author finally having the opportunity to dive with these majestic creatures, and the style in which the writers feelings and emotions throughout this experience were conveyed through the written word was truly a joy.
A great book but not quite in my 'top books' category, due to the lack of content on whales themselves and the greater degree of focus on the authors journey to discover more on this subject.
April 11, 2010
They are Linnæan-classified aliens following invisible magnetic fields, seeing through sound and hearing through their bodies, moving through a world we know nothing about. They are animals before the Fall, innocent of sin.
As with everything in whaling, periods of frenetic energy alternated with soporific inaction or numbing drudgery. Time itself was different at sea. Far from land, the levelling ocean flattened out the days to be recreated in nautical dispensations, reordered from noon to noon.
Melville gave the finished copy to Hawthorne that afternoon. In those few seconds, as the book passed from hand to hand, between leaving go and taking hold, all the effort, all the energy of his life was distilled, the summary of his existence to date.
Rising and falling with the changing seasons of ice, they are barometers of an invisible world, spectrally floating within their bounded sea, locked into its cycle.
And somewhere in the fathomless, gathering darkness, sperm whales swim, eternally aware, their loves one waking dream, moving through valleys that run thirty thousand miles along the ocean floor, through lakes that lie stilly in the abyss, separated by temperature like pools of mercy, past jellyfish pulsating as ghostly Victorian brides in ectoplasmic crinolines.
As with everything in whaling, periods of frenetic energy alternated with soporific inaction or numbing drudgery. Time itself was different at sea. Far from land, the levelling ocean flattened out the days to be recreated in nautical dispensations, reordered from noon to noon.
Melville gave the finished copy to Hawthorne that afternoon. In those few seconds, as the book passed from hand to hand, between leaving go and taking hold, all the effort, all the energy of his life was distilled, the summary of his existence to date.
Rising and falling with the changing seasons of ice, they are barometers of an invisible world, spectrally floating within their bounded sea, locked into its cycle.
And somewhere in the fathomless, gathering darkness, sperm whales swim, eternally aware, their loves one waking dream, moving through valleys that run thirty thousand miles along the ocean floor, through lakes that lie stilly in the abyss, separated by temperature like pools of mercy, past jellyfish pulsating as ghostly Victorian brides in ectoplasmic crinolines.
August 29, 2017
"Da qualche parte, avvolti in un buio insondabile, perennemente vigili nell'ininterrotto sogno ad occhi aperti che è la loro vita, nuotano i capodogli, seguendo valli che increspano per trentamila chilometri il letto dell'oceano, attraversando laghi adagiati sull'abisso come polle di mercurio isolate dal differenziale termico, e sfilando dietro a meduse palpitanti, che pulsano come spettrali spose vittoriane nelle loro crinoline ectoplasmatiche."
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