Dolphin (Animal) - Softcover

Alan Rauch

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1780230893 ISBN 13: 9781780230894

Publisher: Reaktion Books, 2013

Synopsis

Humans love dolphins, and dolphins, it seems, love us: they have been known to encircle swimmers under attack by sharks. Yet although we think we know dolphins well, in fact most people are quite ill-informed about how they evolved, how they function as organisms and how they have interacted with humans for millennia. Dolphin offers a comprehensive view of the animal, describing both its remarkable zoology and its social and cultural history. For centuries dolphins were believed to protect sailors and, by extension, became emblematic of safe travel, kindness and charity. In ancient Greece dolphins featured on coins, and it was considered a good omen for them to follow in a boat’s wake. In Hindu mythology the dolphin is associated with Ganga, the deity of the Ganges river. From the television series Flipper to the films The Day of the Dolphin and Johnny Mnemonic and books such as The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, in which dolphins are represented as much more intelligent than humans, dolphins have captivated humans since time immemorial. In Dolphin Alan Rauch draw on years of experience working with and studying dolphins to provide thoughtful insights into the ways in which we have interacted with and interpreted this delightful creature over the centuries.

About this title

About the Author

Alan Rauch is Professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and his many books include Dolphin (2013) in Reaktion’s Animal series.

Edition details

• Publisher: Reaktion Books
• Publication date: 2013
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1780230893
• ISBN 13: 9781780230894
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 208