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Organisms and Environments
A Sea of Glass: Searching for the Blaschkas' Fragile Legacy in an Ocean at Risk (Volume 13)
"The author makes an eloquent plea for marine biodiversity conservation."—Library Journal
"Harvell seems to channel the devotion that motivated the Blaschkas."—The Guardian
Winner of the 2016 National Outdoor Book Award, Environment Category
It started with a glass octopus. Dusty, broken, and all but forgotten, it caught Drew Harvell’s eye. Fashioned in intricate detail by the father-son glassmaking team of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, the octopus belonged to a menagerie of unusual marine creatures that had been packed away for decades in a storage unit. More than 150 years earlier, the Blaschkas had been captivated by marine invertebrates and spun their likenesses into glass, documenting the life of oceans untouched by climate change and human impacts. Inspired by the Blaschkas’ uncanny replicas, Harvell set out in search of their living counterparts. In A Sea of Glass, she recounts this journey of a lifetime, taking readers along as she dives beneath the ocean's surface to a rarely seen world, revealing the surprising and unusual biology of some of the most ancient animals on the tree of life. On the way, we glimpse a century of change in our ocean ecosystems and learn which of the living matches for the Blaschkas’ creations are, indeed, as fragile as glass.
Drew Harvell and the Blaschka menagerie are the subjects of the documentary Fragile Legacy, which won the Best Short Film award at the 2015 Blue Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit. Learn more about the film and check out the trailer here.
"Harvell seems to channel the devotion that motivated the Blaschkas."—The Guardian
Winner of the 2016 National Outdoor Book Award, Environment Category
It started with a glass octopus. Dusty, broken, and all but forgotten, it caught Drew Harvell’s eye. Fashioned in intricate detail by the father-son glassmaking team of Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, the octopus belonged to a menagerie of unusual marine creatures that had been packed away for decades in a storage unit. More than 150 years earlier, the Blaschkas had been captivated by marine invertebrates and spun their likenesses into glass, documenting the life of oceans untouched by climate change and human impacts. Inspired by the Blaschkas’ uncanny replicas, Harvell set out in search of their living counterparts. In A Sea of Glass, she recounts this journey of a lifetime, taking readers along as she dives beneath the ocean's surface to a rarely seen world, revealing the surprising and unusual biology of some of the most ancient animals on the tree of life. On the way, we glimpse a century of change in our ocean ecosystems and learn which of the living matches for the Blaschkas’ creations are, indeed, as fragile as glass.
Drew Harvell and the Blaschka menagerie are the subjects of the documentary Fragile Legacy, which won the Best Short Film award at the 2015 Blue Ocean Film Festival & Conservation Summit. Learn more about the film and check out the trailer here.
232 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2016
7 people are currently reading
466 people want to read
About the author
C. Drew Harvell
2 books7 followersDrew Harvell is Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Cornell University and Curator of the Blaschka Marine Invertebrate Collection. She teaches courses in marine ecology, marine invertebrate biodiversity and conservation oceanography. Her research on the sustainability of marine ecosystems has taken her from directing projects with The World Bank on the reefs of Mexico, Indonesia, Myanmar and Hawaii to the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest. She is a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America and the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future and a winner of the Society of American Naturalist Jasper Loftus-Hills Award. She has published over 170 articles in journals such as Science, Nature, and Ecology and her lab was most recently featured in New York Times article,https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/16/sc.... https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/30/cl...
Her first book, A Sea of Glass (2016) won a National Outdoor Book Award for Natural History Literature, a Rachel Carson Environmental Literature Award and was one of 2016’s best “Art Meets Science” books by Smithsonian Magazine and was featured by Discover, Scientific American, The Guardian, The New York Times and Nature. Her second book, Ocean Outbreak: Confronting a Rising Tide of Marine Disease, releases April 2019.
Her first book, A Sea of Glass (2016) won a National Outdoor Book Award for Natural History Literature, a Rachel Carson Environmental Literature Award and was one of 2016’s best “Art Meets Science” books by Smithsonian Magazine and was featured by Discover, Scientific American, The Guardian, The New York Times and Nature. Her second book, Ocean Outbreak: Confronting a Rising Tide of Marine Disease, releases April 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 5, 2021
When I was a kid, I remember religiously going through all the colourful pages of encyclopedias, reading about life underwater. I was equally fascinated by the mysterious life under the ocean as I was by the world beyond the sky.
Reading A Sky of Glass was a very similar adventure where I swam with deep-sea creatures of all size, colour and shapes. I discovered the glassworks of Blaschkas recently, and I was highly fascinated with their ideas and creativity of using glass to make exact replicas of underwater creatures. I looked them up and came across this book by C Drew Harvell, inspired by the same work. I instantly decided to pick it up, and was an exciting adventure.
The author has presented a case for the conservation of our ocean ecosystems and the species of flora and fauna that live in this ecosystem through this book with the help of the glass lookalikes of marine invertebrates at Cornell University. This book explains in detail the trip undertaken by the author and her team to spot all the animals of the glass collection in their natural habitats. It takes them across various oceans and continents. We get a glimpse of how our oceans have changed since Blaschkas and how it has affected the ecological balance. Reading the book is like going on a scuba diving adventure with the author. She has tried to show us her experiences first-hand instead of preaching to us about the conservation of the environment. The colourful photographs of the glass creatures and watercolour drawings of famous naturalists add to the experience.
