Many animals elicit the same mythical terror and awe as sharks, and yet we know little about these elusive, highly engineered creatures. John A. Musick and Beverly McMillan bring us along on a thrilling adventure as they chase sharks from Bear Gulch, Montana, to a whale shark-feeding station in Okinawa, by way of Alaska, the Bimini islands, and the most sophisticated shark-research labs in the world. En route we discover that sharks navigate using electromagnetic signals, have a bloodhound's sense of smell, are both cold- and warm-blooded, and possess biochemical weapons, which, used properly, might indeed help fend off malignant tumors and microbes. Musick, who has spent over thirty years as a defender of the much-maligned shark, here excavates the mysterious lives of sharks from the dark recesses of the oceans--and raising the alarm about how fishing and industry are reducing their numbers and affecting their behavior. This captivating and educational scientific exploration challenges us to rethink our relationship with sharks, leaving us with the question: Are humans the prey, or the predator? At last! A shark book whose basic premise is that sharks are fascinating and valuable animals to be studied, protected, and preserved. Musick, a shark researcher at Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences, and McMillan, his wife and a science writer, have given us a well-written, informative tome that covers all aspects of this greatly misunderstood group of fish, including evolution, reproductive behavior, physiology, and feeding behavior. The authors also discuss the media-hyped frenzy of 2001's "Summer of the Shark" and the very real harm this type of hysteria does to efforts to protect endangered species of sharks, including some of those that get the worst press. While the book is loaded with information, there are just enough anecdotes to capture and hold the reader's interest. Scientific terms are used, but explained, so that the reader is challenged but not discouraged by too much jargon. Unlike the recent Shark: Stories of Life and Death from the World's Most Dangerous Waters, this one is a definite keeper. Highly recommended for all public, college, and high school libraries. Margaret A. Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. Musick, a marine biologist who has studied sharks for more than 30 years, and his science-writer wife, McMillan, look at the lives of one of the ocean's apex predators. Chasing sharks, and shark researchers, around the world, the authors reveal the amazing biology of these carnivorous fishes. While observing mating nurse sharks off Florida, the authors describe shark reproduction, and watching captive whale sharks feed prompts descriptions of different hunting and feeding techniques. The authors really shine when discussing human-eating sharks, the medical uses of sharks, and their unfortunately increasingly endangered status. Musick and McMillan are clearly fascinated by their subject, and this enthusiasm, coupled with a highly conversational writing style, makes the reader equally captivated. Nancy Bent Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved "By the time you finish this wonderful book, you'll remember the exciting journey, but you probably won't realize how much you've learned. It reads like an adventure story-and it is. Welcome this team of writer-scientist-adventurers to the elite world of nature writers whose dedication brings you to an understanding and a deep concern for that aspect of the natural world they have chosen to share with us."--Richard Ellis, author of The Book of Sharks and Great White Shark (with John McCosker) "Hands-down, this is both the most entertaining and informative shark book I've ever read. It's written with insight, humor, and great authority."--Carl Safina, author of Song for the Blue Ocean and Eye of the Albatross John Musick is an internationally-recognized shark researcher and professor of marine science at the College of William and Mary. He lives in Gloucester, Virginia. Beverly McMillan is author of Titanic: Fortune and Fate and co-author of Oceans: Life in the Deep . She lives in Gloucester, Virginia.