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The Secret History of Sharks: The Rise of the Ocean's Most Fearsome Predators
World-leading paleontologist John Long presents the complete, untold story of how sharks emerged as Earth's ultimate survivors.
Sharks have been fighting for their lives for 500 million years and today are under dire threat. The longest-surviving vertebrate on Earth, sharks have outlasted multiple mass extinction events that destroyed most life on the planet. But how did they thrive for so long?
John Long, who for decades has been on the cutting edge of shark research, weaves a thrilling story of sharks’ unparalleled reign. The Secret History of Sharks showcases the global search to discover sharks’ largely unknown evolution, led by Long and dozens of other scientists. They embark on digs to all seven continents, investigating layers of rock while using cutting-edge technology to reveal new fossils and clues to sharks’ singular story.
As the tale unfolds, Long introduces an enormous range of astonishing organisms: a thirty-foot-long shark with a deadly saw blade of jagged teeth protruding from its lower jaws, a monster giant clams crusher, and bizarre sharks fossilized while in their mating ritual. The book also includes startling new facts about the mighty megalodon, with its sixty-six-foot-long body, massive jaws, and six-inch serrated teeth.
With insights into the threats to sharks today, how they contribute to medical advances, and the lessons they can teach us about our own survival, The Secret History of Sharks is a riveting look at scientific discovery with ramifications far beyond the ocean.
Sharks have been fighting for their lives for 500 million years and today are under dire threat. The longest-surviving vertebrate on Earth, sharks have outlasted multiple mass extinction events that destroyed most life on the planet. But how did they thrive for so long?
John Long, who for decades has been on the cutting edge of shark research, weaves a thrilling story of sharks’ unparalleled reign. The Secret History of Sharks showcases the global search to discover sharks’ largely unknown evolution, led by Long and dozens of other scientists. They embark on digs to all seven continents, investigating layers of rock while using cutting-edge technology to reveal new fossils and clues to sharks’ singular story.
As the tale unfolds, Long introduces an enormous range of astonishing organisms: a thirty-foot-long shark with a deadly saw blade of jagged teeth protruding from its lower jaws, a monster giant clams crusher, and bizarre sharks fossilized while in their mating ritual. The book also includes startling new facts about the mighty megalodon, with its sixty-six-foot-long body, massive jaws, and six-inch serrated teeth.
With insights into the threats to sharks today, how they contribute to medical advances, and the lessons they can teach us about our own survival, The Secret History of Sharks is a riveting look at scientific discovery with ramifications far beyond the ocean.
480 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2024
236 people are currently reading
14206 people want to read
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July 27, 2024
Sharks. 465 million years of history, which, as I must admit, until this book for me was something like: blah-blah-blah —> MEGALODON!!! —> whatever —> Sharkie mascot of San Jose Sharks.
Turns out, there’s quite a bit more there in the place of “blah-blah-blah” and whatever. The story of determined adaptable survivors equipped with shark superpowers - its absolutely fascinating, and John Long in The Secret History of Sharks: The Rise of the Ocean's Most Fearsome Predators does an excellent job sharing that excitement.
Sharks have gone though quite an evolutionary adventure to arrive to the “sharky shark” (thanks, Linnaeus!) idea of them that we love and fear now. They developed the terrifying teeth and acute olfactory sense and electroreception.
Oh, and did I mention TEETH?
As John Long nonchalantly states, “Teeth were a real game changer for sharks.”
This is by no means an easy read. It’s quite dense and full of detailed material, and yet told accessibly and with clear love and enthusiasm for the subject. It’s not a book to breeze through in a day or two but rather a book to spend some time with, like a fun textbook which is still educational. I tend to gulp science books down as a rule, and still I had to read it slowly — but it was worth it, and great photos and artwork added quite a bit to the experience.
Oh, and buzz-saw sharks. How was I unaware that there were buzz-saw sharks? Thanks for the nightmares, book. Dear nature, you are scarily imaginative, even if it took us over a century to figure out how this would even work.
The Megalodon chapter was what I was waiting for since I started the book, and I wasn’t disappointed, but the end of the book about great white sharks was the second unexpected highlight. And Long’s sincere concern about humans and human activity possibly being that ultimate threat that even the ultimate survivor sharks might not be able to overcome, bringing to the end the 465 million year history that survived multiple extinctions and even that asteroid that took down their old competitor mosasaurs — that was heartfelt and urgent.
Sharks may be the perfect subject for terrifying movies (“Jaws” alone is responsible for quite a few casualties among poor sharks) since they seem so incredibly perfect for hitting our primal fears combined with terrified fascination, but the danger they face from us, humans, is out of all proportion to any threat we may imagine. They are necessary for the health of the oceans, and human greed needs to somehow be kept in check to allow creatures other than humans to thrive.
