A Sea Full of Turtles

“An aquatic ecologist recounts his search for reasons for optimism in the face of looming extinction crises. Streever zeroes in on the fate of sea turtles, but his larger concern is existential. If we conceive of the history of life on Earth as a 24-hour day, he writes, humans’ attention to the conservation of our fellow species has only arisen 'a mere few seconds before midnight.' Sea turtles and other 'charismatic endangered species' can serve to 'draw our attention, help us change our ways.' A hopeful consideration of the beauty and fate of wild sea turtles—and the natural world as a whole.” -- <b ><i>Kirkus Reviews</i></b> “In this lovingly-crafted book, Bill Streever both builds a case for optimism for the future and takes us on a grand adventure in the boat wake of Steinbeck and Ricketts. As much about the animals as our own decisions, Sea Full of Turtles is a rare kind of honest reflection that shows us what survival can look like when we start to pay attention.” * Juli Berwald, author of <I>Spineless</I> and<I> Life on the Rocks</I> * “If you care about the plight of sea turtles and other marine life—and we all ought to—you will be moved by this heartfelt, intimate account. With a curious eye and a gift for prose, biologist Bill Streever weaves together strands of biology, history, and anthropology in a way that only one who spends large portions of his life on and in the ocean can do.” * Jonathan Balcombe, author of <I>What a Fish Knows</I> and <I>Super Fly</I> * “With humor, intelligence, and an infectious sense of wonder, Bill Streever's Sea Full of Turtles fosters not only appreciation for the animals in its title but a fascination with the larger topic of extinction and how it might be averted. Far from being a downer about a beleaguered species, this travel and science adventure set on the hot sandy beaches of Mexico's Gulf of California is an accessible and entertaining read that admirably avoids either excess gloom or unearned optimism. Nearly a century after John Steinbeck looked for philosophical insights in Mexican tidepools, Streever has given us a new reason to find delight and tentative hope along ever-changing shorelines.” * Andromeda Romano-Lax, author of <i>Searching for Steinbeck's Sea of Cortez: A Makeshift Expedition Along Baja's Desert Coast </i> *