Philip Hoare Leviathan or, The Whale ISBN 13: 9780007230136

Leviathan or, The Whale - Hardcover

9780007230136: Leviathan or, The Whale
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An extraordinary journey into the underwater world of the whale. Moby Dick is a book made mythic by its whale; but the reverse is also true. After Melville published his book in 1851, no one saw whales in quite the same way again. Melville created a modern myth out of an already legendary beast. But what is the true nature of the whale? Why does it fascinate us? All his life, Philip Hoare has been obsessed with these creatures, from the huge skeletons in London's Natural History Museum to adult encounters with the wild animals themselves. Whales haunt him, as they seem to elide with dark fantasies of sea-serpents and other antediluvian monsters that swim in our collective unconscious. In 'Leviathan', he seeks to locate and identify that obsession. Why does the whale so vividly inhabit our imaginations? Is it a symbol of Edenic innocence in a time of threatened species and climate change? Or an older emblem of evil, the grotesque fish which swallowed Jonah? Travelling around the globe in search of the whale, Philip Hoare sheds light on our perennial fascination with the strange creatures of the sea, whose nature remains tantalizingly undiscovered.

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About the Author:
Philip Hoare is the author of several books, including `Serious Pleasures: The Life of Stephen Tennant'; `Noel Coward: A Biography'; `Oscar Wilde's Last Stand'; `Spike Island' and `England's Lost Eden'. He lives in Hoxton, London, and Southampton, and each summer visits Cape Cod, where, as a member of the Center for Coastal Studies, he undertakes twice-daily expeditions to watch its whales.
Review:
`This singular, magnificent book inspires both awe and shame - awe of the whales, shame of the human species that has tried to destroy them. In the end, Hoare's virtuosic sympathy for his subject makes you believe in the better angels of our nature.' Alex Ross, bestselling author of `The Rest is Noise'`This history of man's dealings with whales is respectful, even mystical.' Daily Mail`A scintillating, scattershot, blunderbuss of a book. Throughout the book, Hoare's unbridled enthusiasm for his subject is infectious...this thoroughly engaging, rigorously researched and often revelatory book is a joy to read and one which Melville, surely, would have appreciated.' Independent on Sunday`So compelling and all-encompassing that it cast a spell on me that endured for days after I had done turning its beautifully illustrated pages...This is the book he was born to write, a classic of its kind...What poetry there is here and what a balm for the soul.' Observer`Enjoyable trawl through the history, literature and lore of whales...As well as being a showcase for descriptive prose of great beauty, "Leviathan" is full of fascinating facts.' Guardian`An elegant writer with a sharp eye for quirky detail...A lyrical and timely reminder of what we have to lose if we don't change our greedy ways.' Mail on Sunday`In Hoare's hands, whales are almost limitlessly strange and interesting.' Sunday Times`Hoare's idiosyncratic mingling of autobiography, anthropology and archaeology has reached its zenith...an enthralling volume. Hoare has the skill and humility to make this work, to him, great art and the Leviathan are both inexplicable, unknowable forces from the deep, wherein lies their wonder.' Daily Telegraph

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  • PublisherFourth Estate
  • Publication date2008
  • ISBN 10 0007230133
  • ISBN 13 9780007230136
  • BindingHardcover
  • Edition number1
  • Number of pages352
  • Rating

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