4.5 stars (or perhaps megalodon teeth).
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
Turns out, there’s quite a bit more there in the place of “blah-blah-blah” and whatever. The story of determined adaptable survivors equipped with shark superpowers - its absolutely fascinating, and John Long in The Secret History of Sharks: The Rise of the Ocean's Most Fearsome Predators does an excellent job sharing that excitement.
Sharks have gone though quite an evolutionary adventure to arrive to the “sharky shark” (thanks, Linnaeus!) idea of them that we love and fear now. They developed the terrifying teeth and acute olfactory sense and electroreception.
Oh, and did I mention TEETH?
As John Long nonchalantly states, “Teeth were a real game changer for sharks.”
“This kind of research is so important to our story because the majority of extinct sharks (perhaps around 98 percent) are known only from their teeth.”
(These giant teeth make my hand seem weirdly tiny)
This is by no means an easy read. It’s quite dense and full of detailed material, and yet told accessibly and with clear love and enthusiasm for the subject. It’s not a book to breeze through in a day or two but rather a book to spend some time with, like a fun textbook which is still educational. I tend to gulp science books down as a rule, and still I had to read it slowly — but it was worth it, and great photos and artwork added quite a bit to the experience.
Oh, and buzz-saw sharks. How was I unaware that there were buzz-saw sharks? Thanks for the nightmares, book. Dear nature, you are scarily imaginative, even if it took us over a century to figure out how this would even work.
The Megalodon chapter was what I was waiting for since I started the book, and I wasn’t disappointed, but the end of the book about great white sharks was the second unexpected highlight. And Long’s sincere concern about humans and human activity possibly being that ultimate threat that even the ultimate survivor sharks might not be able to overcome, bringing to the end the 465 million year history that survived multiple extinctions and even that asteroid that took down their old competitor mosasaurs — that was heartfelt and urgent.
“We need sharks today to keep our oceans vibrant and healthy. Sharks play a vital role in regulating our ocean’s food chains, transporting or recycling nutrients from one zone of the ocean to another, marshaling the correct balance in nature required for all life to thrive, from microscopic plankton to gigantic blue whales. Without sharks, our marine resources would diminish; our oceans would die.”
Sharks may be the perfect subject for terrifying movies (“Jaws” alone is responsible for quite a few casualties among poor sharks) since they seem so incredibly perfect for hitting our primal fears combined with terrified fascination, but the danger they face from us, humans, is out of all proportion to any threat we may imagine. They are necessary for the health of the oceans, and human greed needs to somehow be kept in check to allow creatures other than humans to thrive.
4.5 stars (or perhaps megalodon teeth).
——————
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
——————
Also posted on my blog.
June 6, 2024
The Secret History of Sharks is a great mix of textbook worthy material interspersed with personal stories & discoveries from both the author as well as other people in the field. There’s tons of great new information to be read & also so many things still unknown. My personal favorite sections were all about the Megalodon & White sharks. This covers everything from the evolution of sharks, extinct species, the human impact on shark life, & the impact sharks have on humans. The medical discoveries & inventions that now exist because of sharks. They’re absolutely amazing creatures & this book is packed full of great info for any shark lover. I most definitely recommend it.
June 8, 2024
If you don't know paleo, you might not know that John Long is one of the most famous Fish Guys around, and also one of the most successful synthesizers of paleontological research into comprehensible books. That should be enough of a reason to read this book, although it is significantly more technical than most pop science books. He chronologically covers the entire course of shark evolution, highlighting the most interesting species and adding in some personal stories. The information is very dense, so I had to read it pretty slowly, but I really enjoyed it.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2025
I wasn't quite sure what I was getting into with this book, but the title is accurate branding, in that the last twenty or so years of applying the fruits of high-energy physics, and a lot of fossil hunting, have given us an almost exponentially better understanding of how sharks have developed over geological epochs. This is up until the current day, when they are under great pressure for survival, largely no thanks to human destructiveness.
Here's the thing though, Long draws lessons from how the wider family of sharks has managed to survive five great extinction events, and how there is wisdom in this that humanity can take if we want to survive our own self-induced extinction event. It is to be admitted that some readers might find this a bit preachy but, as they say, the truth hurts.
As for the structure of the book, that is basically by geological epoch, as Long looks at the sharks, or shark precursors of each period, what geological and environmental condition prevailed, and how we know these things to be an accurate analysis. As for myself, the most interesting chapters dealt with the relationship of sharks to armored fishes (the so-called "placoderms"), or with how the Age of Megalodon came about, and how that ended.
Highly recommended.
