The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus

“As this rich . . . book reminds us, Cousteau was . . . like Rachel Carson, moved . . . to appreciate the world . . . to share that love, and thus to protect it.” ―Bill McKibben, national bestselling author of Deep Economy and The End of Nature, from the foreword

The beloved explorer Jacques Cousteau witnessed firsthand the complexity and beauty of life on earth and undersea—and watched the toll taken by human activity in the 20th century. In this magnificent last book, now available for the first time in the United States, Cousteau describes his deeply informed philosophy about protecting our world for future generations.

Weaving gripping stories of his adventures throughout, he and coauthor Susan Schiefelbein address the risks we take with human health, the overfishing and sacking of the world's oceans, the hazards of nuclear proliferation, and the environmental responsibility of scientists, politicians, and people of faith. This prescient, clear-sighted book is a remarkable testament to the life and work of one of our greatest modern adventurers.

“An electrifying, many-faceted masterwork.” —Booklist

“Through his lyrical writings and his films that took your breath away, [Cousteau] placed the underwater world at the door of an audience as extensive as the oceans themselves. I always learned with him.” ―Al Gore

“[An] eloquent testimony on the importance of pursuing higher ideals, particularly the preservation of the oceans and the natural world for future generations.” ―Publishers Weekly