What do you think?
Rate this book
The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life. Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration. An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseen—and unimaginable—creatures of the deep sea.
252 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2006
17 people are currently reading
3113 people want to read
About the author
Claire Nouvian
4 books12 followersClaire Nouvian is president and founder of the nonprofit conservation organization BLOOM, based in Paris and Hong Kong. Her research and activities focus on deep-sea fisheries and shark consumption habits. In Asia, Nouvian and BLOOM's co-workers aim to improve the degraded conservation status of shark populations by ultimately making shark fin soup a socially unacceptable dish. Nouvian’s approach is designed to make corporations act as trend-setters in society, specifically the luxury segment of the hospitality industry, andto make the banning of shark dishes part of corporate policy. In Europe, Nouvian is dedicated to studying the nature of deep-sea fishing. Her work on this topic has included the organization of a press conference and “science tour” of political entities, a scientific workshop on deep-sea fisheries in an ecosystem-based context, and a legal workshop on deep-sea bottom trawling. She conducted a detailed analysis on the few remaining deep-sea fishing companies in France to reveal that despite receiving substantial public subsidies, the three main fleet owners are chronically unprofitable. While producing this analysis, Nouvian identified public aid to French fisheries as an area worthy of in-depth research and increased transparency.
Before starting BLOOM, Nouvian worked in television production and journalism, specializing in wildlife and scientific documentaries. She spent an extended period filming in the jungles of Asia, Africa, and South America and eventually contracted two tropical diseases. Luckily Nouvian had already discovered a fascination with the deep sea. Her convalescence allowed her to craft a book, The Deep, published in 2006, and an exhibition of the same name, opened in 2007 at the Natural History Museum in Paris, which present the best specimens, pictures, and film clips that have been gathered by oceanographers over the past 20-25 years.
Today, the exhibition and book have reached more than a billion people. Additionally, Nouvian is involved with education through art and science projects engaging students. She lectures on deep-sea fisheries, fisheries negotiations, public fisheries subsidies, and sustainable development communication strategy at several universities including University of Geneva, Sciences Po (Public Affairs and Environmental Diplomacy), AgroParisTech/ENGREF, University of Hong Kong, University of Rhode Island, and University of Zagreb. While wonder drew her to the depths of the ocean, finding out about deep-sea fishing prompted Nouvian to focus on combating destructive fishing practices. She developed BLOOM as a base to put an end to deep-sea bottom trawling and advocate before governments and institutions in favor of the protection of the ocean’s depths. Nouvian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Sorbonne University in Paris.
Before starting BLOOM, Nouvian worked in television production and journalism, specializing in wildlife and scientific documentaries. She spent an extended period filming in the jungles of Asia, Africa, and South America and eventually contracted two tropical diseases. Luckily Nouvian had already discovered a fascination with the deep sea. Her convalescence allowed her to craft a book, The Deep, published in 2006, and an exhibition of the same name, opened in 2007 at the Natural History Museum in Paris, which present the best specimens, pictures, and film clips that have been gathered by oceanographers over the past 20-25 years.
Today, the exhibition and book have reached more than a billion people. Additionally, Nouvian is involved with education through art and science projects engaging students. She lectures on deep-sea fisheries, fisheries negotiations, public fisheries subsidies, and sustainable development communication strategy at several universities including University of Geneva, Sciences Po (Public Affairs and Environmental Diplomacy), AgroParisTech/ENGREF, University of Hong Kong, University of Rhode Island, and University of Zagreb. While wonder drew her to the depths of the ocean, finding out about deep-sea fishing prompted Nouvian to focus on combating destructive fishing practices. She developed BLOOM as a base to put an end to deep-sea bottom trawling and advocate before governments and institutions in favor of the protection of the ocean’s depths. Nouvian holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Sorbonne University in Paris.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
March 16, 2023
Beautiful photos and text describe the world at the depths of our oceans. Only a handful of people have viewed this world before and we are just beginning to understand how it relates to the larger ecosystem.
2023 for those in California the Monterey Bay Aquarium now features an Into the Deep exhibit
2023 for those in California the Monterey Bay Aquarium now features an Into the Deep exhibit
October 5, 2007
I am dotty. Giddy. Over the moon in love with The Deep. If I still had one, I'd be writing "Mr. & Mrs. The Deep" on my Trapper Keeper. With lots of little hearts. This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. Absolutely gorgeous photos of the denizens of the deep, showing incredible detail. There's enough text to be informative, but not enough to intrude on the pretty, pretty pictures.
