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BBC Blue Planet #2
Blue Planet II: A New World of Hidden Depths
Our understanding of ocean life has changed dramatically in the last decade, with new species, new behaviors, and new habitats being discovered at a rapid rate. Blue Planet II , which accompanies an epic 7-part series, is a ground-breaking new look at the richness and variety of underwater life across our planet. With 300 breathtaking photographs and stills from the BBC Natural History Unit's spectacular footage, each chapter brings to life a different habitat of the oceanic world. Voyages of migration show how each of the oceans on our planet are connected; coral reefs and arctic ice communities are revealed as thriving underwater cities; while shorelines throw up continual challenges to those living there or passing through. A final chapter explores the science and technology of the Ocean enterprise—not only how they were able to capture these amazing stories on film, but what the future holds for marine life based on these discoveries.
312 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2018
38 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 8, 2018
"We are at a unique stage in our history. Never before have we had such an awareness of what we are doing to the planet, and never before have we had the power to do something about it. Surely we have a responsible to care for our blue planet. The future of humanity, and, indeed, of all life on Earth, now depends on us." - David Attenborough
This is a beautiful companion book to the phenomenal "Blue Planet II" documentary series. They stand well on their own, but the cinematic achievement of the series makes it hard to overlook, and the book adds information and insight that I didn't learn from the series. It's a heavy book but it doesn't feel dense. It's split into chapters and sub-chapters, so it's easy to pick up and put down again.
While moments in this book (and the series) are heartbreaking, I appreciate that it ended with a feeling of hope. There are so many people doing incredible work to save our planet and its many fascinating and integral forms of life. They deserve more credit than they are given! I've always been interested in conservation but "Blue Planet II" - book and series alike - served as a catalyst for me to get more involved in helping to preserve our oceans.
This is a beautiful companion book to the phenomenal "Blue Planet II" documentary series. They stand well on their own, but the cinematic achievement of the series makes it hard to overlook, and the book adds information and insight that I didn't learn from the series. It's a heavy book but it doesn't feel dense. It's split into chapters and sub-chapters, so it's easy to pick up and put down again.
While moments in this book (and the series) are heartbreaking, I appreciate that it ended with a feeling of hope. There are so many people doing incredible work to save our planet and its many fascinating and integral forms of life. They deserve more credit than they are given! I've always been interested in conservation but "Blue Planet II" - book and series alike - served as a catalyst for me to get more involved in helping to preserve our oceans.
July 2, 2024
I had a great time reading this book and enjoyed the beautiful photographs throughout. This book is full of information about the environment and the inhabitants of our blue planet, from the surface to the deepest oceans and the coasts which border it. There’s a lot to learn here!
What is your knowledge of sharks? Do you know your hammerhead from your pyjama shark? Do you want to learn how octopuses shield themselves from shark attacks? Do you know why sea otters are considered the teddy bears of the ocean? Did you know that sea turtles are carnivorous as juveniles but turn to herbivores when they reach adulthood? And would you like to see what an underwater forest looks like? Well, you can discover all of that here and more!
What I liked most about this book is that it focuses on how remarkable each species is and how they survive in different ways in their ever-changing environments. Consequently, there’s a big focus on global warming and the effects of climate change here, too, which is expected from a book such as this and is partly the reason so many species have to continually adapt. I was particularly taken by the notes on how our ocean is ‘one’ and all is connected, each decline in species directly affects another plant or animal- all are important. Oceans are only divided on a map. There is a cyclical, relevant and insightful explanation provided overall which is backed by research that can’t be ignored.
However, this book ends on a positive note, and I’m glad it’s introduced me to a woman named Julia Platt, who helped to establish what are known as ‘marine refuges,’ which help to restore the natural habitats of our blue planet. I hope to explore this further by reading more of her story.
🐙🦑🦀🦦🦭🐳🦈🐻❄️
What is your knowledge of sharks? Do you know your hammerhead from your pyjama shark? Do you want to learn how octopuses shield themselves from shark attacks? Do you know why sea otters are considered the teddy bears of the ocean? Did you know that sea turtles are carnivorous as juveniles but turn to herbivores when they reach adulthood? And would you like to see what an underwater forest looks like? Well, you can discover all of that here and more!
