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Chax: A Dolphin's Song
Sound travels fast in the sea, three times faster than in the air, and so do stories. Some stories go around the world underwater without being heard above it. Unless they need to be.
Dolphins have helped swimmers in trouble for as long as people have shared the ocean with them. Despite reasons not to like us, it seems they do. Accounts of the human-dolphin relationship are found in the legends and art of antiquity, and in tomorrow’s news cycle. Yet much remains a mystery. A Dolphin’s Song, is an adventure that considers those things.
The “hero” is Chax, a bottlenose dolphin who leads a pod in and around the Gulf of Mexico. With help from his friends. Chax is a superb listener. Popper, a not-quite-mature dolphin, helps too, as he learns his place in the pod. The reader sees and hears what they do.
Kimberly Barone, a bright young marine biologist, is passionate about dolphins and the ocean, though her boss and former professor has lost focus. The boat that serves as their base is owned and captained by Pete Gordon, a former Coast Guard rescue diver. Captain Pete loves boats and the ocean and sees so much more in Kimberly than the professor does.
Aboard a Navy submarine operating in Chax’s neighborhood, Sonar Technician 1st Class Opie Simcox goes above and beyond to help.
Smooth but amoral Claiborne Chandler’s choices have led him from privilege to piracy. He is no hero. Dodging responsibility has brought him to this place on this day. Yet even Claiborne knows dolphins are special.
When author Tom Yancey was a young reporter whose beat included Marco Island, Florida, he learned about dolphins from the late Milton Santini, who caught and trained the first “Flipper.” Armed with a biology degree, Yancey read about dolphins so he could ask better questions. It became a habit. After a 30-year career as a journalist in four states, Navy veteran Yancey and his wife Jeanie live in East Tennessee. This is his third book.
www.tomYanceybooks.com
Dolphins have helped swimmers in trouble for as long as people have shared the ocean with them. Despite reasons not to like us, it seems they do. Accounts of the human-dolphin relationship are found in the legends and art of antiquity, and in tomorrow’s news cycle. Yet much remains a mystery. A Dolphin’s Song, is an adventure that considers those things.
The “hero” is Chax, a bottlenose dolphin who leads a pod in and around the Gulf of Mexico. With help from his friends. Chax is a superb listener. Popper, a not-quite-mature dolphin, helps too, as he learns his place in the pod. The reader sees and hears what they do.
Kimberly Barone, a bright young marine biologist, is passionate about dolphins and the ocean, though her boss and former professor has lost focus. The boat that serves as their base is owned and captained by Pete Gordon, a former Coast Guard rescue diver. Captain Pete loves boats and the ocean and sees so much more in Kimberly than the professor does.
Aboard a Navy submarine operating in Chax’s neighborhood, Sonar Technician 1st Class Opie Simcox goes above and beyond to help.
Smooth but amoral Claiborne Chandler’s choices have led him from privilege to piracy. He is no hero. Dodging responsibility has brought him to this place on this day. Yet even Claiborne knows dolphins are special.
When author Tom Yancey was a young reporter whose beat included Marco Island, Florida, he learned about dolphins from the late Milton Santini, who caught and trained the first “Flipper.” Armed with a biology degree, Yancey read about dolphins so he could ask better questions. It became a habit. After a 30-year career as a journalist in four states, Navy veteran Yancey and his wife Jeanie live in East Tennessee. This is his third book.
www.tomYanceybooks.com
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 17, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 6, 2020
Captivating read!
This was not the best book I have ever read. It's not the book I thought I was going to read! I love stories of animal intelligence & interaction with humans. I chose this title, thinking about the dolphins' story. Little did I know, there was more than just a "fish tale!" There was a love story, a murder mystery, a kidnapping, and a completely unexpected rescue. Woven into this was a theme of old friends and new friends and reconnecting with family. There was a thread throughout exploring God our Creator, as well as some military storyline. Somehow, the author pulled all of this together, and kept my interest the entire time. While not entirely plausible, this adventure was one I'm glad I took, and I recommend it heartily!
This was not the best book I have ever read. It's not the book I thought I was going to read! I love stories of animal intelligence & interaction with humans. I chose this title, thinking about the dolphins' story. Little did I know, there was more than just a "fish tale!" There was a love story, a murder mystery, a kidnapping, and a completely unexpected rescue. Woven into this was a theme of old friends and new friends and reconnecting with family. There was a thread throughout exploring God our Creator, as well as some military storyline. Somehow, the author pulled all of this together, and kept my interest the entire time. While not entirely plausible, this adventure was one I'm glad I took, and I recommend it heartily!
May 12, 2016
'Chax protected the men, so the song goes, because he was offered the opportunity.’
Tom Yancey grew up in East Tennessee, served as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman in Vietnam and later earned a degree in biology with a journalism minor. He was a newspaper reporter and editor in four states (Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and North Carolina) for which he won awards, as well as a freelance writer and editor for industrial newsletters, speeches and trade journal articles. After retirement, he began writing books. CHAX: A DOLPHIN’S SONG is the first to be published under his name. He lives with his wife, a teacher of gifted children, in Greene County, Tennessee.
