Water And Light: A Diver's Journey To A Coral Reef (Southwestern Writers Collection Series) Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
This evocative account of the months Stephen Harrigan spent diving on the coral reefs off Grand Turk Island in the Caribbean was originally published by Houghton Mifflin in 1992.
Series: Southwestern Writers Collection Series
Paperback: 287 pages
Publisher: University of Texas Press; New edition edition (January 1, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0292731205
ISBN-13: 978-0292731202
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,795,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #67 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Ecosystems > Coral Reefs #690 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Scuba #1038 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Biology > Marine Biology
UT Press plans to re-issue this book in late 98 or 1999. This book simply gets it right. Without falling into the nature writing trap of endless superlatives, Harrigan lyrically describes what it's like to dive and appreciate the ocean. The book is full of interesting bits of natural history and biology, as well as amusing anecdotes from the author's actual experiences in Grand Turk. Turtles, dolphins, a whale shark, octopi, sharks, lobsters, the usual suspects among reef fish and Harrigan himself all are examined, explained, and ultimately, understood.Harrigan is a writer who dives, and the prose in places is exceptional. See his description of seeing a sea turtle from below ("like a rock that sprouted wings.") More importantly, he writes like an aficionado of the sport, not another ignorant but curious reporter. His enthusiasm for the subject, combined with his talent as a wordsmith, elevates this book to the same level as terrestrial classics like John Muir's "The Mountains of California." Nearly anyone who has been diving in the Caribbean, both vacationers and divemasters, who couldn't find the words to express what they felt upon surfacing, will appreciate this book. This novel should become a cult classic in the diving community.
This is the best book about scuba diving I've ever read and should be read by anyone and everyone that is interested in scuba diving. It does a fabulous job of describing the great things about scuba diving without telling you what you already know. That said, it is also a great story and would probably be enjoyed by non-scuba divers. This is a great gift idea for a diving inclined loved one. One warning... one of the reviewers recommended reading this to get your diving fix when you aren't going to be able to get underwater for a while; NOT TRUE. I found the exact opposite, this book only heightened my desire to go diving to near pathological levels! If you've read this, I'd also recommend reading Neutral Buoyancy by Tim Ecott which is another good book about diving. It has more history and straight information than this book.
I was in tears by the end of the first chapter-- I thought I was one of a FEW who feels more at home underwater than on the surface. I don't get to dive very often (family, etc.) but whenever I need to "dive", I pull out this book & I'm in Heaven. Harrigan's descriptions of not only what he sees but what feelings these visions invoke move me beyond words, as I think they would anyone who feels the ocean in their blood.
Water and Light: A Diver's Journey to a Coral Reef (Southwestern Writers Collection Series) Water and Light: A Diver's Journey to a Coral Reef Reef Creature Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas 3rd Edition (Reef Set) (Reef Set (New World)) The Great Barrier Reef: The History of the World's Largest Coral Reef Micronesian Reef Fishes: A Comprehensive Guide to the Coral Reef Fishes of Micronesia Reef Fishes Corals and Invertebrates of the Caribbean : A Diver's Guide Atlantic Reef Corals; A Handbook of the Common Reef and Shallow-Water Corals of Bermuda, the Bahamas, Florida, the West Indies, and Brazil The Writers Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, 3rd Edition Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle Coral Reef Fishes: Dynamics and Diversity in a Complex Ecosystem (Interface Science and Technology) A Field Guide to the Coral Reef Fishes of the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans National Geographic Readers: Swim Fish!: Explore the Coral Reef Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef A City Under the Sea: Life in a Coral Reef Coral Reef Coloring Book (Dover Nature Coloring Book) Smart Kids: Coral Reef A Reef in Time: The Great Barrier Reef from Beginning to End Reef Fish Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas - 4th Edition (Reef Set) Handy Pocket Guide to Tropical Coral Reef Fishes (Handy Pocket Guides) Palaces Under the Sea: A Guide to Understanding the Coral Reef Environment
