Mysterious Manatees (First Edition Signed by Photographer)

Reynolds III, John E.; Glaser, Karen

ISBN 10: 0813026377 / ISBN 13: 9780813026374

Published by University Press of Florida, 2003

About this Item

First Edition Inscribed by photographer Karen Glaser of this study of manatees distinguished by underwater photography by Karen Glaser. Inscribed by Karen Glaser to previous owners on the title page. 187 pages, 51 photographs. Has a bit of edge wear on the dust jacket. Seller Inventory # 008090

Bibliographic Details

Title: Mysterious Manatees (First Edition Signed by...

Publisher: University Press of Florida

Publication Date: 2003

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Fine

Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

Mysterious Manatees is a synergistic partnership between photographer Karen Glaser and writer and scholar John Reynolds, two of the nation's leading interpreters - one artistic, one scientific - of the life and underwater habitat of the manatee. This union of science and art makes for a compelling exploration of the manatee through two independent essays - one textual, one visual - in a book addressed to both specialists and a general audience. To some, an emblem of the tranquility and beauty of natural Florida, to others an obstacle to fast-track growth and good times, the endangered Florida manatee arouses the passions of those who have encountered it and the curiosity of those who have only heard about this huge, enigmatic inhabitant of Florida's coastal waterways. The book opens with Reynolds's scientific account of the interactions between people and manatees, describing the history of manatee hunting, relating what is known about their early distribution and survival, and clarifying the debate about whether manatees are native to Florida. Reynolds also discusses manatee biology and the features that make the animal especially vulnerable to human activities. Reynolds's complete and authoritative account of manatee biology, management, and conservation concludes with a gallery of plates featuring Glaser's remarkable panoramic photographs. Glaser's 52 beautiful duotone prints capture an intimate, distinctively natural vision of manatees in their own environment, an underwater world illuminated only by the sunlight above. The manatees were photographed in all the diverse conditions that comprise their environment: mud, muck, clear water, rain, sunny or cloudy - all illuminate the forms of these magnificent animals. Mysterious Manatees will appeal to wildlife professionals, amateur naturalists, environmentalists, and lovers of fine photography as a unique combination of fact and image that provides a compelling sense of the mysterious presence of these large yet gentle and graceful sea creatures.

Review:

"From his days as a graduate student studying wild manatees from a canoe to his chairmanship of the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, John Reynolds has been at the center of manatee research and conservation efforts. You will find no better guide to the complexities of the manatee's situation today."

"Through these remarkable photographs we see that the lumbering bulk of the manatee has both grace and curiosity, as well as divinity and humor. Karen Glaser, as an artist, brings us into their private world."

"From the summer of 1996 through January 1997, more than 350,000 visitors to the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History saw 'Mysterious Manatees: Photographs by Karen Glaser.' It is gratifying to see such a collaboration between photographer Glaser and scientist John Reynolds in this book based on Glaser's original exhibition."