October 19, 2020
This is my review of The Deep, not to be confused with The Deep, The Deep, The Deep, The Deep, or The Deep.
This coffee table book is full of rare photos of bizarre deep-dwelling ocean life, never dreamt of for most of human history. So is it okay that I found it kind of boring? Yeah, we are spoiled in our time.
Occasionally there are pages of text written by an assortment of leading deep sea scientists from around the world. They read very textbook-ish and will quickly lose readers without scientific backgrounds, despite being intended for a general audience. The sans-serif font is not exactly easy to read, either.
Of course, the photos are the real stars, and the book is impressive for casual perusal. They range from the fascinating:
to the adorable:
to the terrifying:
to the ???:
But for all that, it still manages to get dull after a while. Once you've seen a dozen glowing gelatinous things, you've seen them all, maybe. The barren backgrounds don't help (yes, I know we're talking about a sunless world here). What I found most disappointing was the actual size of all of these amazing-looking creatures. Terrifying creature of the deep? Meh, 10-20 cm long. Everything, everything is 10-20 cm long, basically.
The last chapters started to get a little interesting, for example zooming in on polar zones, but there are barely any photos included for these parts.
Sadly, I have learned more about deep sea creatures from watching The Octonauts than from this heavy book.
This coffee table book is full of rare photos of bizarre deep-dwelling ocean life, never dreamt of for most of human history. So is it okay that I found it kind of boring? Yeah, we are spoiled in our time.
Occasionally there are pages of text written by an assortment of leading deep sea scientists from around the world. They read very textbook-ish and will quickly lose readers without scientific backgrounds, despite being intended for a general audience. The sans-serif font is not exactly easy to read, either.
Of course, the photos are the real stars, and the book is impressive for casual perusal. They range from the fascinating:
to the adorable:
to the terrifying:
to the ???:
But for all that, it still manages to get dull after a while. Once you've seen a dozen glowing gelatinous things, you've seen them all, maybe. The barren backgrounds don't help (yes, I know we're talking about a sunless world here). What I found most disappointing was the actual size of all of these amazing-looking creatures. Terrifying creature of the deep? Meh, 10-20 cm long. Everything, everything is 10-20 cm long, basically.
The last chapters started to get a little interesting, for example zooming in on polar zones, but there are barely any photos included for these parts.
Sadly, I have learned more about deep sea creatures from watching The Octonauts than from this heavy book.
September 25, 2008
This was on the BBYA list from last year and I was not able to find it until this year. I highly recommend it for any collection and every coffeetable. It is an absolutely stunning book - a true visual delight. The textual information is well written and fascinating but the overwhelming feature of this book are the gorgeous photographs of the astonishing creatures that inhabit the deepest part of the oceans. The book is beautifully designed and the photographs exquisitely presented. Full page and even double page photographs in vivid colors hold the attention of even the wiggliest audience.
This is a book for all ages. My husband and I have been immersed in it. My 5 year old grandsons sit and work their way systematically through each page, demanding to know what each creature is. It is their favorite book and we have read it over and over and over in the past weeks. This is a book that is worth every penny and more.
This is a book for all ages. My husband and I have been immersed in it. My 5 year old grandsons sit and work their way systematically through each page, demanding to know what each creature is. It is their favorite book and we have read it over and over and over in the past weeks. This is a book that is worth every penny and more.
October 1, 2012
The photographs in this book are AMAZING. The creatures are unusual and stunning and alien. My favorites: Fireworks physonect siphonophore on page 84 - looks like fireworks!; Larvae of Spantagoid heart urchins, page 67 - almost looks like fragile jewelry; Ping-pong tree sponge, page 187 - looks like a 1960s light fixture. Just incredible photography and the most unusual creatures you've ever seen!
Book Description
Publication Date: March 15, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0226595668 | ISBN-13: 978-0226595665 | Edition: First Edition
On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.
Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration.
An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseen—and unimaginable—creatures of the deep sea.
Book Description
Publication Date: March 15, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0226595668 | ISBN-13: 978-0226595665 | Edition: First Edition
On dry land, most organisms are confined to the surface, or at most to altitudes of a hundred meters—the height of the tallest trees. In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat. Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million. The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.
Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration.
An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseen—and unimaginable—creatures of the deep sea.
August 22, 2015
The photos are just gorgeous. Just look at that pigbutt worm.
Bill
Bill
September 4, 2008
Great book! With reluctance I take it back to the library. Come on! Check it out! You know you want to know what a Pigbutt worm looks like!!