Here's the thing though, Long draws lessons from how the wider family of sharks has managed to survive five great extinction events, and how there is wisdom in this that humanity can take if we want to survive our own self-induced extinction event. It is to be admitted that some readers might find this a bit preachy but, as they say, the truth hurts.
As for the structure of the book, that is basically by geological epoch, as Long looks at the sharks, or shark precursors of each period, what geological and environmental condition prevailed, and how we know these things to be an accurate analysis. As for myself, the most interesting chapters dealt with the relationship of sharks to armored fishes (the so-called "placoderms"), or with how the Age of Megalodon came about, and how that ended.
Highly recommended.
July 19, 2024
An exceptional piece of popular science -- the shark book I've been waiting for all my life. Takes its place on the shelf next to Bakker, Brusatte, Shubin, and Godfrey-Smith. The audiobook is read by the author in a performance authoritative, charming, humorous, and utterly Australian. Five big toothy stars.
December 11, 2024
4.25/5
the average five year old boy is right.... sharks are really cool, you guys
the average five year old boy is right.... sharks are really cool, you guys
April 4, 2025
This is a masterful examination of sharks, covering their history, evolution, place in the modern world and why we are so fascinated and sometimes terrified by them. John Long is a world-renowned palaeontologist who even has a genus of extinct sharks named after him, and he does an excellent job of imparting his wisdom and passion. The Secret History of Sharks is an engrossing read; scholarly yet wry and readable, and packed with illustrations which draw the reader into the aquatic domain of sharks. This book covers the entire history of sharks, from their mysterious origins around 465 million years ago (yes, long before the dinosaurs first appeared and stole the public's attention) up to the present day. All of the most renowned species such as Great White Sharks and Megalodon are present and correct, while there are also countless lesser-known species, such as the weird and wonderful Helicoprion and Onychoselache, which may have been able to stun its prey using electricity. However, as well as the fish, this book is also crammed with the humans who have advanced our understanding of them. Long has spent years exploring the four corners of the globe, and his anecdotes and reminiscences enliven the book significantly as well as shining a spotlight on those who have dedicated their lives to researching sharks. I was delighted to see Mary Anning being mentioned, and was not aware she had published a scientific paper on fossil sharks. The end of the book concludes in perfect style, offering a powerful and persuasive argument describing why we need sharks, how we can protect them and the lessons we can learn as we move ever closer to our own self-inflicted extinction. I adored this book, and would recommend it to anyone interested in sharks, palaentology or the wider story of how life on our planet evolved and survived the many challenges threatening it. It's an informative, thrilling, witty and compelling guide to the misunderstood monarchs of the oceans.
September 8, 2025
A fascinating deep dive into the history of shark evolution on our planet. Long provides tons of interesting facts, delivered with obvious enthusiasm for the animals and admiration for other passionate adepts in the field.
June 26, 2024
If you are into Sharks and their history you will love this book.
I read this book because my step daughter is all about sharks and protecting them. I know very little about sharks and I thought this would be a great book for me to read and learn. While it is a very interesting book, There was so much in depth history that I found went over my head and it was more than I ever needed to know about sharks.
Kudos to the author for all the research and excursions that went into writing this book. I can’t imagine how long it took to compile it into the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
I read this book because my step daughter is all about sharks and protecting them. I know very little about sharks and I thought this would be a great book for me to read and learn. While it is a very interesting book, There was so much in depth history that I found went over my head and it was more than I ever needed to know about sharks.
Kudos to the author for all the research and excursions that went into writing this book. I can’t imagine how long it took to compile it into the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
June 28, 2024
I had high (perhaps unfairly high) hopes for The Secret History of Sharks. I had hoped to read a popular science book that would be full of fun facts about sharks. Unfortunately that’s not really what this book is. This book is way farther on the academic side of the scale than one that I would feel comfortable recommending to a general audience.
There’s a really good XKCD cartoon, which I think illustrates the main problem I had with the book. It has two stick figure geologists speaking to each other and one of them says to the other “Silicate chemistry is second nature to us geochemists, so it's easy to forget that the average person probably only knows the formulas for olivine and one or two feldspars.” The caption below the panel says “Even when they're trying to compensate for it, experts in anything wildly overestimate the average person's familiarity with their field.” (Link https://xkcd.com/2501/) This book assumes you have a lot more familiarity with the evolutionary biology of sharks than I think most of the people who follow my reviews are going to have. And on the flip side of the same problem, it assumes you want to know everything about sharks and not just fun facts.
