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255 reviews for:
Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, Seaworld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish
Howard Chua-Eoan, John Hargrove
4.21 AVERAGE
255 reviews for:
Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, Seaworld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish
Howard Chua-Eoan, John Hargrove
4.21 AVERAGE
A really interesting read about the orca program at SeaWorld from the perspective of a former trainer. I just wish the book had been written in chronological order because details kept being repeated and it was a little annoying reading the same examples twice and wondering if it was the same incident.
dark
emotional
funny
informative
sad
medium-paced
The author has a lot of passion… and maybe some biases but that is to be expected. Overall a good read. I am fascinated by the Orcas in captivity issue so that might have played a role in my high rating.
I was surprised how interesting this was. Good book and since I haven't seen the movie Blackfish, I want to see that too.
Since I have seen the documentary "Blackfish" I wanted to know more about Orcas in captivity. I did a lot of online research so I already knew most of the facts that are listed in "Beneath The Surface".
It was still very interesting (and heartbreaking) to read Hargrove's account of the lives of killer whales in Sea World. He shows how he fell in love with these whales and how he believed that Sea World properly cared for their animals. His views change over the course of his career and he becomes more and more sceptical of Sea Worlds treatment of Orcas.
The book also goes into a little more detail when it comes to the deaths of Alexis Martinez and Dawn Brancheau. Hargrove himself has encountered aggressive behaviour from the whales.
I reccomend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the history of whales in captivity, what problems captivity causes and how trainers and animals are treaded by Sea World.
It was still very interesting (and heartbreaking) to read Hargrove's account of the lives of killer whales in Sea World. He shows how he fell in love with these whales and how he believed that Sea World properly cared for their animals. His views change over the course of his career and he becomes more and more sceptical of Sea Worlds treatment of Orcas.
The book also goes into a little more detail when it comes to the deaths of Alexis Martinez and Dawn Brancheau. Hargrove himself has encountered aggressive behaviour from the whales.
I reccomend this book to anyone who wants to know more about the history of whales in captivity, what problems captivity causes and how trainers and animals are treaded by Sea World.
I'm from San Antonio and have grown up with Sea World all my life. Every summer, that was where my family would go. After watching Blackfish and now reading this book it's breaks my heart how these killer whales are treated and how they live. This is a must read for anyone who has visited park or ever dreamed of going. Sorry to say I will not be going to Sea World ever again and it hurts to say that because the park brings many needed jobs to my area.
Unbelievable. Truly stunning. A book so eloquently written with interwoven stores of others whilst maintaining the main story and perspective. Amazing!
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway, and although the publisher did not ask for a review in exchange for my free copy, I want to leave one anyways.
I watched the documentary Blackfish for the first time this spring and wanted very much to learn more about the situation at SeaWorld. Of course there are thousands of blogs with posts and discussions about the topic, but this book gave me exactly what I was looking for.
John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer, is one of the many people interviewed in Blackfish , but this book allows for a much more in-depth look at the inside workings of SeaWorld. Hargrove begins by outlining the basics of working as an orca trainer at SeaWorld- from how he got the job to moving up through the ranks to his daily experiences. At times, the book feels more like a memoir- not necessarily a bad thing, because I do love memoirs, but I can see how a reader who came to the book looking for a more Blackfish -type narration might find some of the personal details boring or excessive.
My only complaint about the book is that occasionally, Hargrove seems to be hero-izing himself, telling about all the times he tried talking to the higher-ups at SeaWorld to improve life for the whales. Obviously, I don't know if it ever happened or not, but my inner skeptic says that if Hargrove had really challenged SeaWorld's authority so many times, he would've been fired before he could quit.
The bottom line for me, however, is that Hargrove does seem brutally honest in his telling of life working at SeaWorld and is not afraid to admit that he played a part in the mistreatment of the whales. This transparency is so important to the book because it allows the reader to see one thing, plain and simple: Hargrove, and all of the other trainers, love the whales. When they did what SeaWorld wanted, they did it because they believed it would be best for the whales. When they stayed at SeaWorld when they saw the whales harming people and being harmed, they stayed because they wanted to care for the whales. Whether or not they were always right about what the whales did or didn't need, they always loved them. Seeing the love Hargrove has for the whales only makes every part of the book hit harder.
tl;dr: If you liked Blackfish , do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Beneath the Surface . You won't regret it.
I watched the documentary Blackfish for the first time this spring and wanted very much to learn more about the situation at SeaWorld. Of course there are thousands of blogs with posts and discussions about the topic, but this book gave me exactly what I was looking for.
John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer, is one of the many people interviewed in Blackfish , but this book allows for a much more in-depth look at the inside workings of SeaWorld. Hargrove begins by outlining the basics of working as an orca trainer at SeaWorld- from how he got the job to moving up through the ranks to his daily experiences. At times, the book feels more like a memoir- not necessarily a bad thing, because I do love memoirs, but I can see how a reader who came to the book looking for a more Blackfish -type narration might find some of the personal details boring or excessive.
My only complaint about the book is that occasionally, Hargrove seems to be hero-izing himself, telling about all the times he tried talking to the higher-ups at SeaWorld to improve life for the whales. Obviously, I don't know if it ever happened or not, but my inner skeptic says that if Hargrove had really challenged SeaWorld's authority so many times, he would've been fired before he could quit.
The bottom line for me, however, is that Hargrove does seem brutally honest in his telling of life working at SeaWorld and is not afraid to admit that he played a part in the mistreatment of the whales. This transparency is so important to the book because it allows the reader to see one thing, plain and simple: Hargrove, and all of the other trainers, love the whales. When they did what SeaWorld wanted, they did it because they believed it would be best for the whales. When they stayed at SeaWorld when they saw the whales harming people and being harmed, they stayed because they wanted to care for the whales. Whether or not they were always right about what the whales did or didn't need, they always loved them. Seeing the love Hargrove has for the whales only makes every part of the book hit harder.
tl;dr: If you liked Blackfish , do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Beneath the Surface . You won't regret it.
This is a book that speaks out about sea world. It helps to see a different side then Sea World wants us to see. It educates people who might not know about killer whales and what they need to survive. It goes into detail on things that went on while he was a trainer.
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
This was so well-written which was unexpected to me. Lots of stuff I knew but lots I didn’t. I didn’t expect to feel so sad for the whales to have lost the in-water connection with their trainers. So brave of him to speak out so publicly, but well-handled and doesn’t feel unnecessarily aggressive, but rather factual and to the point.
Very good read, will be recommending it to Abbie (fellow orca enthusiast)
Very good read, will be recommending it to Abbie (fellow orca enthusiast)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Violence