What I liked most about this book is that it focuses on how remarkable each species is and how they survive in different ways in their ever-changing environments. Consequently, there’s a big focus on global warming and the effects of climate change here, too, which is expected from a book such as this and is partly the reason so many species have to continually adapt. I was particularly taken by the notes on how our ocean is ‘one’ and all is connected, each decline in species directly affects another plant or animal- all are important. Oceans are only divided on a map. There is a cyclical, relevant and insightful explanation provided overall which is backed by research that can’t be ignored.
However, this book ends on a positive note, and I’m glad it’s introduced me to a woman named Julia Platt, who helped to establish what are known as ‘marine refuges,’ which help to restore the natural habitats of our blue planet. I hope to explore this further by reading more of her story.
🐙🦑🦀🦦🦭🐳🦈🐻❄️
December 28, 2021
2021 52 Book Challenge - 29) Featuring the environment
This book is absolutely beautiful. There are no other words to describe it. The photos used are captivating and mesmerizing and really illustrate the issues that are being highlighted in the book. Also, the information is told to you in such an easy way to understand while still feeling like its accurate and interesting.
This book is absolutely beautiful. There are no other words to describe it. The photos used are captivating and mesmerizing and really illustrate the issues that are being highlighted in the book. Also, the information is told to you in such an easy way to understand while still feeling like its accurate and interesting.
February 24, 2018
So beautiful- I keep looking at the fantastic photos- I want to keep it but it’s a library book! The writing with it is poetic in places but it’s more negative than the TV programme. The last word is left up to Sir David- we know what we are doing so we need to get on and save the oceans. Another plus it has lots about sperm whales around Sri Lanka!
January 8, 2018
A beautiful and extremely important series!!
January 11, 2018
I really enjoyed this
the photography is phenomenal and the info that goes with it is really insightfuly
I didn't give it 5 stars just because there was quite a lot of it that I wasn't interested in but for the most part it was amazing
the photography is phenomenal and the info that goes with it is really insightfuly
I didn't give it 5 stars just because there was quite a lot of it that I wasn't interested in but for the most part it was amazing
February 6, 2018
Take a deep breath and dive into the mysteries of the ocean...
This is a beautiful book that should be placed in everyone’s bookshelves. The photography is wonderful and I definitely learned a lot while reading through it.
This is a beautiful book that should be placed in everyone’s bookshelves. The photography is wonderful and I definitely learned a lot while reading through it.
May 30, 2020
very good. a little bit depressing at the end on how we managed to spoil our planet.
July 21, 2018
Blue Planet II is an absolutely gorgeous book. Even if you don't read a word and simply flip through the photos you'll still learn a tremendous amount about the amazing animals and life that inhabit our oceans and seas. As a fan of the show, I knew I would find this book interesting, but I thought it was a great addition to the popular documentary series.
I think the authors did a good job addressing environmental concerns without being overly political. It's hard to argue with them when their research over the last two decades has shown them up close the damage we can do to our oceans, the life within, and how that effects us and other plants and animals outside the water. It was fascinating and saddening to read about how the change and decline in one population can have a dramatic chain reaction on other populations.
As always, it's incredible to learn about some of the animals that exist in our waters - some are the things horror stories are made of! It's also incredible to learn about how these animals adapt to their environment and find unique ways to survive, hunt, and live their daily lives. Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning more about our oceans.
I think the authors did a good job addressing environmental concerns without being overly political. It's hard to argue with them when their research over the last two decades has shown them up close the damage we can do to our oceans, the life within, and how that effects us and other plants and animals outside the water. It was fascinating and saddening to read about how the change and decline in one population can have a dramatic chain reaction on other populations.
As always, it's incredible to learn about some of the animals that exist in our waters - some are the things horror stories are made of! It's also incredible to learn about how these animals adapt to their environment and find unique ways to survive, hunt, and live their daily lives. Highly recommend for anyone interested in learning more about our oceans.
February 25, 2020
A great companion book to the main series. The photos are beautiful but the video footage from the series just blows your mind so I really do recommend watching both of the Blue Planet series.
This is a brilliant book for those who enjoyed Blue Planet and it does have some little extras and behind the scenes stories from the crew that you don’t get in the series. Also it offers some more info on the marine life featured in the show.
