The World’s Oceans: Geography, History, and Environment

Historians Buschmann and Nolde (both California State Univ., Channel Islands) have updated this well-regarded resource with 20 new entries and a number of expansions to existing content. The work is divided into two parts. The first provides contextual essays considering each of the world’s oceans, as well as topics such as the role of the ocean in culture, the shifting nature of ocean boundaries, sea exploration, environmental issues, and global sea-based shipping. These offer the richest content. The second section is an encyclopedia of 115 entries covering everything from the Bermuda Triangle to ocean acidification. While limited in their number, entries range across the historic (the Age of Sail), the sporting (America’s Cup), specific wrecks (the Titanic), scientific concepts (plate tectonics), legends (sea monsters), novels (Moby-Dick), and more. The content is sufficient to keep lay readers eagerly jumping from topic to topic and to aid early inquiry by undergraduates and high school students, through both the entries themselves, lists of further reading, and a lengthy bibliography.