The great sperm whale : a natural history of the ocean's most magnificent and mysterious creature

 by Richard Ellis. Anyone familiar with Ellis's work knows his fascination with Physeter macrocephalus, the sperm whale; these creatures are included in his previous The Book of Whales and Men and Whales but here take center stage. Rather than rehashing that info, Ellis intends to "pull together all those disparate discussions and add substantial new material." In homage to Herman Melville, he and his masterpiece, Moby-Dick, are referenced throughout as Ellis approaches these cetaceans from a number of facets-their history (as well as we know it) and legend, biology, social lives, human interaction (they're friendly), adversarial relationship with and taste for squid (best chapter title: "I'll Have the Calamari"), the whaling industry, and efforts to protect them. Buttressing the text, which incorporates science lingo but is still accessible to lay readers, are 122 photos and illustrations, including many of Ellis's original artworks. VERDICT At once a richly detailed, informative, scientific exploration as well as a love sonnet to the ocean's greatest leviathan, this will appeal to fans of nautical history, nature, Melville, and armchair cetologists. A superb addition to Ellis's canon. --Library Journal (Check Catalog)