I checked this book out for me and the kids, thinking it would be great just to look at the pictures. I didn't realize how much I would love it, text and all. This book is full of strange and brilliant creatures and I can just about guarantee you haven't seen most of them. Just from the first few pages, I am in love and also realizing how man is endangering this region of our world, more than ever before. Even without finishing it, I recommend this book, even if all you want to do is look at pictures and read captions. You will be amazed!
I checked this book out for me and the kids, thinking it would be great just to look at the pictures. I didn't realize how much I would love it, text and all. This book is full of strange and brilliant creatures and I can just about guarantee you haven't seen most of them. Just from the first few pages, I am in love and also realizing how man is endangering this region of our world, more than ever before. Even without finishing it, I recommend this book, even if all you want to do is look at pictures and read captions. You will be amazed!
May 16, 2016
I've been enjoying a gallery book devoted to the extraordinary creatures of the deep sea these past two weeks. Edited by Claire Nouvian, The Deep collects some of the best photography produced by the study of the ocean floor in the last decade, along with pieces by marine biologists and geologists commenting on the submarine ecosystem. The sheer abundance of life on the surface of the Earth boggles the mind, but more than 90% of the planet's estimated biomass is within the oceans. The Deep is first and foremost a collection of photographs, presented in full-page or two-page spreads. They are a marvel; while some creatures have vaguely familiar shapes, resembling weird fish or odd octupi, the majority are...sights into themselves. Some are transparent, others string themselves with organic lights, putting bacteria to work. They exist in a world without light. While some only live in the deep seasonally, ascending to warmer and brighter waters when there's more food for the taking, others never leave the seafloor. Some feast on the remains of the upper level of the ocean, like the vast carcasses of whales; others life off of chemicals seeping from the sea floor or being expelled. New species are constantly being discovered here, and many do not even have names; they exist as images that astound the mind with their alienness. What a treasure Earth is!
June 20, 2015
I'm absolutely terrified by creatures that live in the ocean--not in rivers or fishbowls, just in the ocean--but I'm also fascinated by them. They're so beautiful, and different, and complex, and simple, and alien. That's what this book is about.
This is an oversize book, one that you'll want to read at a table, and there's hardly any text. The whole book is huge, full-color pictures of deep-sea animals on black, like the cover, and it is truly amazing. The vast majority of them were animals I had never seen before, despite my ocean-dweller fixations, and they're animals I couldn't have made up if I tried. Each one has a small, inconspicuous paragraph with it's significant informtion, and every so often there are short essays to give you an impression of the big picture (ha, pun) but they support the pictures, not the other way around.
This is an oversize book, one that you'll want to read at a table, and there's hardly any text. The whole book is huge, full-color pictures of deep-sea animals on black, like the cover, and it is truly amazing. The vast majority of them were animals I had never seen before, despite my ocean-dweller fixations, and they're animals I couldn't have made up if I tried. Each one has a small, inconspicuous paragraph with it's significant informtion, and every so often there are short essays to give you an impression of the big picture (ha, pun) but they support the pictures, not the other way around.
July 26, 2007
It's full of amazing (not entirely believable) photographs of crazy deep sea critters it's got it's own web site, you can see lots of them here http://www.thedeepbook.org/. But still, it's far from perfect, I just don't understand why many of the ultra crisp images are broken up by double page spreads and whilst it's in no way meant to be an academic book there's just not enough text ..... very little info about the bizarre creatures makes it too much of a first reader. Perfect birthday present fodder, and I'll have a dumbo octopus for Christmas please.
October 25, 2023
The Deep is a book full of amazing photographs of extraordinary deep sea creatures. I checked it out of the library intending to look at the stunning pictures, but found myself engrossed in the text. I wish there had been more information about some of the organisms, but I think that may be one of the points of the book, much about the deep sea and its inhabitants is simply unknown. I also wondered about how some of the amazing photographs were taken. I returned the book reluctantly, but will be checking it out again in the very near future.
April 27, 2009
Best Book - Nonfiction
4Q 4P A/YA
This is a wonderful and intriguing book. It is mostly giant pictures of the amazing creatures living in the sea, that really look like aliens from another planet. The descriptions that are given are interesting and succinct, and won't bore a teenager or adult to death with endless facts and science. This is a very good recommendation for teens of any age or interest.