This book is at its best when the author is talking about the incredible cast of characters who have hunted and prepared and found the fossils that make up the evolutionary chain of shark evolution. I am sure that this author is a true expert in sharks, and this book would be a good introductory text for a scientist, but I do not think it has much to offer a lay reader.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
There’s a really good XKCD cartoon, which I think illustrates the main problem I had with the book. It has two stick figure geologists speaking to each other and one of them says to the other “Silicate chemistry is second nature to us geochemists, so it's easy to forget that the average person probably only knows the formulas for olivine and one or two feldspars.” The caption below the panel says “Even when they're trying to compensate for it, experts in anything wildly overestimate the average person's familiarity with their field.” (Link https://xkcd.com/2501/) This book assumes you have a lot more familiarity with the evolutionary biology of sharks than I think most of the people who follow my reviews are going to have. And on the flip side of the same problem, it assumes you want to know everything about sharks and not just fun facts.
This book is at its best when the author is talking about the incredible cast of characters who have hunted and prepared and found the fossils that make up the evolutionary chain of shark evolution. I am sure that this author is a true expert in sharks, and this book would be a good introductory text for a scientist, but I do not think it has much to offer a lay reader.
I received an advance reader copy in exchange for this honest review.
Read
February 22, 2025i can’t rate this book because it was super informative and interesting but i’m not a fossil expert so some of it went over my head but that’s not the authors fault. if i had to rate it maybe 4 stars but 5 if you’re a fossil gal. don’t want to bring his ratings down🙏🏻🙏🏻
September 23, 2025
This book was a bit of a letdown, there wasn’t much new information to me and I was expecting much more. If you don’t know much about sharks, you will appreciate this book.
October 2, 2024
Pros:
- Integrates geology - paleoclimate, paleogeograhy, interpreting fossil sediment, major events in earth history - with the evolutionary history of sharks
- Integrates technical and anatomical terms into the text
- VERY up-to-date, written in 2022
- Clear, casual style
- Follows chronological sequence of events
- Phylogenies throughout the book
- Identifies important diagnostic traits
- Explores not only the ancestors of contemporary sharks, but also lineages with no extant relatives
Cons:
- A little TOO casual for my taste. Some may enjoy the author's anecdotes of their own field work and discoveries, but this was not my cup of tea
- Could have benefited from a few more maps and anatomical diagrams
Overall a solid and enjoyable book, though I wish the editor had been a bit harsher. This will be a one-time read for me.
- Integrates geology - paleoclimate, paleogeograhy, interpreting fossil sediment, major events in earth history - with the evolutionary history of sharks
- Integrates technical and anatomical terms into the text
- VERY up-to-date, written in 2022
- Clear, casual style
- Follows chronological sequence of events
- Phylogenies throughout the book
- Identifies important diagnostic traits
- Explores not only the ancestors of contemporary sharks, but also lineages with no extant relatives
Cons:
- A little TOO casual for my taste. Some may enjoy the author's anecdotes of their own field work and discoveries, but this was not my cup of tea
- Could have benefited from a few more maps and anatomical diagrams
Overall a solid and enjoyable book, though I wish the editor had been a bit harsher. This will be a one-time read for me.
July 21, 2024
Beleive it or not sharks have been around for almost 500 million years! They have survived five distinct extermination events during that time... and are still here.
This is the SHARK story and told in a way that is absolutely amazing.
It is obvious that the author John Long is a huge fan of sharks and through his brilliant work he lets us all in on the secret of sharks: how they have evolved, how they have survived, the evidence trail along the way that makes it all 'real' and then most important: What next?
What can we learn from sharks to help us as a species maybe face the same challenges and survive as did the shark
A great read!
This is the SHARK story and told in a way that is absolutely amazing.
It is obvious that the author John Long is a huge fan of sharks and through his brilliant work he lets us all in on the secret of sharks: how they have evolved, how they have survived, the evidence trail along the way that makes it all 'real' and then most important: What next?
What can we learn from sharks to help us as a species maybe face the same challenges and survive as did the shark
A great read!
August 29, 2024
I received this book courtesy of the Goodreads First Reads Program for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
Overview: Sharks have been around, seemingly, since the dawn of time. These are very popular creatures. People either love them or fear them. What can we learn from a shark expert, specifically a shark paleontologist? Will it change how we see these fearsome creatures?
Dislikes: This can be very dry reading. If you are interested in only certain parts of the paleontological world, it can be a slog to read at certain parts.
Also, we have shark attack numbers in one of the later sections in the book. Yet, Mr. Long's assessment of the numbers was disingenuous at best. If you have more unprovoked attacks than provoked attacks, it becomes rude at the best of times, and close to lying at the worst, to blame people for the sharks attacking them. If a predator is starving, they will eat whatever is available. That's self-preservation, and yet it's something that we don't seem to ever acknowledge.
Likes: Mr. Long does have a way of honoring those that he either looked up to, or that he worked with. This includes those who came before him in the marine paleontology world.