The only reason I did 4 and not 5 stars is because as a human being who is only too aware and panicked about how much we’ve messed up our planet and who cares deeply about conservation and ensuring the future of as many species as possible, our negative impact on the world is mentioned at each and every opportunity to drive home that point. I know it’s important but reading about it over and over and over again almost dulls the importance of it. You just end up skimming those bits and moving on as because they feature in all, or at least almost all, of the different sections. Not to mention a whole chapter about pollution and climate change at the end.
Overall though this is a great read and an accessible book on marine life for all.
This is a brilliant book for those who enjoyed Blue Planet and it does have some little extras and behind the scenes stories from the crew that you don’t get in the series. Also it offers some more info on the marine life featured in the show.
The only reason I did 4 and not 5 stars is because as a human being who is only too aware and panicked about how much we’ve messed up our planet and who cares deeply about conservation and ensuring the future of as many species as possible, our negative impact on the world is mentioned at each and every opportunity to drive home that point. I know it’s important but reading about it over and over and over again almost dulls the importance of it. You just end up skimming those bits and moving on as because they feature in all, or at least almost all, of the different sections. Not to mention a whole chapter about pollution and climate change at the end.
Overall though this is a great read and an accessible book on marine life for all.
July 25, 2018
I feel like this book includes things not talked about in the show. In general, each topic itself is covered in the show and I remember each of them, but little fact tidbits, I'm not sure. It was cool to read, as a refresher and to gain new information. Gorgeous pictures, and some really cute ones of otters, and awesome ones of sharks. I almost like the book better than the show actually, though BPII in general is better than BPI. Having a whole chapter/episode dedicated to the changes occurring as we live in this age was something I really enjoyed too, particularly because it's not all depressing. A lot of it is, to the point of being scary, but there are things we can do--are doing--that are helping. The cynics in the climate change world seem to forget that constant negativity can give an air of hopelessness/why bother to things, but I feel like this book gives an upside to that, while providing ample reason why and ways to protect our blue world.
March 30, 2021
Some fabulous photography, very well presented in a beautifully printed, glossy hardback to accompany the TV series. Much as I'm interested in animals and wildlife generally, the sea isn't really my favourite of these areas, so it was with some reluctance that I picked up this book. The foreword by Sir Dave, and the last paragraph, are wonderful, but alas, do not make up for his absence in the rest of the book. His own books are quite brilliant. Blue Planet II however, is a little less so. Some of the writing was a bit repetitive, a little samey, a little too concentrated on cameramen and producers, and just generally lacking in Sir Dave's turn of phrase. While I wasn't exactly bored, I wasn't wildly gripped by it either. The last chapter though is so worthy and laudable that it makes up for any of the earlier shortcomings. Well worth a read if you are interested in marine life, photography, ecology and science in general. 4.5/5
March 19, 2020
Wonderful book with beautiful pictures and fun facts about marine animals that were unknown to me before. Like who would've thought that a trout and a moray eel communicate with each other, that the Irrawaddy dolphin spits water on the surface to catch prey, and that the parrot fish sleeps in its own saliva. Well, I didn't, but I'm happy I do now. Unfortunately, besides these wonders there's a lot of tragedy going on in the ocean, for which this book also raises awareness. The painful truth is that the destruction of marine life is already in an advanced stadium. As I'm a scuba diver myself I can testify to that. Coral is massively turning white across the globe, which is a heartbreaking thing to witness, especially after you've seen how it's supposed to look like. For this reason ''The Blue Planet II'' is both fun and touching.
August 21, 2022
Een halve ster voor de belabberde Nederlandse vertaling. Wanneer je je de hele tijd moet afvragen wat er in het Engels zou gestaan hebben om de zogenaamd Nederlandstalige woorden en constructies te begrijpen, dan weet je dat hier met de pet naar gegooid is.
Jammer, want "De blauwe planeet II" is een prachtig boek over een nog veel te weinig gekende wereld, die van de oceanen. Ongewone samenwerkingsverbanden tussen dieren, onverwacht leven op de grootste diepten, het is enorm fascinerend.
Helaas is er ook de toenemende en verregaande verwoesting door menselijke activiteit die door de filmploegen van Blue Planet duidelijk in de aandacht worden gezet. Je zou er moedeloos van worden, ware het niet dat - zoals het laatste hoofdstuk aantoont - kleine locale initiatieven soms wonderen kunnen doen.