4Q 4P A/YA
This is a wonderful and intriguing book. It is mostly giant pictures of the amazing creatures living in the sea, that really look like aliens from another planet. The descriptions that are given are interesting and succinct, and won't bore a teenager or adult to death with endless facts and science. This is a very good recommendation for teens of any age or interest.
March 7, 2025
I didn’t read this book all the way through, but I read just about every caption for the pictures in it. I’ve always loved deep sea creatures, and it’s been a while since I read a nonfiction book just for fun like that. Highly recommend.
March 7, 2010
Coffee table book that my wife got me for Christmas. It's got pretty pictures! And the accompanying text is really nicely done. This book is great.
If you were totally mesmerized by the Deep episode of Blue Planet, this is the book for you. If you haven't seen Blue Planet, my God you're wasting your life.
If you were totally mesmerized by the Deep episode of Blue Planet, this is the book for you. If you haven't seen Blue Planet, my God you're wasting your life.
December 3, 2014
This book is gorgeous. While the subject matter, sea creatures of the deepest abysses, is certainly fascinating the pictures are what makes this book so wonderful. Some show perfect, tiny jeweled creatures floating in the dark. Others, lit by ROV lights, look like computer generated movie sets. Unreal and intensely beautiful.
May 24, 2007
This is a beautiful, wonderful book. If I ever get an honest-to-goodness coffee table this will be on it.
Read
January 25, 2017I thought that this book was very informative, and showed both sides of the story, one of them being the animals that have been discovered, and another being the issues and stories of the deep.
February 24, 2018
Stunning, beautiful photographs of the ocean's wonders!!!
October 20, 2021
The most abundant vertebrate on Earth is the benttooth bristlemouth, a deep-water fish that uses counter illumination for camouflage. It emits light that exactly matches the color and intensity of the dim filtered sun light overhead, thus obliterating its silhouette. In other words it uses light to make itself invisible in deep dark waters. That’s like the invisibility cloak of fish. There are other ways of hiding in the deep dark ocean. Many animals here are nearly transparent, such as the glass octopus. I’ll bet you thought that the most abundant vertebrate on Earth was something else, like the rat or the gecko.
The deep dark ocean is by far the largest habitat on earth and it is teaming with life much of it unknown. The oceans correspond to 99% of the Earth’s habitable space and the very deep sea below 1,000 meters corresponds to 85% of the Earth’s habitable space. Below 200 meters (656 feet) there is no plant life and below about 1,000 meters (3281 feet) there is no sun light at all. However, various forms of nourishment are trickling down from the surface, and there are hydrothermal vents, and naturally deep sea predators prey on other deep sea living creatures. Fish and other creatures have found a niche here and many animals come here to avoid surface predators.
Light is very important deep down in the darkness. Glowing bacteria on fecal matter sinking down from the surface help animals locate it. Light is used to locate prey and nourishment and for camouflage. 80-90% of all animals in the deep are bioluminescent. Some of the weirdest looking creatures that you can imagine live here and that is what this book is about.
Claire Nouvian is a journalist and researcher who decided to write a book about the deep seas. She could not find a single comprehensive and attractive source of information about the deep seas for the general public and therefore she decided to create one. She collected information, photographs, and videos gathered by various oceanographers over a period 20-25 years. She put the most amazing footage and facts that she could find into this book. A very large group of scientists helped her with the project.
The book contains a lot of facts similar to what I presented in my first paragraphs above. It also describes the deep seas, the environment, the various habitats, and what kind of creatures you can find where in different parts of the ocean and how they live. Claire Nouvian is also very concerned about environmental issues and the impact we humans have on our planet. Therefore, the book is partially focused on the environmental impact of humans on the deep seas, a topic which is little understood.
Since we have harvested so much resources and fish at the ocean’s surface fisheries have had to resort to deep-sea trawling, which not only removes fish from the deep sea but also destroys the ocean floor and deep sea coral reefs (yes there are such things). Global warming and the related sea water acidification is another environmental issue discussed. What is so scary is that the environmental impact on the deep sea cannot easily be accessed since so little is known about the deep seas.
The book is a large hardbound coffee table book with 258 pages. It is divided into 20 chapters. A few of the chapters are; “Deep Trenches the Ultimate Abysses”, “Hydrothermal Vents”, “Evolution Caught Red Handed”, “Monsters of the Deep”, and “Living Lights in the Sea”. The book also has a glossary, an index, a bibliography, and a section featuring deep ocean facts. The information in the book is fascinating and easily accessible, it is well organized and well presented, and Claire Nouvian is clearly an excellent and inspiring author. It should be noted that all metrics used in the book are in meters (not feet), which I see as an advantage.
