The Breath of a Whale

The Science and Spirit of Pacific Ocean Giants

By: Leigh Calvez

Narrated by: Karen White

From the author of The Hidden Lives of Owls, an exploration of the elusive lives of whales in the Pacific Ocean, home to orcas, humpbacks, sperm, blue, and gray whales.

Leigh Calvez has spent a dozen years researching, observing, and probing the lives of the giants of the deep. Here, she relates the stories of nature's most remarkable creatures, including the familial orcas in the waters of Washington State and British Columbia; the migratory humpbacks; and the ancient, deep-diving blue whales, the largest animals on the planet. The lives of these whales are conveyed through the work of dedicated researchers who have spent decades tracking them along their secretive routes that extend for thousands of miles, gleaning their habits and sounds and distinguishing peculiarities. The author invites the listener onto a small research catamaran maneuvering among 100-foot-long blue whales off the coast of California; or to join the task of monitoring patterns of humpback whale movements at the ocean surface: tail throw, flipper slap, fluke up, or blow. To experience whales is breathtaking. To understand their lives deepens our connection with the natural world.

©2019 Leigh Calvez (P)2019 Tantor

please learn Hawaiian words if using in audio format

I generally enjoyed this story but was very frustrated with the narrator and their pronunciation of Hawaiian words. Really would recommend doing reach and learning to say words correctly before completing a full audiobook production

Horrible narrator ruins an amazing book.

The book itself is outstanding. Unfortunately the robotic narrator destroys most of the enjoyment of listening. I couldn’t finish the audio book so ordered myself a copy of the book and will read it myself.

Insightful!

Informative, interesting and touching. I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about whales, their habits, how they are studied, and their plight. Well-written.

A great book filled with information, hope and inspiration!

I’ve read a lot of whale books and this is going on my list of favorites. Leigh Calvez wrote this beautifully, it was insightful, enlightening and inspiring. If you love whales or cetaceans it’s a must read !
I would also like to note that I appreciate the resources given on how we humans can help the ocean .

The Breath of a Whale

Loved it, very informative. I learned a lot about whales and other sea life that I did not know.