His analysis on the Triassic to cretaceous sharks was fun to read. Sometimes these sharks are in science fiction, horror, or fantasy novels, and it's interesting to see how they might have hunted.
Conclusion: This book is more for those in the marine biology fields. Pick it up if you have a shark fan in your life, or if you are heading into the marine biology fields. Enjoy your read.
Overview: Sharks have been around, seemingly, since the dawn of time. These are very popular creatures. People either love them or fear them. What can we learn from a shark expert, specifically a shark paleontologist? Will it change how we see these fearsome creatures?
Dislikes: This can be very dry reading. If you are interested in only certain parts of the paleontological world, it can be a slog to read at certain parts.
Also, we have shark attack numbers in one of the later sections in the book. Yet, Mr. Long's assessment of the numbers was disingenuous at best. If you have more unprovoked attacks than provoked attacks, it becomes rude at the best of times, and close to lying at the worst, to blame people for the sharks attacking them. If a predator is starving, they will eat whatever is available. That's self-preservation, and yet it's something that we don't seem to ever acknowledge.
Likes: Mr. Long does have a way of honoring those that he either looked up to, or that he worked with. This includes those who came before him in the marine paleontology world.
His analysis on the Triassic to cretaceous sharks was fun to read. Sometimes these sharks are in science fiction, horror, or fantasy novels, and it's interesting to see how they might have hunted.
Conclusion: This book is more for those in the marine biology fields. Pick it up if you have a shark fan in your life, or if you are heading into the marine biology fields. Enjoy your read.
June 21, 2025
I am fascinated by sharks and white sharks in particular are like chum to me - as a journalist I have written about the species several times over the decades: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic...
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2...
To wit, this highly-readable book has added immeasurably to my knowledge of sharks and their astonishing evolutionary journey over the course of almost 500 million years. They are survivors and their trip through time also sheds light on our own evolution.
One small quibble I have is Long's assertion near the end of the book that 70 to 100 million sharks are killed illegally each year for the fin soup market. That figure has been thrown around for over two decades now and I recall around 2004 challenging IFAW at a press conference about it. I am not saying that this market is not a threat to sharks, just that the numbers are really a thumb suck and facts matter. If that number was remotely true over this time span then there would be hardly any sharks left in the sea.
That quibble aside, I can highly recommend this book. A palaeontologist who can write is always a joy ...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/artic...
https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2...
To wit, this highly-readable book has added immeasurably to my knowledge of sharks and their astonishing evolutionary journey over the course of almost 500 million years. They are survivors and their trip through time also sheds light on our own evolution.
One small quibble I have is Long's assertion near the end of the book that 70 to 100 million sharks are killed illegally each year for the fin soup market. That figure has been thrown around for over two decades now and I recall around 2004 challenging IFAW at a press conference about it. I am not saying that this market is not a threat to sharks, just that the numbers are really a thumb suck and facts matter. If that number was remotely true over this time span then there would be hardly any sharks left in the sea.
That quibble aside, I can highly recommend this book. A palaeontologist who can write is always a joy ...
October 14, 2024
I have always been interested in Sharks. in a few years, upon retirement, I shall be in Hawaii and intend to swim and dive, thus it behooves me to always increase my knowledge of sharks. John Long's excellent book will rank among the best on this subject.
This book starts with the first sharks from the Ordovician period (443.8 MYA) and then traces their evolution into the different species that exist in modern times. Along the way, Dr. Long will use graphs, fossils, and pictures to show the amazing development of the features that will lead up to the modern shark species.
While the information is quite detailed and highly informative, Dr. Long has the remarkable ability to explain these complex scientific concepts in a very easy to understand format. From the development of different senses, skin, and most importantly, teeth all the various evolutions, and the dead-ends, are well explained.
I have also enjoyed the various ideas Dr. Long puts forward to engage the reader in why a certain species may have become extinct while another thrived. Perhaps my favorite sections were on the Megalodon and the Great White.
Full of fascinating information, highly detailed and scientific, yet never boring or dry. That is quite an accomplishment in a book of this nature. If you're at all interested in sharks and how they have evolved into the modern species we see, then you can not go wrong with this superb book. It's one of my favorite books on sharks. A welcome addition to my library.
This book starts with the first sharks from the Ordovician period (443.8 MYA) and then traces their evolution into the different species that exist in modern times. Along the way, Dr. Long will use graphs, fossils, and pictures to show the amazing development of the features that will lead up to the modern shark species.
While the information is quite detailed and highly informative, Dr. Long has the remarkable ability to explain these complex scientific concepts in a very easy to understand format. From the development of different senses, skin, and most importantly, teeth all the various evolutions, and the dead-ends, are well explained.