The most impressive aspect of the book are the several hundred large color photographs of various strange deep sea creatures. Some of the deep sea creatures depicted are big such as the giant squids, some of them are transparent, many of them are bioluminescent, many of them are colorful, and many of them look extremely weird and scary. Some of the photographs are high resolution photographs and some of them are a little fuzzy, but in either case the photographs are fascinating. One interesting aspect of the photos is that all of them have a marker that indicates the depth where the photographed creature can be found (0 – 9,000 meters or 0 to 29,528 feet). It should be noted that there are five images that look like photographs but that are in fact computer generated images. However, this is indicated next to the image. The images of the giant squids are computer generated images. In summary, I love this book.
The deep dark ocean is by far the largest habitat on earth and it is teaming with life much of it unknown. The oceans correspond to 99% of the Earth’s habitable space and the very deep sea below 1,000 meters corresponds to 85% of the Earth’s habitable space. Below 200 meters (656 feet) there is no plant life and below about 1,000 meters (3281 feet) there is no sun light at all. However, various forms of nourishment are trickling down from the surface, and there are hydrothermal vents, and naturally deep sea predators prey on other deep sea living creatures. Fish and other creatures have found a niche here and many animals come here to avoid surface predators.
Light is very important deep down in the darkness. Glowing bacteria on fecal matter sinking down from the surface help animals locate it. Light is used to locate prey and nourishment and for camouflage. 80-90% of all animals in the deep are bioluminescent. Some of the weirdest looking creatures that you can imagine live here and that is what this book is about.
Claire Nouvian is a journalist and researcher who decided to write a book about the deep seas. She could not find a single comprehensive and attractive source of information about the deep seas for the general public and therefore she decided to create one. She collected information, photographs, and videos gathered by various oceanographers over a period 20-25 years. She put the most amazing footage and facts that she could find into this book. A very large group of scientists helped her with the project.
The book contains a lot of facts similar to what I presented in my first paragraphs above. It also describes the deep seas, the environment, the various habitats, and what kind of creatures you can find where in different parts of the ocean and how they live. Claire Nouvian is also very concerned about environmental issues and the impact we humans have on our planet. Therefore, the book is partially focused on the environmental impact of humans on the deep seas, a topic which is little understood.
Since we have harvested so much resources and fish at the ocean’s surface fisheries have had to resort to deep-sea trawling, which not only removes fish from the deep sea but also destroys the ocean floor and deep sea coral reefs (yes there are such things). Global warming and the related sea water acidification is another environmental issue discussed. What is so scary is that the environmental impact on the deep sea cannot easily be accessed since so little is known about the deep seas.
The book is a large hardbound coffee table book with 258 pages. It is divided into 20 chapters. A few of the chapters are; “Deep Trenches the Ultimate Abysses”, “Hydrothermal Vents”, “Evolution Caught Red Handed”, “Monsters of the Deep”, and “Living Lights in the Sea”. The book also has a glossary, an index, a bibliography, and a section featuring deep ocean facts. The information in the book is fascinating and easily accessible, it is well organized and well presented, and Claire Nouvian is clearly an excellent and inspiring author. It should be noted that all metrics used in the book are in meters (not feet), which I see as an advantage.
The most impressive aspect of the book are the several hundred large color photographs of various strange deep sea creatures. Some of the deep sea creatures depicted are big such as the giant squids, some of them are transparent, many of them are bioluminescent, many of them are colorful, and many of them look extremely weird and scary. Some of the photographs are high resolution photographs and some of them are a little fuzzy, but in either case the photographs are fascinating. One interesting aspect of the photos is that all of them have a marker that indicates the depth where the photographed creature can be found (0 – 9,000 meters or 0 to 29,528 feet). It should be noted that there are five images that look like photographs but that are in fact computer generated images. However, this is indicated next to the image. The images of the giant squids are computer generated images. In summary, I love this book.
