Sensuous Seas: Tales of a Marine Biologist

"Eugene H. Kaplan has been teaching marine biology for half a century, and shares his experience of bringing the subject alive... Each of the 31 chapters opens with either one of Kaplan's own memoirs or a scenario from his imagination, before exploring the marine biology behind the tale... [T]he entertainment seldom flags. Kaplan's book conveys the breadth and excitement of an education in marine biology... [T]here is no stronger recommendation that I could make."--Jon Copley, Nature "Eugene H. Kaplan has a well-developed sense of humor, delving amusingly yet seriously into such topics as the sex life of squids ... and the future of sea horses."--Martin Levin, Toronto Globe and Mail "With vivid writing, a sense of humor and truly fascinating creatures to work with, Kaplan creates a feel for the teeming sea and rouses a sense of wonder in his readers. Line drawings in each chapter illustrate the creatures and their life cycles. This is a book for people with even a small bit of curiosity about the hidden world around them."--Lynn Harnett, Portsmouth Herald "From this collection of short stories, a theme emerges. Kaplan guides readers to appreciate the remarkably diverse web of life that has evolved and continues to evolve in an ever-changing ocean environment... Sensuous Seas informs and challenges, one fascinating tale after another."--Fred Bortz, Arkansas Democrat Gazette "Eugene Kaplan's thirty-one chapters deliver concise and beautifully illustrated accounts of life-form specialization, symbiotic survival techniques, and unique mating rituals... Kaplan gives us the immense diversity of marine life, distinctively expressed in form, coloration, habitat (water, sand, rock, coral), and life patterns (aggressive or passive, independent or parasitic), opening up a universe."--Peter Skinner, ForeWord "This book spells out in evocative yet scientifically accurate ways, the mysteries, the drama, the variations, yes even the day-to-day lives of organisms in the sea... [It presents] a new world of possibilities about how to hook your students into studying the fascinating stories that organisms in the sea have to offer as well as some of the questions for which there are as yet no answers."--American Biology Teacher "All combined, Kaplan's writing appeals to the story lover, the scientist and anyone who just wants to know how crabs get it on."--Seattle Magazine "Sensuous Seas contains a wealth of stimulating and digestible information. This book is also beautifully produced and will be an attractive asset to any marine library."--Tim Ecott, Aquatic Mammals "Kaplan offers readers an irresistibly irreverent voyage through the world of sea creatures... This one-of-a-kind memoir allows the reader to experience the incredible complexity of sea life."--Sarah Jane Abbott,Off the Shelf