The Book Tour Stops Here" A review of National Geographic's "The Wild Seas" by Thomas Peschak

Happy Aloha Friday. I am happy to be today's stop on the TLC Book Tour for another stunning coffee table book, National Geographic's The Wild Seas by Thomas Peschak.

Publisher's Blurb:

One of @NatGeo’s most popular nature photographers shares 200 breathtaking images — and the stories behind them — from a wide swath of wild ocean locales around the globe.

From gregarious gray whales plying the waters of Baja California to acrobatic manta rays in the Maldives and parading penguins in Antarctica, National Geographic photographer Thomas Peschak has spent a lifetime documenting the beauty and fragility of underwater life and the majesty of wild coastlines.

This awe-inspiring book of photography charts his transformation from marine biologist to full-time conservation advocate, armed with little more than a mask, fins and a camera. In these vivid pages, Peschak photographs sharks in a feeding frenzy, tracks sea turtles the size of bears, and dodges marine poachers, to reveal the splendor of pristine seas as well as the dark side of pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

Filled with magnificent images from Southern Africa, the Galápagos, Seychelles, and more, this illuminating collection offers an impassioned case for revering and preserving the world’s oceans.

Publisher: National Geographic (November 30, 2021)

Hardcover: 240 pages

My Review:

After reviewing National Geographic's  Ocean: A Global Odyssey a couple of weeks ago, you might think it is overkill to review another ocean-based photography book. But in my book, there is no such things as too many beautiful photos of the ocean and its wild inhabitants. And, it's not just photos, there are interesting facts and stories in each section told by the author, including his own background and what inspired him for a life of water exploration and photography. 

He has an Ted Talk here: 

Wild Seas is divided into eight sections, starting with an Introduction about ocean storytelling, then covering Sea Turtles, Manta Rays, Seabirds, Sharks, Sardines, Galapagos, and ending with Conservation. Some of the information is awe-inspiring, others sobering, all are interesting. I will confess that I have not read every page yet in a busy December, but I have really enjoyed curling up on the couch and delving into it before bed. If you still have gifts to buy, and you know an ocean lover or nature photography junkie, this book would make a fantastic gift. 

Here are a few of the gorgeous photos from the Wild Seas:

Meet the Snappers -- Boher Snappers

Turtle Trio --3 Green Sea Turtles

Rock Stars -- Rock Hopper Penguins

Ocean Godzilla -- Marine Iguana 

Author Notes: Thomas Peschak is a National Geographic photographer who documents the beauty and fragility of the world’s oceans and coasts. Originally trained as a marine biologist, he embraced photography after realizing his images could have a greater conservation impact than his research. As the Director of Storytelling for the Save our Seas Foundation and a National Geographic Society Fellow, he merges science with photojournalism to tackle critical conservation issues. His TED Talk, “Dive into an Ocean Photographer’s World” has been viewed more than one million times. When he is not underwater or exploring remote islands, Peschak calls Cape Town, South Africa home.

Note: A review copy of Wild Seas was provided to me by the author and the publisher via TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review and as always, my thoughts and opinions are my own.    

You can see the stops for the rest of this TLC Book Tour and what other reviewers thought about the book here.