If you are excited by the infinite creatures that live in the deep oceans or want to learn more about them, this is the perfect book for you.
Reading A Sky of Glass was a very similar adventure where I swam with deep-sea creatures of all size, colour and shapes. I discovered the glassworks of Blaschkas recently, and I was highly fascinated with their ideas and creativity of using glass to make exact replicas of underwater creatures. I looked them up and came across this book by C Drew Harvell, inspired by the same work. I instantly decided to pick it up, and was an exciting adventure.
The author has presented a case for the conservation of our ocean ecosystems and the species of flora and fauna that live in this ecosystem through this book with the help of the glass lookalikes of marine invertebrates at Cornell University. This book explains in detail the trip undertaken by the author and her team to spot all the animals of the glass collection in their natural habitats. It takes them across various oceans and continents. We get a glimpse of how our oceans have changed since Blaschkas and how it has affected the ecological balance. Reading the book is like going on a scuba diving adventure with the author. She has tried to show us her experiences first-hand instead of preaching to us about the conservation of the environment. The colourful photographs of the glass creatures and watercolour drawings of famous naturalists add to the experience.
If you are excited by the infinite creatures that live in the deep oceans or want to learn more about them, this is the perfect book for you.
March 12, 2022
This has to be the only book blurbed by both marine biologist Sylvia Earle and glass artist Dale Chihuly :) The premise was creative and interesting but I felt that the execution fell a bit short. First, I wanted yet more visuals--at least twice as many photos, of both Blaschka models and "real life" creatures; maps of where in the world various dives were; and graphics showing where endangered coral reefs are located around the world or whatever. For a book fundamentally about visually conveying scientific information, I found that very little of its content was indeed visually conveyed. Which would be okay if (my second gripe) the writing was better, but Dr. Harvell herself notes that this is her first book and that it was a struggle to adapt to the demands of science journalism instead of scientific articles. You can tell she worked hard and landed on some compelling episodes and fascinating details to recount, but she also presumes a lot of background knowledge (something that would be helped by...you guessed it, more visuals), sometimes has paragraphs that don't really hang together, etc. Also, I would have appreciated a bit more of a systematic approach--how did she choose the dives to go on and organisms to look for? I also kept wanting there to be a big list of Blaschka models, whether their scientific names had changed, whether anything was known about them in the present (one thing I learned from the book is how very little is known about many of these organisms), etc.--I was craving some sort of summary "big picture" that wasn't just a prose listing of various Blaschka organisms she looked for. So, while I did learn some things from this book, I felt like the potential was there for it to be even more educative. Maybe she should have a science writer as a co-author next time? (Also, I looked for the companion documentary, "Fragile Legacy," but all I found was a link saying it's not available online anymore.)
February 19, 2017
"My hope is that the data we gather here will help with biodiversity conservation and the development of new approaches to sustaining the lifeblood of biodiversity."
I was hoping for more of the history of the Blaschkas' and their work than a look at animals in the ocean.
While there are beautiful photos of the Blashkas' work and a brief history of their glass marine life, this book really focuses on the author's excursion to document and analyze existing biodiversity in the ocean. I appreciate the talk about climate change in the book and how it will shape the future of the ocean, but the story really focuses on the author and not the Blaschkas' work.
It's an interesting history of the ocean that's informative about climate change, but it's a rather short look at the Blaschakas' marine life.
I was hoping for more of the history of the Blaschkas' and their work than a look at animals in the ocean.
While there are beautiful photos of the Blashkas' work and a brief history of their glass marine life, this book really focuses on the author's excursion to document and analyze existing biodiversity in the ocean. I appreciate the talk about climate change in the book and how it will shape the future of the ocean, but the story really focuses on the author and not the Blaschkas' work.
It's an interesting history of the ocean that's informative about climate change, but it's a rather short look at the Blaschakas' marine life.
September 8, 2018
As someone who has always been extremely passionate about marine life, this book manages to elegantly combine scientific information with an eye-opening perspective on biology and life beneath the ocean! By combining art with science, Drew brings to the table a scientific yet historic view of the Blaschka art collection and hence, pays tribute to the incredible Blaschka legacy. The book is informative, yet humorous and heartwarming, as the author takes you on a personal journey through the wonders of the deep sea: a true testament to diversity beneath the ocean's surface. Throughout the ups and downs of the author's quest to find and conserve some of the world's most previous marine invertebrates, the readers are introduced to a world far greater than their own and are reminded that the fate of the world's marine ecosystems are at stake.
December 19, 2017
This book is a powerful hybrid of science, art, and history. Dr. Harvell, an experienced invertebrate biologist, taps into the world of the Blaschka master glassmakers to create an inspiring call to action. Her vibrant vignettes accompanied by lavish photos of glass invertebrates illustrate the unmatched skill of the Blaschkas as well as the fragility of our ocean's biodiversity. This book is written in a way that makes it accessible to a wide variety of readers--scientists and non-scientists alike. Highly recommend!
