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Chasing Shadows: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Great White Shark
“At the story of tracking the ocean’s most charismatic and controversial predator, compellingly told by the man who has learned more about the Atlantic great white shark than any other person alive. You must not miss this fantastic book!” —Sy Montgomery, New York Times bestselling author of The Soul of an Octopus Dr. Greg Skomal, one of the leading great white shark experts in the country, reveals the true nature of these mysterious apex predators, as well as the fascinating story behind their history and startling resurgence With its quaint villages, local restaurants serving up lobster rolls, and miles and miles of warm, sandy beaches, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is famous for being America’s carefree seaside getaway. But in August 2012, the first confirmed white shark attack in almost eighty years occurred in the region. As shark sightings quickly began to increase on Cape Cod and elsewhere, and large beachside billboards warning about the growing shark population became a common sight, a boogie boarder died after being attacked by a great white shark in Cape Cod’s shallow waters. What had changed to cause news of human-shark interactions to go from being a rarity to being the new normal? As some citizens called for shark culls, nets, drone surveillance, and other extreme solutions, interactions between local residents and scientists, politicians, and those responsible for public safety became tense and frantic. Dr. Greg Skomal, a shark biologist whose lifelong passion has been to gain a more refined understanding of great white sharks, was at the center of it all. This is the story of the great white shark’s return to the eastern seaboard, told through the life of the scientist who found himself in the oftentimes thankless position of having to balance conservation efforts and the drive to do important science with panic and fear in the court of public opinion. Greg has spent decades on a quest to tag, track, and demystify this animal, using every high- and low-tech method at his disposal, including those he invented, and he frequently comes face-to-face with these shadows of the deep. He leaves no stone unturned in his pursuit of the secrets behind the largely unknown lives of these charismatic creatures and in his duty to solve the intricate puzzle of how humans can coexist alongside them. Chasing Shadows is a too-rare conservation success story about restoring an apex predator to an ecosystem that provides a profound, new understanding of a beast so notoriously fierce that it’s nearly impossible to imagine how vulnerable it truly is.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 11, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
May 20, 2023
See, this is why I don't go past my ankles into the ocean. There are sharks and they are going to eat me.
For those of you without my paranoia, I can highly recommend Chasing Shadows by Greg Skomal with Ret Talbot. The book is part science, part biography, and part horror. Obviously, the horror part is why I will be barely dipping a toe in at Nauset Beach this summer. All three parts of the book fit together quite well, though. Skomal truly does love sharks, but the most fascinating part of the book for me was the myriad of ways Skomal has to balance his affinity for these apex predators against politics and commerce. He seems to be caught in between many different viewpoints and has to find the best way out of a lot of bad situations. I should say Skomal's willingness to point out the work he had to do on his social skills is also very endearing because who hasn't been the awkward new person at work?
Shark lovers will find plenty to enjoy in this book. If you aren't one, I think you'll be entertained about the story of a guy following his passion and achieving his dream job.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and William Morrow.)
For those of you without my paranoia, I can highly recommend Chasing Shadows by Greg Skomal with Ret Talbot. The book is part science, part biography, and part horror. Obviously, the horror part is why I will be barely dipping a toe in at Nauset Beach this summer. All three parts of the book fit together quite well, though. Skomal truly does love sharks, but the most fascinating part of the book for me was the myriad of ways Skomal has to balance his affinity for these apex predators against politics and commerce. He seems to be caught in between many different viewpoints and has to find the best way out of a lot of bad situations. I should say Skomal's willingness to point out the work he had to do on his social skills is also very endearing because who hasn't been the awkward new person at work?
Shark lovers will find plenty to enjoy in this book. If you aren't one, I think you'll be entertained about the story of a guy following his passion and achieving his dream job.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by Netgalley and William Morrow.)