Jammer, want "De blauwe planeet II" is een prachtig boek over een nog veel te weinig gekende wereld, die van de oceanen. Ongewone samenwerkingsverbanden tussen dieren, onverwacht leven op de grootste diepten, het is enorm fascinerend.
Helaas is er ook de toenemende en verregaande verwoesting door menselijke activiteit die door de filmploegen van Blue Planet duidelijk in de aandacht worden gezet. Je zou er moedeloos van worden, ware het niet dat - zoals het laatste hoofdstuk aantoont - kleine locale initiatieven soms wonderen kunnen doen.
July 25, 2018
I love the Blue Planet documentaries and was very excited to see this book at the library. The book did not disappoint. The pictures were exquisite and the text filled in plenty of gaps that the show had to cut. Nature is just amazing. From worms that look like something out of a horror movie to whales that protect sea lions from orcas, this book has it all. As my wife pointed out in her review, the book does go over a lot of the environmental issues facing the oceans today, but does it in a respectful manner that should hopefully be above argument. The pictures of the whale with a stomach full of plastic bags or the sea turtle mistaking a plastic bag for a squid are incredibly sad to see.
May 14, 2018
A book full of wonderful photos and text to accompany the amazing BBC TV series. However, the book has a very important message - we cannot keep treating our oceans as a limitless supply or a dumping ground. We have to start respecting them and caring for them, and in return they will provide for us. The text and photos highlight the dangers of plastic pollution and the fact that it has reached the remotest parts of the oceans. But there are also lots of superb, uplifting photos and stories, and new pictures of creatures too weird to imagine! It is a brilliant book and should be required reading for everyone!
May 5, 2019
The book Blue Planet II by James Honeyborne can be classified as a nonfiction book and is intended for ages 10 and up; this book has yet to win any awards. This book is about our oceans and the life that lives in it. I rated this book four stars because the real time photography was exceptional. I like that even though there is a lot of facts to cover the author left lots of room for the pictures of the undersea creatures. I like that each paragraph has a sub topic which is nicely laid out. I think this book will appeal to young readers because it mixes written facts with actual visual facts. I would recommend this book to any student who is doing a paper or a project on marine life.
December 17, 2017
If you were mesmerized by the fascinating television series presented by David Attenborough, then this is the perfect book for you. I was impressed with the both the background information provided and the stills from the series. The photos, as expected, are breath-taking! The final chapters were thought provoking,especially for those among us that are passionate about conservation.
February 9, 2018
Wow I loved this ! I read it all in one sitting , the photography is stunning . This is such an important read as we all need to take a look at how we could better look after the environment and how our daily actions affect marine life.
January 17, 2020
What a gorgeous book... this is perfect for classrooms or a home library. It’s filled with mind-blasting photography and information. It’s focused on water animals and plants present within the water ecosystems around the world.
February 2, 2023
This gets 5* for the photography, which was beautiful! The accompanying text gets 3* - while it provided interesting information, it didn't flow well and at multiple points I felt like they'd just copied and pasted subtitles from the TV series into the book
March 9, 2023
A fantastic book supporting a groundbreaking television series. The stunning photographs and epic stories telling the gripping events seen in the series really make this an enjoyable book and a must read for any fans of ecology and nature.
March 25, 2023
I have never been so profoundly affected by any other book. The pictures and stories, I have fallen in love with the ocean again. I learned about its challenges in new ways and I’m deeply changed because of it. So thankful to have come across it.
August 20, 2018
Zeer mooi geïllustreerd boek, met duidelijke boeiende uitleg over verscheidene topics in verband met onze oceanen. Zeer educatief op een enorm leuke manier! Prachtig boek!
February 8, 2021
This was such an awesome book to read with out 10 year old daughter. We look forward to enjoying it with our 3 year old in a couple of years. The pictures bring the ocean creatures to life!
February 9, 2021
Great addition to the series!
March 9, 2021
Very interesting and well worth a read. Spells out the dangers our oceans face and what we need to do to protect them.
March 12, 2022
* Read for the
2022 Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge
task: A book related to Earth Day
September 28, 2023
Very informative. The book illustration is stunning.
January 12, 2022
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Expect the Spectacular
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“Although the ocean has been studied since ancient times, it was not until we put satellites into Earth orbit and looked back at our planet that we began to appreciate their role in [our] wellbeing.