I have also enjoyed the various ideas Dr. Long puts forward to engage the reader in why a certain species may have become extinct while another thrived. Perhaps my favorite sections were on the Megalodon and the Great White.
Full of fascinating information, highly detailed and scientific, yet never boring or dry. That is quite an accomplishment in a book of this nature. If you're at all interested in sharks and how they have evolved into the modern species we see, then you can not go wrong with this superb book. It's one of my favorite books on sharks. A welcome addition to my library.
October 31, 2024
This was a very, very deep dive into the history and science of sharks from the beginning of their existence to the modern day. There are many facts to enjoy within this book but, for me, it was way too much like a book needed for a college class. I respect the author and his many attempts to level it off and make it readable for the common layman but there are a lot of parts that are just more science nerd than I expected. Some of the best moments are when the author shares stories of his many colleagues and their successful searches for shark fossils throughout the world and his personal relationships with so many of them. And don’t get me wrong, some of those overly scientific sections are quite informative but you’re gonna need patience reading through them all.
This book is more of a 3.5 ⭐️ for me than a 3 ⭐️ just because of the many interesting stories of collecting fossils and teeth.
This book is more of a 3.5 ⭐️ for me than a 3 ⭐️ just because of the many interesting stories of collecting fossils and teeth.
December 8, 2025
Bust.
Long falls into the trap, or feels compelled to do so on his own volition, of continuing the growing trend of scientists/researchers/professors writing an autobiography under the false pretences of a science book.
I came here to learn about sharks, right? Then why is every second paragraph a shoutout to someone he has worked with, studied with, had a beer with, slept at their house, etc. You can name drop a lot of acquaintances you've had over a lifetime in 500 pages and when it boils down to it, this book is 50% about sharks and 50% about "hey, let's flip through John's book to see on which page he mentioned us."
Giving credit where it's due is important but that's why we have references, endnotes, personal relationships and... phone numbers, just call them and say thanks John. The reader doesn't know Mike from Chicago or whoever from Czech Republic or the other 300 people mentioned.
This was supposed to be about sharks, right?
Long falls into the trap, or feels compelled to do so on his own volition, of continuing the growing trend of scientists/researchers/professors writing an autobiography under the false pretences of a science book.
I came here to learn about sharks, right? Then why is every second paragraph a shoutout to someone he has worked with, studied with, had a beer with, slept at their house, etc. You can name drop a lot of acquaintances you've had over a lifetime in 500 pages and when it boils down to it, this book is 50% about sharks and 50% about "hey, let's flip through John's book to see on which page he mentioned us."
Giving credit where it's due is important but that's why we have references, endnotes, personal relationships and... phone numbers, just call them and say thanks John. The reader doesn't know Mike from Chicago or whoever from Czech Republic or the other 300 people mentioned.
This was supposed to be about sharks, right?
May 31, 2025
Sharks have lived in our oceans and have been evolving for 465 million years! Homo sapiens have only walked this earth for 300,000 years. Let THAT sink in. This book is captivating. I am a shark lover but this book will make you respect the shark. They have so many highly specialized features their scales, their electro reception, their immune systems, oh yeah their freaking teeth. You’ll learn about the evolution of sharks from the puny guys to the largest scariest most powerful all wondrous MEGALODON! You’ll learn about some sharks you are glad went extinct, and you will touch on modern sharks as well. Ultimately you’ll find out why sharks are so incredible and why they are so important to our world, far more important than we can comprehend.
July 14, 2025
4.5 rounded down to 4.
A whirlwind book about the evolution and ecology of sharks! It is full of small tidbits and stories about sharks and the people who work on them. Maybe in parts, it was a little too much information (for a general reader) but overall loved it!
A whirlwind book about the evolution and ecology of sharks! It is full of small tidbits and stories about sharks and the people who work on them. Maybe in parts, it was a little too much information (for a general reader) but overall loved it!
Read
August 9, 2024Good book
March 6, 2025
Big shark guy
March 20, 2025
I learned quite a bit about paleontology, sharks and the world at large
July 31, 2025
A textbook for all things shark! So comprehensive- 465 million years of history… and sharks remain the coolest.
December 17, 2025
I especially enjoyed the use of the term 'sharky shark'
July 2, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read this expansive non-fiction book!
This book gives a comprehensive account of early sharks to the sharks of today.
This book is sprinkled with scientific facts along with the author's own paleontologist “fossil hunting” stories. There are also great images to go along with these side stories as well as fossils and artist renditions of the historic sharks based on the remains found.
We also get told descriptive action-packed stories about how certain shark remains have ended up in a certain pattern or placement. For example, how an attack happened, or how a mating ritual occurred to have the impressions left the way they are. There are also many other personal stories sprinkled between the facts of sharks that really gave the book a personal touch and voice to the writing.
It is a very informative book. As a reader, I could tell through the writing that this author cares deeply about his work as a paleontologist as well as teaching others about what he knows and also what is known as a scientific community.
For me personally, I found a couple things really interesting about Parts 1-3 but what I REALLY wanted was Part 4 and 5, where modern sharks started being involved in the conversation. I also will note that even with a very basic Earth Science understanding from college, a lot of the scientific terms floated over my head a bit. I had a little bit of a hard time keeping terms for sharks straight. It's definitely a book to take notes on if you want to fully ingrain the information presented.
I do believe this is a great book to learn how sharks have changed and also show the discoveries paleontologists have made and continue to work toward.
I'm a person who faithfully watches Shark Week on Discovery every summer. I often miss that not all the shows now are purely scientific and have started to lean more towards goofy entertainment. I think this book will hit that itch for others like me that want the education and research about sharks.
I learned a lot of really cool information from this book and recommend it to everyone! I also believe that if you are a homeschool parent, this is a great book for teens and up to go over together.
This book gives a comprehensive account of early sharks to the sharks of today.
This book is sprinkled with scientific facts along with the author's own paleontologist “fossil hunting” stories. There are also great images to go along with these side stories as well as fossils and artist renditions of the historic sharks based on the remains found.
We also get told descriptive action-packed stories about how certain shark remains have ended up in a certain pattern or placement. For example, how an attack happened, or how a mating ritual occurred to have the impressions left the way they are. There are also many other personal stories sprinkled between the facts of sharks that really gave the book a personal touch and voice to the writing.
It is a very informative book. As a reader, I could tell through the writing that this author cares deeply about his work as a paleontologist as well as teaching others about what he knows and also what is known as a scientific community.
For me personally, I found a couple things really interesting about Parts 1-3 but what I REALLY wanted was Part 4 and 5, where modern sharks started being involved in the conversation. I also will note that even with a very basic Earth Science understanding from college, a lot of the scientific terms floated over my head a bit. I had a little bit of a hard time keeping terms for sharks straight. It's definitely a book to take notes on if you want to fully ingrain the information presented.
I do believe this is a great book to learn how sharks have changed and also show the discoveries paleontologists have made and continue to work toward.
I'm a person who faithfully watches Shark Week on Discovery every summer. I often miss that not all the shows now are purely scientific and have started to lean more towards goofy entertainment. I think this book will hit that itch for others like me that want the education and research about sharks.
I learned a lot of really cool information from this book and recommend it to everyone! I also believe that if you are a homeschool parent, this is a great book for teens and up to go over together.
June 30, 2024
The Secret History of Sharks by Professor John Long was a fascinating read. As indicated in the title, this is primarily a review of the paleo history of sharks, from their first appearance in the Devonian Period to the rise of modern sharks.
I love how this is broken down. Readers are taken on a journey of discovery of prehistoric sharks and their evolution, described by time period and pivotal points in evolution or especially impactful paleontological discoveries. Also highlighted are major geographical events and extinction events, as well as the mention of other prehistoric species during the time period. After this 465-million-year journey, we explore modern sharks and especially the impacts that humanity and climate change have on the species.
Each chapter contains subsections, with a short section at the end of each that briefly wraps up what we have learned and introduces the next focus, time period, or species. The artwork and photographs are fantastic, and I particularly love the diagrams included. There is a lot of information presented here, so it can feel dense at times, but the author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader engaged.
The author utilizes his own discoveries and experiences in the field, but also refers to the discoveries and accomplishments of many other paleontologists and shark experts with background information to explain who they are.
The Secret History of Sharks is now definitely one of my favorite paleo nonfiction books of all time, and I highly recommend it to any reader interested in sharks or paleontology. 5 stars - excellent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love how this is broken down. Readers are taken on a journey of discovery of prehistoric sharks and their evolution, described by time period and pivotal points in evolution or especially impactful paleontological discoveries. Also highlighted are major geographical events and extinction events, as well as the mention of other prehistoric species during the time period. After this 465-million-year journey, we explore modern sharks and especially the impacts that humanity and climate change have on the species.
Each chapter contains subsections, with a short section at the end of each that briefly wraps up what we have learned and introduces the next focus, time period, or species. The artwork and photographs are fantastic, and I particularly love the diagrams included. There is a lot of information presented here, so it can feel dense at times, but the author does a fantastic job of keeping the reader engaged.
The author utilizes his own discoveries and experiences in the field, but also refers to the discoveries and accomplishments of many other paleontologists and shark experts with background information to explain who they are.