January 19, 2025
Con questo libro divulgativo e fotografico vi racconto non solo un bel libro edito nel 2015 da L'Ippocampo, ma vi racconto anche di una piccola tradizione che sto costruendo da qualche tempo con D., il mio compagno da ormai quasi nove anni.🐙
Lui ama tantissimo, l'acqua, il mare e gli animali acquatici sia di acqua dolce che di acqua salata, così come ha sempre amato molto la lettura
Purtroppo lavorando 40h la settimana in magazzino fa sempre molta fatica a leggere perché tende a volersi riposare, giustamente, per cui le sue letture sono drasticamente calate
Ed ecco che entro in gioco io🌊
Condividiamo la passione per l'elemento acqua (ho fatto nuoto per quasi metà della mia esistenza e amo il mare, specialmente d'inverno) e da parte mia, pur non avendoli studiati, mi diverte da matti dipingere animali strani e particolari. Quali animali migliori, se non quelli abissali? Per cui da qualche anno io ricerco dei libri fotografici e divulgativi che possano piacere ad entrambi riguardo il tema del momento e lo sfogliamo assieme le sere che siamo a casa insieme.
"Abissi" di Claire Nouvian ci mostra con delle foto pazzesche il più grande habitat del nostro pianeta, gli abissi marini. Un mondo con poca luce, poco esplorato e poco conosciuto. Attraverso le foto incontriamo meglio alcune delle creature più strane che solcano e vivono nei nostri mari.✨
Troviamo questo metodo un modo molto dolce per leggere comunque un po', soprattutto quando ti manca obiettivamente il tempo ma anche per stare insieme e imparare cose nuove su argomenti in comune 💖
June 25, 2021
A visually compelling investigation into the deep ocean, which covers the vast majority of our planet and about which we know very, very little. While I found the high-res photography gorgeous, it was surprisingly the various essays contributed by scientists and other ocean researchers that were the most engrossing part of the book for me. There's lots of fascinating information to be had in this book, and you'll come away convinced that the ocean depths need just as much protection as any other biome on the planet.
August 22, 2022
Let's face it, I was reading this mostly for the photographs, and oh my, they do not disappoint!
I love the fact that there are potentially millions of creatures mooching about in the most severe depths of the ocean that we know nothing about! Nothing! And let's hope it stays that way as all we do is cause every creature we come across the most heinously bad times. The creatures that have been photographed so far are beautiful, ethereal, ghostly, illuminating and mysterious. I am in love with them all.
Thank you Claire Nouvian for showing us these marvels of nature.
I love the fact that there are potentially millions of creatures mooching about in the most severe depths of the ocean that we know nothing about! Nothing! And let's hope it stays that way as all we do is cause every creature we come across the most heinously bad times. The creatures that have been photographed so far are beautiful, ethereal, ghostly, illuminating and mysterious. I am in love with them all.
Thank you Claire Nouvian for showing us these marvels of nature.
March 23, 2023
The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss, Claire Nouvian, 2007, 256 pages, 12.0625 x 10.25 x 1.125 inches (30.64 x 26.04 x 2.86 cm), ISBN 9780226595665, Dewey 591.77
Terrific photos of very strange creatures. Photos like these: https://www.google.com/search?q=image...
Terrific photos of very strange creatures. Photos like these: https://www.google.com/search?q=image...
February 18, 2017
I love this book, tidbits of bird trivia mixed richly with myths from every corner of the globe. Birds and myths, what more could I desire? However I never seem to be able to finish this one when I get it from the library. It sprouts scrappy bookmarks like mushrooms after the rain marking quotes to record, images to track down and books to add to the ever growing stack.
June 11, 2020
This book contains many amazing photos of all different marine organisms that live deep in the ocean. The book also contains the scientific names of every organism as well as a brief description about the organism. There were also many interesting facts and lots of research within the book. Very interesting to read with amazing pictures! Highly recommend!
June 3, 2023
Very beautiful photo essay, collection of color photos of the sea floor which have been taken by various remotely operated submersibles which oceanographers have sent to the bottoms of some of the deepest oceans in the world. This book is written for laypersons, you don't need to possess any advanced knowledge of oceanography or marine biology to comprehend or to appreciate this book.
May 22, 2022
Gorgeous photos - loved it! The print (white on black background), not so much. Very hard to read about the little details of these amazing and downright monstrous-looking creatures we seldom see. Overall, beautiful!
September 2, 2023
Woa; now i know why japanese people are pumped up about squids, they are magnificent creatures.
The deep sea is hard and there are unimaginable things like animals with self light, how they est, the chemiosynthesis of how life gets generated in the internal earth volcanos.
Lit.
The deep sea is hard and there are unimaginable things like animals with self light, how they est, the chemiosynthesis of how life gets generated in the internal earth volcanos.
Lit.
January 24, 2018
Truely stunning pictures!
January 26, 2019
Wonderful photographs to stimulate the imagination. Prose and descriptions are kept at a minimum as the stars of this book are the pictures.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews