Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling (A Merloyd Lawrence Book)

By Andrew Darby

Book Overview

From one-hundred-fifty-ton barnacled Blues to the sleek, embattled Minke, whales have been hunted worldwide to near extinction. Despite efforts to halt the killing, the future of these majestic mammals-known as "mind in the water"-is again in jeopardy. With passion and engaging detail, Andrew Darby profiles each species of whale and its place in this great drama. From the wooden harpoons of aboriginals in "cockleshell" vessels, to the high-tech killing machines of today's lawless Russian whalers and smooth-talking Japanese "scientific" crews, Darby chronicles the evolving pursuit of whales and its significance to our humanity. Fans of well-written history, as well as those fascinated by whales and the fierce international conflict surrounding them, will be swept into the very heart of whaling.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306816296
• ISBN13: 9780306816291
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Interesting anecdotes

This is a very interesting book about the debates at the International Whaling Commission. Particularly insightful are the sections on Soviet and Japanese whaling. While expressing his own anti-whaling preferences, Darby tries to express the Japanese whaling position for his readers. He goes beyond the news to explain the national interests and philosophies driving Japan. My only wish is that the author had focused more on these issues rather than other topics he addresses, such as Australian whaling.

A survey of international debates about whaling and its ethics

Societies have hunted whales over the centuries. In "Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling" environmental reporter Andrew Darby covers the history of the commercial whaling industry around the world, from early wooden arrows to the grenade-tipped harpoons of the Japanese industry. Even more important is a survey of international debates about whaling and its ethics, making "Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling" a top pick for any library strong in environmental history. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

A Great History Read

"Harpoon" does a wonderful job of exploring whaling from the hey day of the 19th century to the factory fleets of the mid 20th to the current days of "scientific" whaling. The book is roughly broken into sections according to whale species, and one of the best parts of "Harpoon" is reading about the different major whale species. Darby gives us a glimpse into the lives of these whales, from the days when one could see Right whales off the Australian coasts every day up until the current day, when scientific seach planes are hard pressed to find them. In addition to telling us the whales, and the nuts and bolts of whaling itself, Darby follows the evolution of the International Whaling Committee, and all the diplomatic drama around trying to preserve, utilize, and protect the world's whales. This was an incredibly informative book, and not a page went by where I didn't learn something new. While very anti-whaling, Darby does not demonize whalers themselves, up to the point of interviewing retired whalers themselves. This is an excellent read anyone who is interested in whales, whaling, or nautical history would enjoy.