Orca odyssey. . - Tools for Green Living: resources for eco-awareness and action - Listening to Whales - book review

E: The Environmental Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2002 by Abbi Leman

Orcas have fascinated human beings long before the likes of Shamu or Free Willy. In Listening to Whales (Ballantine Books, $26.95), Alexandra Morton recounts her life with whales and dolphins. From her years of research with these majestic creatures, Morton makes observations of, among other things, cetacean invention of synchronized movements.

The story of Morton's research of whale sounds and mannerisms is evenly and smoothly interspersed with the story of her life. With occasional anecdotes like her experience with Peter Benchley attempting to swim with Orcas, Morton manages to convey the meaning and significance of her research in a narrative form, reflecting on how her relationship with whales has influenced her understanding of human life.