If you are a dive enthusiast like me, you’re probably always looking for something that kills your dive cravings when you’re landlocked. I, for one, love reading books, especially anything dive- or marina animal-related. That’s caused me to go down a rabbit hole and try to read every significant book on sharks. That’s what got me to find The Shark Handbook by Dr. Greg Skomal.
Dr Greg Skomal is a lifelong shark biologist and conservationist, and multiple papers have been published in his work. In 2023, he came out with his book Chasing Shadows, about his life and adventures researching great white sharks. This shark handbook is its second book, but it is the first book in a series coming May 2024; there will be a release of The Great White Shark Handbook, which I am sure will be a It’s a great complement to this book.
The Shark Handbook is the book to have on your bookshelf or hand in your dive bag on a shark diving trip. The book is well organized and covers basically most of what you need to know about sharks to settle any debate. It also has a massive index reference to all shark species and their family classifications.
This book isn’t an academic read; it doesn’t have extensive footnotes and references; it is, just like it says, a handbook. Don’t mistake its compact size for simplicity; it is jam-packed with valuable, up-to-date information on our favourite animals, sharks!
I am looking for academic books and sharks, but this isn’t it. But that still leaves me with no critique of the book. Each chapter is well written and full of valuable information, yet still not very long. The book goes through all the biological systems of a shark’s height, lighting the main difference between species. It has a chapter on environmental adaptations. The rest of the book is predominantly an index of all the species of known sharks where they are found and any other factoid that will help identify the species.
I give this book 5 out of 5. It is succinct yet informative. It is a great size to pack in your dive bag on a trip and is perfect as a reference. This is a must-have for any scuba diver or shark enthusiast!