I appreciate not only David Attenborough and his work, experience, and advocacy, but through reading this book, I came to appreciate and respect the other people mentioned and how they have come together to try to save the ocean. With this book, so much of it was interesting--teaching you without feeling like a textbook. I believe I learned the most and enjoyed learning the most about coral reefs--both the fascinating and the decidedly depressing. Attenborough's very real experiences of sea animals, the ocean itself, and how to conserve it came well into play here (with him having been into the depths of the ocean more than once being just one example). One segment I particularly loved reading and learning about was the section on mangroves and how people have taken on a serious, lengthy, and beautiful mission to help regrow them.

However, parts of the book felt like you had to know more about the ocean that I already did in order to really take it in--or at least without looking something up first. There were a lot of animal species I surprisingly did not know, and to take time away from the book to look them up or terms related to them was a little annoying at times. (Just a pet peeve of mine.)

Overall, however, I did enjoy it. I think later on, it would be good to reread it with the knowledge I've gained from it and with fresh eyes (and known definitions). if you are interested in how much a blue whale’s tongue weighs, or if you are interested in what underwater animal has two different sized eyes, or really, if you are just interested in the ocean and how we can try our best to keep it and everything depending on it “afloat,” including us, read this book!

I suppose we’re all biased readers at the end of the day, but as a nature lover who adores nature and science documentaries, and is a big fan of Sir David Attenborough, I knew this book was for me.
From the first sentence I felt like I was watching a well-made documentary on the likes of Netflix or the BBC. Teeming with interesting facts presented in a way that is so approachable, I started learning so much and simply couldn’t put this one down.
Sprinkled within the fascinating facts about the ocean’s ecosystem (the colossal squid has three hearts!), Attenborough’s thoughtful explanation of how the ocean works, how it helps humans and wildlife, and how it’s critical to our survival is delivered in a logical and compassionate manner. You won’t be able to help walking away with a renewed sense of how important it is we address the climate crisis, and with decades of research and environmental conservation under his belt, we should be listening to the experts to address this incredibly important issue.
From the kelp forests to the coral reefs, from migration patterns of whales to the creatures that lurk at depths unknown (of which we’ve only found approximately 245,000 and scientists estimate there to be 1-2 million), and beyond, if you love learning about nature and care about climate change I can’t recommend this one enough!

I found Ocean to be a compelling and accessible look at Earth's largest feature, and appreciated the authors' tone: that there is much work to be done to protect our waters and the creatures that inhabit them, but it ends on a hopeful note that this work is quite possible. The setup is really quite nice, with being introduced to the blue whale, followed by specific ocean environments, and the illustrations and photos are lovely. If I had one complaint, though its not really a strong one, it's that I wish the photographs were interspersed throughout the text rather than being all grouped at the end. But overall this is a wonderful resource that I'd highly recommend.

Special thanks to Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of this book to review through Netgalley.

Ocean by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield is an excellent but somewhat overwhelming exploration of the world’s oceans. The book covers eight habitats that include coral reefs, and deep seas. It is filled with gorgeous photos and detailed illustrations. And offers Attenborough’s thoughts on overfishing and climate change. I enjoyed the hopeful stories of restored marine areas and the continuing efforts to rehabilitate the coral reefs.

However, the book has a lot of detailed information regarding ocean currents, species, and pollution that it became overwhelming for me. I do think that this would work as a documentary film where the narration and visuals would be front and center, detailing the highlights of the book.

The book would work for nature aficionados, but it was a tad too much for me. Three stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from Grand Central Publishing through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

As a huge fan of David Attenborough’s documentaries, I was especially excited to read this ocean-focused book co-written with Colin Butfield—and it completely delivered. Their passion and deep knowledge of the marine world make this a captivating read for ocean lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.

The full-color photographs throughout are absolutely stunning, showcasing the beauty and richness of life beneath the waves. The writing is clear, engaging, and full of fascinating insights—perfect for anyone curious about the extraordinary world below the surface.

A thoughtful and beautifully crafted look at the ocean that’s as informative as it is enjoyable. Just a delightful deep-sea escape—no snorkel required.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing @grandcentralpub , Sir David Attenborough @davidattenborough and Colin Butfield @colin.butfield for this free book!
“Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness” by David Attenborough and Colin Butfield⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Genre: Non Fiction/Nature.

Ocean uncovers the mystery, the wonder, and the frailty of oceans (the most unexplored habitat on our planet) through personal stories, film vignettes, history and cutting-edge science, Oceans shape the land we live on, regulate our climate, and create the air we breathe. This book showcases their remarkable resilience: they can recover, if we just give them the chance.  

Natural historian David Attenborough and longtime collaborator Colin Butfield have written a book about the past, present, and possible future of earth’s underwater ecosystems. They describe 8 ocean habitats (Coral Reef, The Deep, Kelp Forest, Open Ocean, Arctic, Mangroves, Oceanic Islands and Seamounts, Southern Ocean), highlighting intriguing species and the most astounding discoveries of the last 100 years, and ending with a future vision of a spectacular, fully restored marine world. Attenborough and Butfield have issued a call to action for the future of our planet’s oceans. It’s full of beautiful photos and illustrations, it’s powerful, timely, well-researched, with a nice balance between stories and information, and it’s 5 essential reading stars from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳#OceanBook

I loved it! It was a beautiful & easily accessible book full of stunning imagery and scientific descriptions. Honestly felt just like watching a David Attenborough nature documentary! Highly recommend :)

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

David Attenborough is an institution that doesn't need any endorsement. And, as I know from reading his previous books, he is as great a storyteller in writing as he is on television. So this was a sheer delight.

In Ocean, he follows the theme of his Blue Planet series, describing his decades of experience in various aquatic habitats around the world. He recalls great adventures and, as always, his enthusiasm and commitment are infectious.

Thanks to the publisher, Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

This engaging and beautifully written book explores the ocean’s wonders and fragility through personal stories, history, and cutting-edge science. Discover the ocean’s remarkable resilience—and envision a future of fully restored marine life, more spectacular than we can imagine. I love how this book celebrates the beauty of the ocean, past and present, and offers hope for renewal. The book is a pleasure to read.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Our oceans are not only full of beautiful life, but are the origin of much of our world’s oxygen generation and carbon dioxide absorption. We need our oceans as much as it needs us to prevent its destruction by our own actions, and that is what Sir David Attenborough and Colin Butfield discuss in detail in this book. Each chapter showcases an organism or ocean feature, detailing how each is important to the health of our oceans, how they are threatened by human activity, and most importantly, what we can do now to protect them. The book is complete with beautiful photographs and drawings of sea life. It was written in such a way that it feels engaging, no matter whether you are an expert or an everyday activist ready to make a difference.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the authors for allowing me to access an advance e-copy of this book in exchange for honest review!

I loved this so very much. I’ll start with why it lost a star; I’m reading on my phone (not my fave). I was fortunate enough to be selected by the publisher as an advanced reader and unfortunately the only supported format was on my phone, which I understand given how stunning the photos at the end of the book were, but if I was going to be forced to read a book on my phone I would’ve preferred that the images be scattered throughout their relevant portions of the book. Additionally, there were times that the book felt repetitive. I know it’s flipping back and forth between Attenborough and Butfield’s writing, but there are parts that feel like they are back-to-back Butfield sections that feel repetitive. For instance, CCAMLR is named, defined (mission, etc.) and shortened twice in the span of like 30 pages. But again, I also may be getting lost in the digital formatting.

Overall, the book was stunning, and felt vivid, urgent and rich in the way any documentary makes you feel. I felt fully immersed in the scenes and situations outlined throughout the book. If I’m honest, this was made more enjoyable by the fact that I read in Sir David Attenborough’s voice throughout the entire thing.

I often feel like it’s a difficult balance to strike in works of non-fiction where I feel like I’m learning but still having fun and not so bogged down by the minutia, and Ocean did that so well. In all of the ways I found “Sapiens” to be mind numbing and boring, I found this to be rich and engaging. I felt like I was learning something new on every page without it feeling too technical or verbose. There were some moments where I felt myself losing track or spacing out, but they were brief and we’ll attribute that to: reading on a phone, some of that repetitive nature, my own shortcomings in attentiveness, etc. etc).

Another sincere thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read ahead !

i really appreciate Sir Attenborough's many amazing nature documentaries so I was really excited to see that this book was coming out. and MY GOSH did it not disappoint. incredibly strong telling of very important issues.

Thank you to Sir David Attenborough, Colin Butfield, NetGalley, and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read a free ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book explores the ocean (singular, since all the world's ocean waters are connected) by dividing it into eight different ocean environments: coral reef, the deep, open ocean, kelp forest, arctic, mangroves, oceanic islands and seamounts, and the southern ocean. I loved the comparison at the beginning of the book of the changes in the ocean on the scale of a whale's life, and then at the end of the book the same comparison of changes to a human generation. All of the chapters contain new information from current ocean research. The author's attitudes toward climate change are hopeful and they give good reasons in this book for that hope.

All in all, this was a beautifully written and illustrated book. Although there is a lot of heavy science contained within, this book was told in such relatable prose that it felt light and inspiring rather than apocalyptic. That is not to say that there aren't plenty of warnings about the future if climate change continues unabated, but rather that the authors use examples of how conservation has succeeded and specific ways that it should be implemented in order to continue the gains that have begun. Absolutely wonderful!

Here is a thoughtful and thorough exploration of various marine phenomena affected by climate change and human activity. Replete with a healthy balance of realism and optimism, as well as detailed sketches (and, in the back matter, color photographs) of the numerous creatures described throughout the text, "Ocean" furnishes a timely and reverent series of observations about the many aquatic universes beyond our immediate scope of vision.

i really appreciate Sir Attenborough's many amazing nature documentaries so I was really excited to see that this book was coming out. and MY GOSH did it not disappoint. incredibly strong telling of very important issues. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Reading this book feels like watching a documentary and I loved every moment of it! I am a bit biased because I’ve always loved learning about animals and I have a fondness for whales!
The authors take us from coral reefs, to mangrove forests, the Arctic, and the Southern Ocean.
We see the interplay of different species of marine and terrestrial life as they navigate the challenges of their ecosystems.
The impact of human activities is integrated into several sections and the authors share many conservation efforts that have succeeded in protecting these ecosystems. I enjoyed the stories of community-led stewardship of these protected areas and the acknowledgment of indigenous practices.
The illustrations and photos are beautiful and David Attenborough shares stories from throughout his filming career which were very entertaining.
Overall I recommend this to anyone who wants to know what it’s like to swim through a kelp forest, enjoy the wonders of coral reefs, or descend to the midnight zone! I also recommend this to anyone who is interested in current initiatives to conserve and protect the ocean.

My thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advance copy of this book that looks at the Oceans of the world as experienced by a naturalist who has been spending time in them since the 1950's, detailing what he has seen, what we have learned, and how there still might be a chance to save them, maybe.

I was in the 7th Grade when I first shipped out to travel the Atlantic. My Earth Science teacher was young, loved to teach, loved to show science to her students, and had a father who worked at Woods Hole in Massachusetts, one of the premiere oceanographic Institutes. My teacher also never took no for an answer and was able to talk my school into sending 20 students on a two-day trip out into the Atlantic, where he dredged the bottom, ate kelp from the sea, and even saw a whale or two, or maybe the same whale twice. I don't have many fond memories of school, this is one of them. Surrounded by people who loved to talk about the water we were on, the importance of the ocean to life on Earth, and the problems we were facing. This was a long time ago, and those problems were probably nothing to the nightmares we are living with today. Plastic in the water, in the wildlife and ourselves. Climate change, melting ice caps, and a disappearing Gulf Stream. And ennui from everyone who can do anything, unless it is making a quick buck. However after reading this book, I feel maybe things aren't totally dystopian yet, maybe possibly. Especially when it comes from a man who has spent his entire life exploring the natural world, and at 98 years of age, seems to show no signs of stopping. Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness by Sir David Attenborough and Colin Butfield is a summation of a life in the water, what Attenborough has seen, the changes both good and bad, and the hope that that others are doing what they can, and that maybe things can change under the sea.

The book is entitled Oceans, but is about more than that. The book deals with under the sea, the creatures and other life forms, the land, even the birds that float in the air above. Divided in sections dealing with areas like Arctic, Mangroves, Coral Reefs and more, Attenborough discusses his first experiences with these area, and how they have changed over the years. Attenborough also discusses the basics of what oceans do, how the currents are created, how the waters pull in the heat, and carbon dioxide. There is a lot of discussions on whales, who have longer life spans than I ever knew, along with an underwater trip to the "Octopus Garden" a site that was found by luck where thousands of octopi use warm water escaping from volcanos under the sea to warm their eggs. The chapters also deal with groups, some indigenous, some people who have just had enough preserving the areas they can from England and kelp beds, to coral areas, to vast tracks of oceans off the Hawaiian islands. The book is curiously hopeful in many ways, though even Attenborough admits we have a lot to do.

A book that hooked me from the first whale story and right to the end. Based on the fact that I have seen quite a few of Attenborough's documentaries I shouldn't be surprised, but the writing here is quite good, very engaging, and welcoming. Attenborough can explain how currents are created in such a way that I was able to read it to my nephew and sound smart. In fact this is a great book for teens and up. Not just the fact that Attenborough at his age still wants to know more, but that at his age Attenborough still cares. One gets the feeling he knows that his time is getting shorter, but the natural world is too important, too beautiful to be ignored, or sold for pennies on the dollar. Everyone should have the opportunities he has had to see coral reefs under the sea. To watch an otter eat a clam. Little things that seem to trival, but when read seem so wonderful.

I loved this book, not just for the writing, but the hope. The fact that people are fighting to save their oceans, their culture, so others can see it and experience it. There is a lot of hope here, and in this age of declining everything hope is almost as rare as finding a sea animal without plastic in their bloodstream. There is so much I want my nephews to see. An ocean teeming with life, hope and a better tomorrow is a lot to ask, but I still want it for them anyway. Thank you Sir David Attenborough.

Nice book! I enjoy David Attenborough’s work on nature, it was interesting to hear him in a new media from the television/movie.

Anyone who has watched more than a couple of nature documentaries is likely familiar with the voice of Sir David Attenborough. His narrations tell the stories of countless teams of filmmakers and naturalists on their journeys around this planet, encountering wildlife that we can only see through their lenses. In this book, which I understand to accompany another documentary film, the esteemed naturalist and broadcaster and his co-author take a step away from the lands of our world and dive into the oceans. From a focus on a single blue whale, to exploring numerous ocean ecosystems, and finally to our impact on the oceans, this book reads like a spectacular docuseries. It paints the images that we could expect to see in eloquent words along with a few attractive illustrations and a handful of choice photos. The book is interesting and educational, providing information without boring the reader and creates both hope and a sense of warning. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this text and look forward to watching the associated film.
I received access to this ebook thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Grand Central Publishing) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.