December 19, 2017
"A Sea of Glass" is a wonderful read, artfully bridging gaps between the worlds of art and science. While extremely informative with regards to the diversity of marine invertebrate form and function, this book also delves into the rich history of the Blaschka glassworkers. In a world where environmental outlooks may seem grim, this book is a reminder of the beauty that remains and the importance of marine conservation. Harvell's passion for the ocean is both palpable and contagious, and I'm looking forward to sharing this book with my friends and family.
September 16, 2018
Dr. Harvell makes hard science vibrant and artistic. Her personal stories about her students and her research contextualize the timeless art of the Blaschkas in a really unique way. I have seen the glass pieces in person, and the historical background really brought the pieces to life in my mind’s eye. I really loved this book, and have already handed it off to one of my friends to read. I’m ready for the next Harvell release! I hear it will be on disease outbreaks...another topical ocean minded discussion...
July 8, 2024
"The Blaschka works have a presence and allure, a sensitivity and flair that reaches beyond the mechanical imitation of nature and becomes the gestalt of nature itself, the soul of nature." (Quote from the book.)
Fascinating book about the detailed glass replicas, their creators, and the current research, the author's journey, and the status of these sea animals in the wild.
The glass sea animals and the glass flowers, also created by the Blaschkas, are truly phenomenal! Everyone should see them. Look for them at Cornell, Harvard, and the Corning Museum of Glass.
Fascinating book about the detailed glass replicas, their creators, and the current research, the author's journey, and the status of these sea animals in the wild.
The glass sea animals and the glass flowers, also created by the Blaschkas, are truly phenomenal! Everyone should see them. Look for them at Cornell, Harvard, and the Corning Museum of Glass.
June 15, 2020
Some amazing information about our oceans and the sometimes bizarre creatures that inhabit them. The glass art depictions of them are remarkable! The call to action to save these creatures is also greatly appreciated.
June 23, 2022
Fascinating topic. Unfortunately, the writing is totally uninspiring.
October 13, 2025
Absolutely breathtaking
September 27, 2020
So beautiful, never thought I’d read a book about anemones, jellyfish, worms, sea slugs, octopus, squid and sea stars (starfish). There are still a few marine protected locations around the world but in general our species is guilty of ruination and extinction of large numbers and large percentages of the oceans occupants.
Our insistence on fossil fuels, carbon emissions increases carbon in the ocean. We think about the air but the oceans absorb 30% of the excess. Hence, those animals with skeletons - well their structures dissolve due the increased pH. Destroy the bio communities then you get a few aggressive take over species; say the lion fish for example.
I might add that plastic trash, nets and fishing gear, sewage, over harvesting contribute mightily. Basically we are a very short term and self centered species.
The world bank funds research and projects that enable us to do better. WE, I mean all of us need to think and act much bigger than we believe ourselves to be. There is no choice, there is only when and how much we will do so.
Pick up trash, reduce our own production, practice birth control, eat sustainable food, go outside frequently, build good places. Contribute money, time to clean up.
Our insistence on fossil fuels, carbon emissions increases carbon in the ocean. We think about the air but the oceans absorb 30% of the excess. Hence, those animals with skeletons - well their structures dissolve due the increased pH. Destroy the bio communities then you get a few aggressive take over species; say the lion fish for example.
I might add that plastic trash, nets and fishing gear, sewage, over harvesting contribute mightily. Basically we are a very short term and self centered species.
The world bank funds research and projects that enable us to do better. WE, I mean all of us need to think and act much bigger than we believe ourselves to be. There is no choice, there is only when and how much we will do so.
Pick up trash, reduce our own production, practice birth control, eat sustainable food, go outside frequently, build good places. Contribute money, time to clean up.
March 6, 2022
A beautiful book.
Part marine invertebrate zoology, part history (sadly including some links between marine scientists and Hitler), part diving adventure, part ecological warning and some beautiful and very clever art work in photography, water colour and glass. The Blaschkas' glass models found in a Cornell university storage shed are the foundation of the whole book and started the adventure Drew Harvell embarked on. Harvell was captivated by the beauty and intricacy of the glass models and set out to discover which ones could still be found in our oceans today over several years and thousands of miles of diving adventures.
This book is educational, cautionary and above all beautiful.
Part marine invertebrate zoology, part history (sadly including some links between marine scientists and Hitler), part diving adventure, part ecological warning and some beautiful and very clever art work in photography, water colour and glass. The Blaschkas' glass models found in a Cornell university storage shed are the foundation of the whole book and started the adventure Drew Harvell embarked on. Harvell was captivated by the beauty and intricacy of the glass models and set out to discover which ones could still be found in our oceans today over several years and thousands of miles of diving adventures.
This book is educational, cautionary and above all beautiful.
goodreads-win
May 18, 2016Goodreads win
January 18, 2018
A wonderful, insightful book that not only educates but also intrigues! Dr. Harvell's knowledge and personal accounts keep you reading. The lovely photographs of the glass animals are another bonus!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews