THE RAND McNALLY ATLAS OF THE OCEANS Rand McNally; 208 pages; $29.95
Not even the most ardent oceanographer is likely to devote whole weeks to this huge tome on the wet 75% of the earth’s surface. But anyone who is interested in the ocean—from Jacques Cousteau to the vacationing urbanite curious about the formation of a beach—should enjoy diving beneath the covers of the Rand McNally Atlas of the Oceans and coming back for regular plunges thereafter. Like a galleon full of gold, the Atlas overflows with treasures, details of life in, under and around the edges of the vast roiling arenas where earthly life evolved.
Painstakingly researched, the book is the product of 35 contributing authors whose specialties run from marine biology to meteorology, and whose affiliations include such prestigious organizations as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the British Museum and a London-based group of scuba divers. Profusely illustrated with color photographs and specially prepared maps and charts, the book is also a visual delight. But the best feature of this large-format look at aqueous zones is its arrangement. Starting with the origin of the oceans some 4 billion years ago, it moves on through the formation and movement of the continents and proceeds to a discussion of the composition of the seas today. In the course of the trip it discusses, briefly but lucidly, explorations from the time of Columbus and Magellan tothe new undersea explorations of the Piccards. It looks closely at the myriad life forms that inhabit the oceans, and the resources—oil, minerals, precious metals—that lie beneath the surface.
Throughout, the Atlas scatters information like drops of sea spray, showing how waves are formed, how the oceans help make the world’s weather, how pollution is gradually depleting valuable fisheries and destroying salt marshes where sea birds breed. Its last important section is a series on the world’s major ocean areas, tracking origins of the warm Mediterranean Sea and the frigid Arctic Ocean, assaying values of flora, fauna and inanimate components of the marine world, outlining what must be done to preserve and protect them.
Educational rather than entertaining, the Atlas of the Oceans is a serious and sometimes terrifying book. But it makes its main point without polemics. Readers who spend more than a few minutes looking at this oversize atlas can feel the salt tides in their own blood and recognize the power—and fragility—of the final wilderness.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- L.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5°C of Warming
- How Canada Fell Out of Love With Trudeau
- Trump Is Treating the Globe Like a Monopoly Board
- Bad Bunny On Heartbreak and New Album
- 10 Boundaries Therapists Want You to Set in the New Year
- The Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise Harder
- Nicole Kidman Is a Pure Pleasure to Watch in Babygirl
- Column: Jimmy Carter’s Global Legacy Was Moral Clarity
Contact us at letters@time.com