The oceans are the Earth’s life-support system.
They help regulate the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air we breathe, influence our weather and the climate, and so deliver the water we drink, provide a substantial amount of the food we eat, and they could be the reason we are here at all: the origins of life could well have been in the sea.”
The above quote (in italics) comes from this beautiful and educational book by James Honeyborne and Mark Brownlow. Honeyborne is a producer and director of award-winning wildlife documentaries for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He has made several underwater films. Brownlow has produced many natural history documentaries for the BBC.
The purpose of this book is to accompany the BBC television series “Blue Planet II,” that is, “Blue Planet 2 (first broadcast in 2017). I have, however, found it to be an excellent stand-alone book. (Note that Honeyborne was executive producer of the Blue Planet 2 television series and that Brownlow was its series producer.)
Using cutting-edge technology, the Blue Planet 2 team has dived below Earth’s ocean surface to shed new light on this underwater world. This book crosses the open ocean, explores coasts and coral reefs, weaves in and out of underwater forests and meadows, and dives down to the bottom of the deep sea. Along the way, we are privy to their most exciting discoveries.
This book consists of two parts intermingled together: (1) mesmerizing colour still photographs (over 250) from the BBC television series taken after five years of filming (2) descriptive text that’s VERY educational, easy-to-read, and up-to-date making this book so much more than just the stunning photos mentioned in (1).
The last chapter, in my opinion, is excellent. It examines the role of anthropogenic activity on the oceans. Who better to do this than creators of this book and the television series?
Finally, I counted the number of scientific advisors associated with this book and television series. There were almost 135!! I did the same for the camera team. It was composed of almost 65 people!! Also, this book has a Foreword by the great British broadcaster and natural historian, Sir David Attenborough (need I say more?).
In conclusion, this book delivers an astonishing panorama of a hidden world due to a combination of ground-breaking technology and unparalleled field experience!!!
(2018; foreword; 7 chapters; main narrative 305 pages; index; acknowledgements; picture credits)
XXXXX
Expect the Spectacular
XXXXX
“Although the ocean has been studied since ancient times, it was not until we put satellites into Earth orbit and looked back at our planet that we began to appreciate their role in [our] wellbeing.
The oceans are the Earth’s life-support system.
They help regulate the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air we breathe, influence our weather and the climate, and so deliver the water we drink, provide a substantial amount of the food we eat, and they could be the reason we are here at all: the origins of life could well have been in the sea.”
The above quote (in italics) comes from this beautiful and educational book by James Honeyborne and Mark Brownlow. Honeyborne is a producer and director of award-winning wildlife documentaries for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). He has made several underwater films. Brownlow has produced many natural history documentaries for the BBC.
The purpose of this book is to accompany the BBC television series “Blue Planet II,” that is, “Blue Planet 2 (first broadcast in 2017). I have, however, found it to be an excellent stand-alone book. (Note that Honeyborne was executive producer of the Blue Planet 2 television series and that Brownlow was its series producer.)
Using cutting-edge technology, the Blue Planet 2 team has dived below Earth’s ocean surface to shed new light on this underwater world. This book crosses the open ocean, explores coasts and coral reefs, weaves in and out of underwater forests and meadows, and dives down to the bottom of the deep sea. Along the way, we are privy to their most exciting discoveries.
This book consists of two parts intermingled together: (1) mesmerizing colour still photographs (over 250) from the BBC television series taken after five years of filming (2) descriptive text that’s VERY educational, easy-to-read, and up-to-date making this book so much more than just the stunning photos mentioned in (1).
The last chapter, in my opinion, is excellent. It examines the role of anthropogenic activity on the oceans. Who better to do this than creators of this book and the television series?
Finally, I counted the number of scientific advisors associated with this book and television series. There were almost 135!! I did the same for the camera team. It was composed of almost 65 people!! Also, this book has a Foreword by the great British broadcaster and natural historian, Sir David Attenborough (need I say more?).
In conclusion, this book delivers an astonishing panorama of a hidden world due to a combination of ground-breaking technology and unparalleled field experience!!!
(2018; foreword; 7 chapters; main narrative 305 pages; index; acknowledgements; picture credits)
XXXXX
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews