Winged Leviathan: The Story of the Humpback Whale

The book was as I hoped it would be, and the service was swift.

Humpback Whales have always been one of my favorite animals, and this beautiful book is a fitting tribute to Megaptera novaeangliae. The text is well written, providing a neat summary of what we know about these whales, their behavior, their evolution, the tragic factory whaling that almost rendered them extinct by the mid 1960s, and modern day whale watching. The real highlight of this book, however, are the photographs by Colin Baxter, which are absolutely beautiful. You can see every wrinkle in the whales' skin, all of the barnacles and protuberances, every drop of water spraying off of them when they breach, and every tiny ripple in the water. There are photographs of Humpbacks breaching, bubble-net fishing, competing for mates, close-up shots of flukes and flippers, and some touching images of mothers and calves.This is a beautiful little celebration of these wonderful animals, let down only by it's small format. As nice as the photos are, their impact is not as great as those in Bryant Austin's "Beautiful Whale." Overall, an excellent gift for the whale lover in your family.

A very beautiful book.

Winged Leviathan engages the reader with magnificent photos and superb narration telling us the story of the humpback whale. The chapters lead us smoothly and effortlessly through the physical characteristics, fascinating behaviors, and challenges of surviving on a planet where man and whale have interacted over centuries.Phil Clapham, a respected whale biologist and recognized humpback whale expert, has managed to successfully incorporate interesting scientific information with a sense of how these whales leave a lasting impression on the hearts of people who encounter them from a whale watch boat or research vessel. Colin Baxter’s selection of images adds depth to the story of the humpback whales’ world under the sea and largely out of sight for the rest of us.Naturalists, tourists, students, and curious humans will be satisfied with the discussion of migration patterns, history and current status of whaling, unique and effective feeding strategies, males singing for reasons largely unknown, and the social dynamics of one of the best studied of the great whale species.I am recommending this book to my students as a preparation for studying humpback whale in the Caribbean as a solid foundation for understanding our encounters with humpbacks, but also as a means to elevate the excitement before encountering these whales in their habitat. For me, each page made me itch to be back on the water!

If you need to find the latest information on the history of humpback whales, this is the book for you. The author has a long history of whale research and is revered amongst researchers. He explains the history of humpback whales in easy to read terms.As someone who has observed whales over the last 40 years in their natural habitat I find this book extremely informative.The photos in Winged Leviathan are outstanding.

Phil Clapham did a wonderful job here, a book that measures up to the subject matter. It's hard to beat a humpback whale for charisma, with so many great stories to tell about them. Yet most books on the subject to date have been altogether too superficial, so many beautiful photographs but lacking in depth. Winged Leviathan has the beautiful photographs and then some, plus the text is up-to-date, relevant and well written