Under Antarctic Ice: The Photographs of Norbert Wu

From Booklist
The surface of Antarctica is 13-million square kilometers of ice, with an occasional mountaintop poking through. Ice fields thousands of meters thick, extending out into the ocean as permanent ices shelves, blanket the southernmost continent. Divers have been exploring the ecosystem under the Antarctic ice for about 40 years, and the contrast between the surface world and the world under the ice can be jarring. The water stays at a constant 28.6 degrees Fahrenheit all year, and there is an abundance of life--at times comparable in biomass and diversity to what can be found in a tropical coral reef. Wu, a photographer specializing in marine environments, presents his photographs of this alien world in a fascinating look at an ecosystem virtually no one has ever seen. Wu's images showcase penguins and seals (both above and below the ice), whales, and his fellow divers, but it is the ubiquitous presence of the ice in all its myriad forms that makes the photos magical. Mastro's text artfully summarizes Antarctic ecology for the lay reader. Nancy Bent
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From Book News, Inc.
Twenty penguins stand goading each other to jump off an ice cliff into frigid water. If the first to fall in lives, the rest purposefully follow in concentric arcs punctuated by yellow feet. The dorsal fins of whales emerge from springtime splits in the ice on McMurdo Bay. A seal bears a camera for the scientists who live in colorful camps that seem barely to touch the snow. Mastro offers background text, and Wu provides comprehensive notes for his astonishing photographs--for those of us who have not had the privilege of living in this landscape of miracles.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Book Description
The allure of Antarctica, a place still mysterious, untamed, and unspoiled, has beckoned tourists in increasing numbers as more and more people vie for a glimpse of its terrible beauty and stunning vistas. But there is one aspect of Antarctica they never see, perhaps the most interesting of all-the world beneath the ice. This book, a collection of the finest photographs ever taken underwater in deep Antarctica, illuminates a world brimming with strange and beautiful life forms. For the first time anywhere, Under Antarctic Ice brings together the stories, the science, and the natural beauty of one of earth's most vibrant and enchanting realms. Internationally renowned photographer Norbert Wu was given unprecedented access to the icy waters off Antarctica by the U.S. National Science Foundation to obtain these dynamic photographs. In the extreme conditions that prevail in these seas, invertebrates can grow to enormous sizes: sponges are as big as bears, jellyfish tentacles extend thirty feet, and giant sea spiders crawl through beds of soft coral. Wu has also focused his lens on the birds and mammals living at the edge of water and ice. We are humbled before mammoth icebergs, witness a killer whale stalking prey from a narrow crack in the ice, and see what penguins look like swimming underwater. Jim Mastro's introductory text elegantly condenses forty years of scientific research into a clear and concise natural history of this unique place. Illustrations: 140 color photos, 2 maps

From the Back Cover
"A remarkable underwater journey that takes you within a whisker's breadth of diving Weddell seals, and leaves you bobbing in awe in the wake of soaring emperor penguins."-Terrie M. Williams, author of The Hunter's Breath "Under Antarctic Ice is a remarkable collaboration between one of the world's very best underwater photographers and a superb science writer. The text and photo notes represent the most complete description for lay readers of the natural history of this fascinating habitat."-Paul K. Dayton, Scripps Institution of Oceanography "This is an amazing book."-Howard Hall, natural-history film producer and author of Secrets of the Ocean Realm "With its exceptional photographs and lucid text, this book is about as close as you can come to visiting Antarctica without actually going there."-Gerald L. Kooyman, author of Diverse Divers

About the Author
Norbert Wu is a photographer and filmmaker specializing in marine environments and issues. His writing and photography have appeared in feature articles in Audubon, GEO, National Geographic, and other magazines; his films have aired on WNET/Thirteen New York's Nature series, which airs on PBS. His many books include Splendors of the Seas: The Photographs of Norbert Wu (1994) and Diving the World: Photographs by Norbert Wu (2003). Jim Mastro is a freelance writer and photographer. He is the author and photographer of Antarctica: A Year at the Bottom of the World (2002). He worked in Antarctica from 1982 to 1996, including five years as manager of the U.S. scientific diving program for the National Science Foundation's Office of Polar Programs.


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In this collection of glorious photographs of underwater Antarctica, noted marine photographer Wu captures the unbelievable beauty and richness of the plant and animal life both below and above the ice. Accompanying these stunning pictures is scientist Mastro's introductory text, which explains Antarctica's environment and ecology. While Mastro tries to condense complex scientific information to an understandable level, the text remains filled with terms that less scientifically sophisticated readers won't understand. But the photos speak volumes, making this book a treasure for scientific and academic libraries; high school students will also find the pictures captivating.--Betty Galbraith, Owen Science & Engineering Lib., Washington State Univ., Pullman Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.


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