Dolphin

Description

From Flipper to SeaWorld, dolphins have long captured our hearts. In this book Alan Rauch draws on his years of experience working with and studying dolphins. Dolphins are extremely social and recognised as highly intelligent. For centuries they were believed to protect sailors and became emblematic of safe travel, kindness and charity. As the rise in popularity of dolphin - aria in the 1960s allowed public access to dolphins, they became central characters in films such as The Day of the Dolphin and Johnny Mnemonic, and outsmarted humans in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Alan Rauch is Associate Professor of English at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA.

"Dolphin is a small and inexpensive gem of a book that packs a punch above its weight. . . . Brimming with information accessible to all, Rauch has used his experience with the subject matter to bring to life one of the most likeable and loved creatures on the planet." -- "The Biologist" "The dolphin, in history and mythology, in film and strip cartoon, and in the world of new age philosophy, is sensitively covered in Dolphin. Less sympathetic is Rauch's coverage of our exploitation of these beautiful creatures . . . Rauch impressively summarizes what we know of the biological basis of dolphin behavior. . . . Sympathetic, but critically engaging, Dolphin is a worthy addition to Reaktion Books' Animal series." -- "Times Literary Supplement"