This is an older book whose pages have started to come out now that I have read it but I have been lucky. When I first moved to the state that I am living in I had the blessing to come across both "The Year of the Seal" and "The Year of the Whale" but I never got around to reading them while now I can say that I have.

"The Year of the Seal" was actually the best but then again there isn't mush estimating as to what a seal pup may go through, especially when he starts off land-bound. Victor seemed to have a bit of a problem with pulling off the Little Calf thus made the story seem repetitive. Many days may seem to be to us but we are talking a massive world that is under the sea.

There was also one month that almost didn't touch on the Little but went into detail the whaling operation. All in all I wanted to rage and cry at the way these whales were being treated although taking a look at the index proved many of these events fictional but some could have been actually done in real life.

For the one who is curious into learning about animals while getting a nice mix of actual fact combined I would recommend these books. The reading isn't too heavy at least in the story part while you can relate with some of the events whether seal or whale. And in the case of this there are some interesting pics at the beginning of each chapter.

Due to the book's age and the continuing march of scientific progress I would suggest reading it with a grain of salt. Some things may have been answered, some new information may have come to light and of course some information may have been disproven. Just enjoy the book for its value.... ( )

Like Moby Dick, this book alternates narrative with sections describing facts about whales. The storyline is a young sperm whale's life, beginning with its birth in autumn and following it through an entire year as it navigates the waters, shadowing its mother and learning through exploring its environment. The factual parts describe man's encounters with whales and his exploitation of them, including some rather graphic descriptions of the butchering done on whaling ships. Interestingly enough, sometimes a biologist or scientist was present on the whaling ship, hoping to get a chance to study a whale's body as it was being processed. There's also an account of the first sperm whale to be kept alive in captivity, and several stories of stranded whales. An interesting read, but a bit dry for my taste and of course the facts are outdated. The Year of the Whale won an award for being the best natural history book in 1970

from the Dogear Diary ( )

This along with the works of Rachel Carson are the poetry of marine biology ( )

An absorbing account of a year in the life of the Sperm Whale, along with an account of the first Sperm Whale to be raised successfully in captivity. Told in journal fashion, with an absence of scientific jargon and an abundant respect for the animals. ( )