August 19, 2023
As humans we like to think that this world was created just for us. Sometimes it’s nice to have a reminder that we inhabit this Earth with other creatures who have as much right to be here as we do. The Great White Shark is one of those creatures. I live on Cape Cod for half the year and have followed the resurgence of sharks in the Atlantic with a fascination. I have followed AWSC and Greg Skomal with a reverence for the work that they do. Chasing Shadows only reaffirmed that reverence. It was interesting as well as informative, at times reading like an episode during Shark Week. Great White Sharks can be lethal creatures but are fascinating creatures as well. Their restoration to the Atlantic ecosystem is a conservation success that should be celebrated!
April 27, 2024
I’ve always loved sharks. This book isn’t bad but I wanted to learn more about sharks and less about this guy’s life. I wish there was more shark science but it’s definitely not bad and worth a read if you’re on the fence. 3.3 stars
August 31, 2023
I grew up visiting my grandmother on Cape Cod every summer. When I was young she was a retired scientist but still gave tours at the MBL in Woods Hole. I was terrified of sharks as a kid, and she always told me there were no dangerous sharks in the waters off the Cape (especially around Woods Hole).
By the time I was a teen, my terror of sharks turned into fascination and then obsession, and so when a great white shark showed up near Woods Hole, I was fascinated.
Every year since then I have followed the news and research as the numbers have grown. I was even one of many people who went to Chatham in hopes of seeing a shark (despite how unlikely), and I still to this day always look, hopefully, whenever I’m at the National Seashore.
So of course I had to buy this book as soon as I saw it at the bookstore this summer. There are many stories in this book that I remember happening and many fascinating things I didn’t know (especially pertaining to shark research). There was a time when I wanted to be a marine biologist, and I’ll admit this book makes me kind of wish I would have pursued that field.
A must-read for anyone interested in white sharks off the Cape and/or shark research.
By the time I was a teen, my terror of sharks turned into fascination and then obsession, and so when a great white shark showed up near Woods Hole, I was fascinated.
Every year since then I have followed the news and research as the numbers have grown. I was even one of many people who went to Chatham in hopes of seeing a shark (despite how unlikely), and I still to this day always look, hopefully, whenever I’m at the National Seashore.
So of course I had to buy this book as soon as I saw it at the bookstore this summer. There are many stories in this book that I remember happening and many fascinating things I didn’t know (especially pertaining to shark research). There was a time when I wanted to be a marine biologist, and I’ll admit this book makes me kind of wish I would have pursued that field.
A must-read for anyone interested in white sharks off the Cape and/or shark research.
October 2, 2023
(Audiobook) Interesting overview of a career scientist who spent his life studying sharks, primarily the Great White. That he set up his operating base in New England is also of note, especially since studying the Great White Shark, you are going to run into the impact of Jaws (as that was filmed at Martha’s Vineyard and set in New York/New England). Lot of interesting stories and history of the study of sharks. Yet, it would kinda drag at times, as it got bogged down in a lot of accounts that would sometimes take away from the fun shark study aspects. Still, not a bad read for the format, but probably not one worth spending money to read. Library all the way.
December 31, 2023
I am shocked at the high rating and positive reviews for this book. If the author mentioned any respect or admiration for sharks as often as his obsessive comparisons with a fictional character in Jaws, this might have been a passable account of an interesting career. Alas, I had to get through half of this nonsensical chronicle before reading a single line about the need to protect sharks of any kind. I should have known what I was in for when I read this sentence: "I might be viewed as some kind of celebrity shark expert, but ... I'd rather be the kind of guy you just want to grab a beer with." This sentiment alone indicated that I was probably not going to like the author much. Good news, Greg! I didn't know who you were before I bought this book, and I'll absolutely never read another one written by you.
This is a self-indulgent tale of someone who happened to work for the government and attain a high level of education while doing so. Greg Skomal is more interested in maintaining a career entirely within the anal canal of the sportfishing community at large than a scientist in favor of protecting natural life, and I was horrified at the attitude that this supposed "shark celebrity" maintained for the majority of his career. At every turn, he allowed someone else to voice concern for sharks or set up necessary protections for them while he buddied up to the local fisherman and pretended that dissecting thousands of sharks has somehow helped shark resesarch. If anyone can wade through this giant load of crap and actually learn anything about white sharks or making a career of of studying sharks, I'd be more impressed than I was by this entire book.
