Ocean Outbreak

Confronting the Rising Tide of Marine Disease

By: Drew Harvell

Narrated by: Andi Arndt

Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

There is a growing crisis in our oceans as rates of infectious disease outbreaks are on the rise. A warmer world is a sicker world for humans and wild biota. Marine epidemics have caused mass die-offs of wildlife from the bottom to the top of the food chains, impacting the health of ocean ecosystems as well as lives on land. Fueled by a warming ocean and accelerated by sewage dumping, unregulated aquaculture, and drifting plastic, ocean outbreaks are sentinels of impending global environmental disaster.

Ocean Outbreak follows renowned scientist Drew Harvell and her colleagues as they investigate how four iconic marine animals - corals, abalone, salmon, and starfish - have been devastated by disease. Based on over twenty years of research, this firsthand account of the sometimes creeping, sometimes exploding impact of disease on our ocean’s biodiversity ends with a hopeful message. Through policy changes and the implementation of innovative solutions from nature, such as the super powers of some marine habitats to detoxify water, we can reduce major outbreaks, save some ocean ecosystems, and protect our fragile environment.

©2019 Princeton University Press (P)2020 Drew Harvell

Important Lessons about the Delicate Balance in Nature

The parallels of the story Drew tells of ocean virus and death to Covid 19 is frightening. I am not a scientist but I found listening to this book while cooking, cleaning, doing laundry during the required stay at home decree an easy learning opportunity. I appreciate more the value of scientific research and wish our policy makers would too. Thank you Drew and thank you Andi. I do not know how you mastered the pronunciation of those scientific names!!

Awesome Audiobook - Give it a Listen!

Listening to the top-notch narration of this book will make you feel like you’re underwater with Dr. Harvell herself! Gripping from beginning to end. The book explores a variety of the most impactful marine diseases of our current age, and introduces listeners to key disease ecology terms and ideas without alienating non-scientists. Personal narratives embedded throughout the book were not only riveting but also inspired me to want to do more for our oceans! Truly didn’t want to turn it off… just give it a listen now!

Powerful narrative and a brilliant audiobook!

Harvell’s ‘Ocean Outbreak,’ like her book, ‘A Sea of Glass,’ leaves me in awe of life under water! It moves readers across the oceans to depict the extent of anthropogenic destruction that our resilient oceans must face. And Harvell's personal narrative, in pursuit of conserving our oceans' biodiversity, fosters hope. Ocean Outbreak is an exemplary novel that effectively communicates science to the public. The powerful narration in this audiobook furthers Harvell’s impact and inspires young people to love our oceans!

Incredibly insightful and a beautiful narrative

I really enjoyed listening to this book! I read excerpts of the book before, and now listening to the audiobook during the current pandemic has been a very insightful experience.

This book engaging and approachable for any audience—not just scientists. Dr. Harvell presents four critical marine diseases that have recently shaped our world's oceans. She guides readers through each, seamlessly weaving her own personal narratives and experiences with thoughtful descriptions of the infectious agents and ecological impacts. Informative yet light and engaging, you’ll be surprised how much you learn about marine diseases.

Understandably, the book has received multiple awards (PROSE Award for Biological Sciences, Ecological Society of America’s Sustainability Science Award) and will surely delight anyone interested in learning more about ocean epidemics. I would not be surprised if this book inspires a new wave of marine epidemiologists.

An Amazing Narrative

Drew has dedicated her life to unraveling marine diseases and it shows! She recently won the PROSE Award for Biological Sciences AND the ESA Sustainability Science Award for this incredible read. She creates a digestible novel centered around four highly threatened marine species. Through her lens, anyone can be entranced by the unseen severity of marine diseases.

Andi Arndt's voice clearly portrays Drew's narrative with eloquence and ease. Her soothing voice does a wonderful job balancing the immediate urgency of marine diseases with the complex emotion of Drew's narrative. I found the inflections in Andi's voice subtle yet empowering to create the perfect audio book if you are looking for a relaxing way to stimulate your mind to the realities of a marine scientist.

Wow! A must for any angler!

I love fishing. I love the ocean, rivers, lakes and all their inhabitants. My grandfather and father taught me to fish. I have taught my kids and my grandson. Never once did the subjects of ocean outbreaks ever come up. They should have. The things learned here by listening to this book gives great insight into aspects of the ocean and society I had never thought of. You can bet I’ll be talking about it with my kids, friends and fellow fisherman. Highly recommend to anyone who loves the oceans. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher

Perfect audiobook for award-winning piece

'Ocean Outbreak' accomplishes so much - this book presents four critical marine organisms that face rising threats of infectious disease, human actions that exacerbate these threats, as well as hope for recovery. It is a beautifully written, personal narrative that effectively communicates years of scientific research, and is accessible and inspiring for scientists and general audiences alike. For this stellar book, Harvell has won the PROSE Award for Biological Sciences and the ESA Sustainability Science Award.

The narrator does a fantastic job conveying the seriousness of the book's themes, while her cool performance makes for a very easy and pleasant listen. I really enjoyed this audiobook! I hope you will too!

A compelling and powerful read...

This book tells the story of highly threatened marine species in the context of infectious diseases (eerily relatable in the time of coronavirus) in a very digestible manner. I was also pleasantly surprised with the personal stories Dr. Harvell incorporates throughout her scientific findings, as I felt like I was getting a glimpse of her life as a researcher. I am leaving this book incredibly inspired by Dr. Harvell's story, and I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, knowledgable listen!

Important message and a delightful read!

This book taught me a lot about infectious disease, but also about the beautiful and unique life cycles of the marine organisms apart from the diseases that disrupt them. For anyone wanting to learn more about pandemics during the current outbreak without getting too anxious, I would highly recommend this book. There is just enough prose to make it an enjoyable and vivid read while keeping it information-dense.