( 5 reviews )
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Posted: Sep 2 2008
Read the rest of the reviews. They say it as eloquently as possible. This is a superb book. Thought provoking and one that will be required reading in our household for generations.
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Posted: Jul 10 2007
SOUNDING by Hank Searls is without a doubt; "A whale of tale!" I first read this book some 20 years(+) ago. The first edition showed the fluke of a whale as it started it's souding. I have always been interested in things of the ocean and of course, I immedietly bought the book. I recalled the basic story line after 20 some odd years, and although I had forgotten the specifics, I remembered what a fasinating and enjoyable read it was. Therefore, I ordered the book once again and read it with the enthusiasm of a child reading a classic fairy tale. Hank Searls is/was a master of anthromorphism, and his research knowledge of the Sperm Whale only serves to enhance it's character. The reader is plunged into the dark abyss of the seas and witin the belly of a sunken Russian submarine all in one book. Hank Searls weaves a fine tapestry of drama and suspense in the lives of the Sperm Whale and Mankind. A great read, a fun read, and one well worth enjoying!!
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( 12 of 12 found this review helpful ) Posted: Nov 20 2006
I read this about fifteen years ago and I remember details of the plot to this day. I was completely awed by the author's ability to tell a story from a non-human narrator's perspective. Having been sucked into that point of view, I was completely captured by the suspense and excitement of the narrative. I'm convinced that, if this were not told from such a radical p.o.v., this would have been considered one of the best adventure novels of the decade. Since then, I've read Cheryl Tardif's beautiful Whale Song: A Novel and a couple of lesser novels. I think, after reading them, that the daring pretense of diving into the consciousness of our most intelligent fellow mammals creates an incredible opportunity for us to imagine our- selves from a distance. A few years ago, science fiction provided that opportunity, but today science has overtaken the fiction. This is a moving, suspenseful story full of poignant speculation about what it means to be conscious and part of the living world. A quickly-read treat and highly recommended. --Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and the forthcoming novel bang BANG from Kunati Books.