This is a self-indulgent tale of someone who happened to work for the government and attain a high level of education while doing so. Greg Skomal is more interested in maintaining a career entirely within the anal canal of the sportfishing community at large than a scientist in favor of protecting natural life, and I was horrified at the attitude that this supposed "shark celebrity" maintained for the majority of his career. At every turn, he allowed someone else to voice concern for sharks or set up necessary protections for them while he buddied up to the local fisherman and pretended that dissecting thousands of sharks has somehow helped shark resesarch. If anyone can wade through this giant load of crap and actually learn anything about white sharks or making a career of of studying sharks, I'd be more impressed than I was by this entire book.
September 8, 2024
“White sharks were no longer viewed myopically through a solitary lens of fear, animosity, and even hatred.”
Such a well done book. Follows Dr Greg Skomal’s personal and professional journey into the world of white shark research. As a shark lover and won’t-get-in-the-ocean scaredy cat, this was a wonderful book. The beginning is slow, as Dr Skomal and the field of white shark research develop, but then quickly picks up.
This book discusses the very human aspect of wildlife restoration and research, and urges readers to find the balance of love, respect, and fear that we must have for real apex predators.
If you love sharks or are interested in marine wildlife and wildlife restoration, I would highly recommend this book.
***There are graphic discussions of shark attacks, so don’t read this if you want to be blissfully ignorant.***
Such a well done book. Follows Dr Greg Skomal’s personal and professional journey into the world of white shark research. As a shark lover and won’t-get-in-the-ocean scaredy cat, this was a wonderful book. The beginning is slow, as Dr Skomal and the field of white shark research develop, but then quickly picks up.
This book discusses the very human aspect of wildlife restoration and research, and urges readers to find the balance of love, respect, and fear that we must have for real apex predators.
If you love sharks or are interested in marine wildlife and wildlife restoration, I would highly recommend this book.
***There are graphic discussions of shark attacks, so don’t read this if you want to be blissfully ignorant.***
August 16, 2023
What an engaging, dense, and informative read by one of my favorite shark scientists!
July 20, 2023
Go on an exciting, informative, and entertaining adventure as readers learn about Greg Skomal's career as a marine biologist and shark researcher that put him in the middle of the resurgence and inevitable attacks on people around Cape Cod by the one and only great white shark.
As a shark enthusiast or as Skomal puts it, sharkophile, I found this book to both a love letter and balanced view of great whites. While sometimes he seems to be bragging a little, Skomal does an excellent job providing information about the number of people that contribute to shark research and how much has been learned about these creatures. I appreciated how candid he was about trying to be a data collecting scientist and conservationist, and still having a conscious about public safety and the victims that fell prey to great whites. I felt he also conveyed an accurate picture of public responses to attacks and kept a balanced view of the issue. And despite having issues with the shark tagging organization, OCEARCH, Skomal provides them with credit when it was due.
This is a great read for any fan of sharks, especially great whites. Its conversational tone makes for an interesting read but is still packed with educational information that people can learn from. I'd love to give this one 4 1/2 stars, but since I can't, I'm rounding it down to four. Really good nonfiction.
As a shark enthusiast or as Skomal puts it, sharkophile, I found this book to both a love letter and balanced view of great whites. While sometimes he seems to be bragging a little, Skomal does an excellent job providing information about the number of people that contribute to shark research and how much has been learned about these creatures. I appreciated how candid he was about trying to be a data collecting scientist and conservationist, and still having a conscious about public safety and the victims that fell prey to great whites. I felt he also conveyed an accurate picture of public responses to attacks and kept a balanced view of the issue. And despite having issues with the shark tagging organization, OCEARCH, Skomal provides them with credit when it was due.
This is a great read for any fan of sharks, especially great whites. Its conversational tone makes for an interesting read but is still packed with educational information that people can learn from. I'd love to give this one 4 1/2 stars, but since I can't, I'm rounding it down to four. Really good nonfiction.