Tom opens his excellent book with a note to his readers: ‘As the title implies, this book is about a dolphin. Adult humans are part of the story too, but roughly a third of the chapters are told from the point of view of various members of a pod of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Chax is the pod’s leader. The dolphins talk to each other, but not to the people. They do a great deal of listening, however. Dolphins are very good listeners. Biologists who study them are almost unanimous in agreeing that bottlenose dolphins gather, share and use information quite well, often over considerable distances. Numerous researchers have identified “signature whistles” that dolphins use the way humans use “names.” Dolphins recognize their own “name” when whistled by others. They recognize the signature whistles of their “family and friends,” even after long separations. Thus the dolphins in this book have names. Chax is the first you will meet, but others also have important work to do.
Given his background it is not surprising that this book is as appealing to young adults as to adults – especially those familiar with the phenomenal characteristics of dolphins. Tom writes with such a fine sense of ease that the story flows past our eyes as swiftly and gently as a dolphin’s swim.
The offered synopsis outlines the storyline well: ‘Dolphins have helped swimmers in trouble for as long as people have shared the ocean with them. Despite reasons not to like us, it seems they do. Accounts of the human-dolphin relationship are found in the legends and art of antiquity, and in tomorrow’s cable news cycle. Yet much remains a mystery. Chax: A Dolphin’s Song, is an adventure that considers those things. The “hero” is Chax himself, who leads a pod of bottlenose dolphins in and around the Gulf of Mexico. With help from his friends. Chax is a superb listener. Popper, a not-quite-mature dolphin, helps too, as he learns his place in the pod. Kimberly Barone, a bright young marine biologist, studies dolphins with passion even though her boss and former professor has lost focus. The classic yacht that serves as their base is captained by Pete Gordon, a former Coast Guard rescue diver. Captain Pete shares her love for the ocean and sees so much more in Kimberly than the professor does. A Navy submarine is operating in Chax’s neighborhood. Sonar Technician 1st Class Opie Simcox goes above and beyond to help. Smooth, talented but amoral Claiborne Chandler’s choices have led him from privilege to piracy. He is no hero. Dodging responsibility has brought him here. Yet even Claiborne knows dolphins are special.’
Such a mixture of dolphins’ points of view versus human points of view endears this tale to the reader and likely the word will spread that Tom Yancey is on board with a winner.
Tom Yancey grew up in East Tennessee, served as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman in Vietnam and later earned a degree in biology with a journalism minor. He was a newspaper reporter and editor in four states (Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and North Carolina) for which he won awards, as well as a freelance writer and editor for industrial newsletters, speeches and trade journal articles. After retirement, he began writing books. CHAX: A DOLPHIN’S SONG is the first to be published under his name. He lives with his wife, a teacher of gifted children, in Greene County, Tennessee.
Tom opens his excellent book with a note to his readers: ‘As the title implies, this book is about a dolphin. Adult humans are part of the story too, but roughly a third of the chapters are told from the point of view of various members of a pod of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Chax is the pod’s leader. The dolphins talk to each other, but not to the people. They do a great deal of listening, however. Dolphins are very good listeners. Biologists who study them are almost unanimous in agreeing that bottlenose dolphins gather, share and use information quite well, often over considerable distances. Numerous researchers have identified “signature whistles” that dolphins use the way humans use “names.” Dolphins recognize their own “name” when whistled by others. They recognize the signature whistles of their “family and friends,” even after long separations. Thus the dolphins in this book have names. Chax is the first you will meet, but others also have important work to do.
Given his background it is not surprising that this book is as appealing to young adults as to adults – especially those familiar with the phenomenal characteristics of dolphins. Tom writes with such a fine sense of ease that the story flows past our eyes as swiftly and gently as a dolphin’s swim.
The offered synopsis outlines the storyline well: ‘Dolphins have helped swimmers in trouble for as long as people have shared the ocean with them. Despite reasons not to like us, it seems they do. Accounts of the human-dolphin relationship are found in the legends and art of antiquity, and in tomorrow’s cable news cycle. Yet much remains a mystery. Chax: A Dolphin’s Song, is an adventure that considers those things. The “hero” is Chax himself, who leads a pod of bottlenose dolphins in and around the Gulf of Mexico. With help from his friends. Chax is a superb listener. Popper, a not-quite-mature dolphin, helps too, as he learns his place in the pod. Kimberly Barone, a bright young marine biologist, studies dolphins with passion even though her boss and former professor has lost focus. The classic yacht that serves as their base is captained by Pete Gordon, a former Coast Guard rescue diver. Captain Pete shares her love for the ocean and sees so much more in Kimberly than the professor does. A Navy submarine is operating in Chax’s neighborhood. Sonar Technician 1st Class Opie Simcox goes above and beyond to help. Smooth, talented but amoral Claiborne Chandler’s choices have led him from privilege to piracy. He is no hero. Dodging responsibility has brought him here. Yet even Claiborne knows dolphins are special.’
Such a mixture of dolphins’ points of view versus human points of view endears this tale to the reader and likely the word will spread that Tom Yancey is on board with a winner.
March 19, 2016
A very good read
The title understates the suspense and action of this book which centers around piracy. I found it hard to put down and very enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
The title understates the suspense and action of this book which centers around piracy. I found it hard to put down and very enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews