A bit dry, but often beautiful and inspiring. The included photos are stunning. What sticks with me most is the imagery and awe of the whale fall. It's a rare find, nature absorbing the energy and body of such a large majestic creature. It reminds us that everything is truly cyclical, energy not created or destroyed, just changed.

I have lived for over three decades in awe of the men and women who have devoted their lives to the noble cause of spreading awareness about our planet, and the wildlife and ecosystems that exist within it. Few people have done that work longer, more thoroughly, or more successfully than David Attenborough. This is a man who has dedicated his existence to making sure as many people as possible learn about, come to understand, and henceforth love the natural world - ensuring a higher chance that it can be saved.

Growing up I was not a kid who watched Saturday morning cartoons; instead, I was tuned into Animal Planet during my every free moment. I studied biological sciences in college. I have worked with countless organizations (rescues, national parks, wildlife preserves, anti-poaching units) on three continents. I would like to believe I know more about the natural world than the average person - so I am delighted to find spaces where I do not know enough, and people within them who can teach me more. David Attenborough’s “Oceans” has done just that for me. I did not know the extent that microplastics have built up in our aquatic wildlife. I did not know that whale poop has such an effect on every level of the oceanic food chain, AND on climate change and the locking away of carbon (from our atmosphere to the silt on the ocean floor). I definitely did not know that we are currently locked in a battle against people who are trying to industrially mine the ocean floor.

I believe that the too-common belief that climate change isn’t real is simply a matter of not having enough education on the topic, and I believe that David Attenborough has the ability to change peoples’ minds on this matter. We know more now than ever before about our oceans and the ecosystems they provide for, and reading this book can do nothing but further knowledge and awareness, and therefore enable us all to shift the tides.

We all live a privileged existence in that our planet is so perfectly made to create and sustain life, and we are screwing it up. As stated in “Oceans,” the catastrophic changes happening are easy to ignore in these fortunate lives of ours, when so many of us are able to live comfortably and have easy access to water and food. But the through-line of this story is that we must not get complacent. We cannot live in blissful ignorance, forgetting that it is our duty to help the planet that has given us all life, and our responsibility to give future generations the opportunity to experience the same beauty that our ancestors had.

Thank you David Attenborough, for your eight decades of devotion. And thank you for reminding us of all that we still do not know, and the beauty that lives in those mysteries.

Movies and television shows to watch after you read this book: any wildlife/conservation documentary that David Attenborough has been part of, Jane (Jane Goodall documentary).

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for sharing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

David Attenborough has explored Earth’s natural wonders for over seven decades and now he has teamed up with Colin Butfield to tackle the ocean. This very thorough, well-researched book covers the good, the bad, and the ugly of everything under the sea.

There is still so much we don’t know about the oceans that cover most of our planet, yet we know more than ever. Attenborough and Butfield dive deep into what can and needs to be done in order to keep our oceans healthy. This is an urgent, vivid look at the effects of climate change and human activity. It is equal parts beauty and devastation; truly a love note to the waves and everything underneath them.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

Oceans by David Attenborough is a breathtaking dive into the heart of our planet's most mysterious realm From the hypnotic dance of bioluminescent creatures to the thunderous power of crashing waves every scene bursts with life and wonder Attenborough's voice is as powerful as ever guiding us through the deep with passion urgency and awe This documentary novel doesn't just inform it inspires urging us to protect the incredible underwater world before it's too late A must read for nature lovers and curious minds everywhere!

Ocean is a layman accessible, touching, sobering, and beautiful look at the world's marine environments by Sir David Attenborough and Colin Butfield. Released 6th May 2025 by Hachette on their Grand Central imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

The book is arranged by habitat: coral reef, deep ocean, open ocean, kelp forest, arctic, mangroves, oceanic islands & seamounts, and southern ocean. It's breathtakingly illustrated in color throughout, and the photos are detailed and gorgeous. It would be a solid coffee table/display volume on just those merits alone, but it's deeply detailed and packed with science based information about each of the ecosystems and the species which can be found there.

It is well written, but might be a bit info-dense for casual readers. For natural history fans, however, it's wonderfully compelling. The "voice" of the writing is recognizably Attenborough's and he takes readers along on a myriad of expeditions, relating personal reminiscences from his vast experiences.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 8 hours, 54 minutes and is narrated by the authors. The reading is relaxing to listen to, but the content is so dense in places that it would be an advantage to listen with a print copy available. It's not an academically rigorous volume; it's not exhaustively annotated, but there are numerous chapter notes and the references will provide avid readers with many more hours of learning.

Four and a half stars. It would be an excellent choice for public or secondary school library acquisition, home use, or gift giving to natural history readers.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central for this eARC! I mostly listened though, because, duh. Listening to and learning from Sir David Attenborough is the gift of a lifetime! His voice is such a comfort. I’ve been an ocean girlie since day 1 and am probably a marine biologist in another universe, so I was very intrigued by this one!

I loved that while this book discussed many of the heart breaking changes our oceans are facing, there IS still hope. And so much is still unknown. They talked about countless times where animals came back from the brink of extinction or mangrove forest regrew or coral habits bounced back. But it’s just another urgent reminder how much the ocean affects all life on this planet, and we CAN encourage healthy ocean life while still using resources from the ocean. This is not an indictment on fishing or cultures that rely heavily on the ocean for products. It’s a reminder that people, for extremely long periods of time sustainably harvested our oceans. We just need to respect our oceans and all the creatures in it.

It is of course and I’m sure I missed plenty and could reread this endless to just keep learning (maybe I will!). But if you like any doc narrated by Attenborough, you’ll like this.

One word. Ocean.

Only one man can paint a picture of an entire world, leaving you on the edge of your seat with a single word. Sir David Attenborough is that man—unless, of course, it’s Dr. Carl Sagan and the word Cosmos. And in many ways, Ocean carries the same spirit as Cosmos, asking not just what is worth preserving, but why we must fight to protect it.

Just as Cosmos challenged a generation to consider its place in the universe, Ocean asks us to look inward—to see our planet, our oceans, our ecosystems as fragile, wondrous, and deeply intertwined with human choices. Sagan’s call to action, issued decades ago, was only partially answered. Now, Attenborough revives that question with urgency, wisdom, and hope—not just to marvel at life but to take responsibility for it.

This book enchanted me—it spoke to my inner child, reigniting the thrill of discovery. I learned so much within these pages, but what makes Ocean truly special is how Attenborough weaves knowledge with emotion, detail with perspective. Like Cosmos, this book is unputdownable—vivid, enlightening, and profoundly inspiring.

A perfect gift for anyone—but especially for graduates. Because beyond its breathtaking storytelling, Ocean reminds us of the power we have to not only witness the wonders of life but to shape and protect them. It challenges us to see, understand, and act—to change the world, not just marvel at it.

David Attenborough is a treasure, and the books he writes and the documentaries he makes are wonderful. He has a way of writing about pieces of the environment that brings them to life in your brain, and teaches you things without you realizing you are learning. Oceans was such an interesting look at our oceans, their past, their present, and their future. It could have been depressing, but this book is filled with realistic hope. Blue whale numbers are rebounding. Systems to protect coral reefs are being put in place. Ocean life could have been and still could be destroyed, but there is hope in what we are seeing now. Even if we still don't know even half of what there is to know about the deep.

Can't wait to watch the doc now too! In conclusion, really liked!

Thanks to Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Nobody does it better than Sir David Attenborough. What an interesting collection of stories, impeccably researched, with great impact on the world around us. This book would make an incredible gift as well. If you like science non-fiction or nature documentaries, you'll love this one!

This book would not download to kindle or other. I was unable to read it but will buy it for myself and friends.

This was an absolutely beautiful and very informative read. I've been a big fan of Sir David Attenborough's work so getting to read this book early was such an honour. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about the ocean.

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.