December 11, 2024
In anticipation for potentially meeting the author I picked up this book. I am thoroughly hooked by the narrative it portrays in white shark conservancy and history along the New England coast line. Always thrilled to learn more about the history of my home waters. An excellent book and well written.
August 17, 2023
4.5 stars
Is there anyone in the world that knows more about sharks than Greg Skomal? If there is, can’t be by much!
Really cool book about Greg’s life, education, and sharks!
If you are a Shark Week junkie like myself, check this book out!
Is there anyone in the world that knows more about sharks than Greg Skomal? If there is, can’t be by much!
Really cool book about Greg’s life, education, and sharks!
If you are a Shark Week junkie like myself, check this book out!
September 23, 2023
i was a shark week kid of course i loved this
November 15, 2023
This provided a really different perspective on how shark/marine research is actually conducted rather than just what I assumed. And also, so many shark facts were in this.
August 21, 2025
Sharks 🦈🤗
August 7, 2023
A fascinating and compelling read! It’s cool to learn about a phenomenon happening in real time. Shoutout the white shark.
August 1, 2023
I always love learning more about sharks, at first I was kind of taken aback because it was more about the author's journey to get where he is now, but honestly seeing the development of the field itself was really interesting. And of course, interspersed in there was more information about white sharks that I was unaware of, especially understanding how much we just don't know. Every time I read another book about sharks I like them more and more.
July 27, 2023
A combination of shark science facts, personal stories, and retellings of shark experiences from himself and others, Chasing Shadows follows shark scientist Greg Skomal from his childhood fascination with the character Matt Hooper in Jaws to near-present day as one of the leading voices in balancing conservation and human safety as white sharks gain population in New England especially.
I have a love of sharks, especially white sharks, and seeing the scope of Dr. Skomal's career in this book fascinated me. This narrative non- fiction book is incredibly readable and seeing the development of knowledge through the decades of his work enthralled me. I especially appreciate how he balanced his love of the species with his true emotions when attacks happen and his concern for the future of coexistence between sharks and beach communities.
I have a love of sharks, especially white sharks, and seeing the scope of Dr. Skomal's career in this book fascinated me. This narrative non- fiction book is incredibly readable and seeing the development of knowledge through the decades of his work enthralled me. I especially appreciate how he balanced his love of the species with his true emotions when attacks happen and his concern for the future of coexistence between sharks and beach communities.
July 31, 2023
This was a very interesting read as a shark lover. Greg has always been one of my favorites to watch on TV so seeing his come up was nice.
July 13, 2023
Thank you so much William Morrow, Greg Skomal, Ret Talbot, and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I lived in New England for almost 20 years and frequently visited Cape Cod Massachusetts. I’ve always been a huge fan of sharks, especially Great Whites, and always enjoyed watching Greg Skomal on Shark Week TV specials. Needless to say, I was extremely excited that I was approve for this ARC and downloaded it as soon as possible. If you’re passionate about shark biology & science, then this is the book for you! Additionally, readers will also be entertained with details about the author’s Great White Shark Conservation journey to save them. In the book, Greg recalls how he had to learn how to balance politics, public opinion, and science. The variety of viewpoints shows his dedication to these animals. I really enjoyed reading the book because while it was extremely knowledgeable, it didn’t read like a textbook. The book captured and held my attention. So, if you’re like me and love shark week, but want more, then this is the book for you!
I lived in New England for almost 20 years and frequently visited Cape Cod Massachusetts. I’ve always been a huge fan of sharks, especially Great Whites, and always enjoyed watching Greg Skomal on Shark Week TV specials. Needless to say, I was extremely excited that I was approve for this ARC and downloaded it as soon as possible. If you’re passionate about shark biology & science, then this is the book for you! Additionally, readers will also be entertained with details about the author’s Great White Shark Conservation journey to save them. In the book, Greg recalls how he had to learn how to balance politics, public opinion, and science. The variety of viewpoints shows his dedication to these animals. I really enjoyed reading the book because while it was extremely knowledgeable, it didn’t read like a textbook. The book captured and held my attention. So, if you’re like me and love shark week, but want more, then this is the book for you!