The Secret History of Sharks is now definitely one of my favorite paleo nonfiction books of all time, and I highly recommend it to any reader interested in sharks or paleontology. 5 stars - excellent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 13, 2024
Excellent read just in time for Shark Week 2024
February 24, 2024
The Secret History of Sharks is an excellent popular science book. Its focus is the paleontology of the shark species, from the earliest protosharks up until today. Due to the age of the species, this becomes a walkthrough of Earth history from the Ordovician (465 million years ago) until today.
This ends up including the history of science as well, as the author usually ties in a short biography for the major scientific player on any given species or topic, though maybe 'history' is the wrong word in the later context and more character study, since many of the people are still alive and doing research.
That suggests what is particularly neat about the book, in how recent a lot of the discoveries are, driven both by technology (and particularly CT scans and other imaging becoming more common tools) and interest in the field as one of the "last great unsolved mysteries" of evolution. The impression is of a field that is big enough to be lively but also small enough to allow for close relationships between the wide variety of professional and amateur scientist players, with the author being in the mix.
In fact, I suspect that the negative points on this book will be people who read that sort of familiarity of the author, the fact that he's done work at the sites that he's discussing and knows the researchers he discusses on a social basis as well, as something that comes off as boasting. But it seems to me more reflective of the research itself. And even if proud it seems justifiable: the author establishes himself as a 'triple-threat' in writing, as well as including his own photography and art. (My complaint with the author, and this is non-material, .)
The writing itself achieves that ideal balance of popular science writing where it is clear without being oversimplified, and where the author deals with moderately complex topics with understandable language and faith in the reader to deal with hard things, along with a helpful and through index. I did snicker whenever the term 'sharky shark' was used, but yeah, I don't know what else to use in its place, and the end of the book reveals it to be something of a joke about Linneaus. About the only time that the writing falters is when the formula does not work as well, like in the middle Cretaceous that turns into something of a mess biologically and biographically as the author tries to pack too much in to too short a time.
The narrative reconstructions were interesting, but more interesting that the author is much clearer than others over what is fact, what is speculation, and what is his own narrative license. That in particular is a welcome change. And it is neat how shark history itself allows for a kind of climax in the megalodon, though even there I think that some of the best chapters are on the shark offshoots and ways in which the evolutionary tree is thought to branch.
But overall a great book, and the sort of book that I had to ration out to myself because it was so fun to read. I did go in thinking that it would be more about sharks than the history of sharks, if the distinction makes sense, but I was the opposite of disappointed by this.
Thanks to the author, Professor John Long, and the publisher, Balantine Books, for making the ARC available to me.
This ends up including the history of science as well, as the author usually ties in a short biography for the major scientific player on any given species or topic, though maybe 'history' is the wrong word in the later context and more character study, since many of the people are still alive and doing research.
That suggests what is particularly neat about the book, in how recent a lot of the discoveries are, driven both by technology (and particularly CT scans and other imaging becoming more common tools) and interest in the field as one of the "last great unsolved mysteries" of evolution. The impression is of a field that is big enough to be lively but also small enough to allow for close relationships between the wide variety of professional and amateur scientist players, with the author being in the mix.
In fact, I suspect that the negative points on this book will be people who read that sort of familiarity of the author, the fact that he's done work at the sites that he's discussing and knows the researchers he discusses on a social basis as well, as something that comes off as boasting. But it seems to me more reflective of the research itself. And even if proud it seems justifiable: the author establishes himself as a 'triple-threat' in writing, as well as including his own photography and art. (My complaint with the author, and this is non-material, .)
The writing itself achieves that ideal balance of popular science writing where it is clear without being oversimplified, and where the author deals with moderately complex topics with understandable language and faith in the reader to deal with hard things, along with a helpful and through index. I did snicker whenever the term 'sharky shark' was used, but yeah, I don't know what else to use in its place, and the end of the book reveals it to be something of a joke about Linneaus. About the only time that the writing falters is when the formula does not work as well, like in the middle Cretaceous that turns into something of a mess biologically and biographically as the author tries to pack too much in to too short a time.
The narrative reconstructions were interesting, but more interesting that the author is much clearer than others over what is fact, what is speculation, and what is his own narrative license. That in particular is a welcome change. And it is neat how shark history itself allows for a kind of climax in the megalodon, though even there I think that some of the best chapters are on the shark offshoots and ways in which the evolutionary tree is thought to branch.
But overall a great book, and the sort of book that I had to ration out to myself because it was so fun to read. I did go in thinking that it would be more about sharks than the history of sharks, if the distinction makes sense, but I was the opposite of disappointed by this.
Thanks to the author, Professor John Long, and the publisher, Balantine Books, for making the ARC available to me.
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