Customer Reviews:
 Fascinating study of whales and the whaling industry January 22, 1999
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
For nature lovers, the descriptions of whaling practices may be difficult and painful to read. But, if you are intersted in maritime history, this book has a whole lot to offer. Ellis has several 'interludes' throughout the book that describe life aboard a whaling ship in addition to some amazing stories of shipwrecks and mutiny on the high seas. One would think that the whaling industry had hit it's peak in the late 19th and early 20th century. But the sad truth is that it wasn't until the mid 20th century that whaling hit it's peak. The later chapters in the book describe the 'modern' whaling practices. These chapters tell the saddest tales of men and whales. The pictures of 'factory' ships used for whaling clearly illustrate the brutality and butchery of the modern whaling industry. It is profoundly sad to think that the brunt of the human attack on whales occured so recently. Several times, Ellis mentions that certain populations of whales may be depleted to such an extent that they may never recover. But, he leaves us with hope at the end of the book with a good discussion on the international moratorium on whaling.
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