July 21, 2023
Great read about these most terrifying and fascinating animals.
Read
July 16, 2023This book was absolutely fascinating. I was able to learn so much!
Gregory Skomal takes us through the journey of his life, his education, and what drew him to sharks. While it was a bit of a challenge in the beginning, he kept pushing, finding what he wanted to do, and working in a field that holds challenges of its own.
Absolutely mesmerizing. This book will draw you in and teach you quite a bit about sharks, the people behind the research, and some of the amazing advances that have some along in the past several decades.
Gregory Skomal takes us through the journey of his life, his education, and what drew him to sharks. While it was a bit of a challenge in the beginning, he kept pushing, finding what he wanted to do, and working in a field that holds challenges of its own.
Absolutely mesmerizing. This book will draw you in and teach you quite a bit about sharks, the people behind the research, and some of the amazing advances that have some along in the past several decades.
August 28, 2023
Originally posted on the book blog Creature From the Book Lagoon.
*Trigger Warning: Shark death
*Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Holy Mackerel! Now this is a great book!! 😀 I’ve been a big fan of Greg’s Shark Week work for years now. He is by far my favorite shark expert. ❤ I have been waiting FOREVER (or so it feels) for him to write a book about his life as said shark expert. 😀 And boy does Chasing Shadows deliver!
This is a robust look into the life of a marine biologist in the quest to study sharks. Absolutely fascinating to follow Greg’s career path, watching the little fish become THE big fish! I loved learning all about his work. 🙂
Chasing Shadows has an outstanding selection of pictures that span his entire career! Beautiful, beautiful photos. Each on capturing the time and place perfectly. And did I mention all the fintastic pics of great whites? YAY! 😀 The cover is just gorgeous as well.
I really enjoyed the audiobook. It is a great listen. The narrator is a brilliant pick. His cadence and enthusiasm is perfect. I had hoped for the book to be narrated by Greg himself, but Jamie is the perfect substitute.
This is an amazing book. I know I will be re-reading it every summer. It’s just so fun! I do feel bad about all the shark death in the book. It can be a little bit hard to listen to those early days of shark hunting. It never gets graphic though.
Chasing Shadows is easily one of the best books of 2023 A must read for fans of Greg Skomal, Shark Week, marine biology or even just curious people who what to know what a day in the life of a fun shark expert is like. This book will never disappoint!
*Trigger Warning: Shark death
*Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Holy Mackerel! Now this is a great book!! 😀 I’ve been a big fan of Greg’s Shark Week work for years now. He is by far my favorite shark expert. ❤ I have been waiting FOREVER (or so it feels) for him to write a book about his life as said shark expert. 😀 And boy does Chasing Shadows deliver!
This is a robust look into the life of a marine biologist in the quest to study sharks. Absolutely fascinating to follow Greg’s career path, watching the little fish become THE big fish! I loved learning all about his work. 🙂
Chasing Shadows has an outstanding selection of pictures that span his entire career! Beautiful, beautiful photos. Each on capturing the time and place perfectly. And did I mention all the fintastic pics of great whites? YAY! 😀 The cover is just gorgeous as well.
I really enjoyed the audiobook. It is a great listen. The narrator is a brilliant pick. His cadence and enthusiasm is perfect. I had hoped for the book to be narrated by Greg himself, but Jamie is the perfect substitute.
This is an amazing book. I know I will be re-reading it every summer. It’s just so fun! I do feel bad about all the shark death in the book. It can be a little bit hard to listen to those early days of shark hunting. It never gets graphic though.
Chasing Shadows is easily one of the best books of 2023 A must read for fans of Greg Skomal, Shark Week, marine biology or even just curious people who what to know what a day in the life of a fun shark expert is like. This book will never disappoint!
August 23, 2023
I have been fascinated with great white sharks since Greg Skomal first tagged Gretel in a saltwater pond near Woods Hole while I was living in Falmouth. I had no idea just how much we didn’t know about these sharks! This book tells the story - like good non-fiction does - of how the study of great whites has evolved and grown, especially as the population of sharks on the Cape has expanded. It also delves into how Greg’s career as a state biologist has necessarily become a job not only focused on science, but also politics, sociology, psychology, communications… and how he has targeted his scientific studies to address the questions that practitioners like town managers need to have answered. Well done, Greg and Ret, and Greg, please keep up your good work!
September 19, 2023
This was a fascinating read. There are many parallels to the terrestrial rewilding movement which is gaining traction in Europe. As we restore ecosystems we damaged in the past, humans have to find a way to live with apex predators.
Where I live in the UK we are starting to allow the restoration of Kelp beds, it's going to be exciting to watch wildlife return.
It strikes me that we also need social scientists working in this area to help humans adapt to what was once normal in their seas.
Where I live in the UK we are starting to allow the restoration of Kelp beds, it's going to be exciting to watch wildlife return.
It strikes me that we also need social scientists working in this area to help humans adapt to what was once normal in their seas.
September 5, 2023
Amazing how someone can be at the right place at the right time. Man who loves white sharks happens to be in charge of cape cod fisheries at the time in history when white sharks return to cape cod. A quick read that doesn’t get bogged down in the science or ever become pedantic.
October 13, 2025
I had grabbed Chasing Shadows during a trip to the used bookstore superstore, when I grabbed a bunch of non fiction books to add to my TBR. And then i kept picking them up and putting them down in favor of a fantasy or romance 😅
But the time came for me to cross off non fiction from my TBR Bingo Board, and I knew I wanted that book to be Chasing Shadows. What i had read so far had been fascinating, and I was delighted that early in the book we ever counter the whale Scylla - a whale i JUST had a chance to meet on a recent whale watch! So I rented the audiobook from my local library and dove in to swim with the sharks!
Chasing shadows is about two things, primarily. It's about how shark science has grown and changed as both technology and public perception has changed. And it's about shark attacks off the coast of Cape Cod (a place i went twice this summer 😅)
This was a very good book to learn about sharks. It talks about the history of shark hunting, and the way that they were overlooked, and then mass slaughtered. It discusses the danger of commercial fishing, and the horror of shark fin soup hunting. But although it talks extensively about the danger humans have against sharks, this book does not let you forget that sharks are Apex predators.
I really like non fiction books that are both narrative, and informative. Chasing shadows threads the line neatly of sharing facts and data, while being entertaining. I liked the audiobook, as it felt like going to a lecture about sharks. The book not only combines the author's experience with sharks from a young age, but also details the data he obtains over his tenure
Great White sharks are a story of conservation success - from the brink of destruction on cape cod coasts, to patrolling the beaches every summer. We must now decide, what is the next step?
But the time came for me to cross off non fiction from my TBR Bingo Board, and I knew I wanted that book to be Chasing Shadows. What i had read so far had been fascinating, and I was delighted that early in the book we ever counter the whale Scylla - a whale i JUST had a chance to meet on a recent whale watch! So I rented the audiobook from my local library and dove in to swim with the sharks!
Chasing shadows is about two things, primarily. It's about how shark science has grown and changed as both technology and public perception has changed. And it's about shark attacks off the coast of Cape Cod (a place i went twice this summer 😅)
This was a very good book to learn about sharks. It talks about the history of shark hunting, and the way that they were overlooked, and then mass slaughtered. It discusses the danger of commercial fishing, and the horror of shark fin soup hunting. But although it talks extensively about the danger humans have against sharks, this book does not let you forget that sharks are Apex predators.
I really like non fiction books that are both narrative, and informative. Chasing shadows threads the line neatly of sharing facts and data, while being entertaining. I liked the audiobook, as it felt like going to a lecture about sharks. The book not only combines the author's experience with sharks from a young age, but also details the data he obtains over his tenure
Great White sharks are a story of conservation success - from the brink of destruction on cape cod coasts, to patrolling the beaches every summer. We must now decide, what is the next step?
August 25, 2023
SHARKS!
They fascinate all of us at some level, but few have committed their lives to studying them like Greg Skomal. He constantly references the Hopper scientist from Jaws, but he's actually lived that life in reality. In a big book that never feels too long, we get to know him and the world of shark researchers.
This book ends up being many different things that work well together. It's Greg's professional (and personal) memoir of how a tv show showed him a career path that he's made real, as he follows each step from school, to study, to internships, to grunt work on a boat, to each job that has put him at ground zero (Martha's Vineyard + Cape Cod) for the emergence of a large and overwhelming Great Shark population.
He follows individual sharks through their migration, hunting, feeding, and human interactions. Adding science, his research data, and firsthand observation of why they're now on the rise in Cape Cod and surrounding regions.
It catalogs, in real-time, the shark close calls, attacks, and incidents as they happened to him and others in the New England area.
And it delivers, like a long Shark Week documentary (as Greg has often been directly involved in Shark Week funded research trips) on thrilling, exciting, frightening, and real talk on all things sharks.
As someone always curious, this book takes you along for the ride of Greg's lifetime and gives you plenty of stories, trivia, and background knowledge to add to the shark conversation. Greg's life now is much in dealing with the politics, town halls, beach closures, shark tracking technology, fundraising, and educational awareness of the public, as we have no choice but to understand and respond to sharing the same waters with these apex predators.
They fascinate all of us at some level, but few have committed their lives to studying them like Greg Skomal. He constantly references the Hopper scientist from Jaws, but he's actually lived that life in reality. In a big book that never feels too long, we get to know him and the world of shark researchers.
This book ends up being many different things that work well together. It's Greg's professional (and personal) memoir of how a tv show showed him a career path that he's made real, as he follows each step from school, to study, to internships, to grunt work on a boat, to each job that has put him at ground zero (Martha's Vineyard + Cape Cod) for the emergence of a large and overwhelming Great Shark population.
He follows individual sharks through their migration, hunting, feeding, and human interactions. Adding science, his research data, and firsthand observation of why they're now on the rise in Cape Cod and surrounding regions.
It catalogs, in real-time, the shark close calls, attacks, and incidents as they happened to him and others in the New England area.
And it delivers, like a long Shark Week documentary (as Greg has often been directly involved in Shark Week funded research trips) on thrilling, exciting, frightening, and real talk on all things sharks.
As someone always curious, this book takes you along for the ride of Greg's lifetime and gives you plenty of stories, trivia, and background knowledge to add to the shark conversation. Greg's life now is much in dealing with the politics, town halls, beach closures, shark tracking technology, fundraising, and educational awareness of the public, as we have no choice but to understand and respond to sharing the same waters with these apex predators.
October 26, 2024
This is a book about the life of a scientist, not a book about sharks. There is a lot to love here for shark enthusiasts, since his work is all sharks, but you aren't going to get a lot of in depth information on sharks. You follow his career from student to renowned expert in the field, and see how he responds to shark attacks, lack of funding, a shark stranded in a salt water inlet, and more. Very exciting and important to understanding how scientific research is conducted and funded. I loved this, but did wish for just a little more shark stuff.
July 16, 2023
*Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader digital copy of this book.
This book is an illuminating narrative about one of the ocean's greatest creatures. I love sharks and I am always looking to learn more about them. It was fascinating to see Skomal's background with sharks and the first-hand experience. Through research and education, Skomal gives us the insight we need to better understand these beautiful animals. My favorite part was learning about the tagging program and how they feed. It was a fascinating book.
This book is an illuminating narrative about one of the ocean's greatest creatures. I love sharks and I am always looking to learn more about them. It was fascinating to see Skomal's background with sharks and the first-hand experience. Through research and education, Skomal gives us the insight we need to better understand these beautiful animals. My favorite part was learning about the tagging program and how they feed. It was a fascinating book.
February 2, 2024
The opening sequences of this book where the author manages to describe a deadly shark attack occurring the same time he’s leading a boat tour is one of the best pieces narrative nonfiction I’ve read in a long time. Enjoyed learning about sharks and the evolution of shark research. If you like narrative nonfiction in the style of Krakauer, this is for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews