The Brilliant Abyss
True Tales of Exploring the Deep Sea, Discovering Hidden Life and Selling the Seabed
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The Brilliant Abyss
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Narrated by:
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Helen Scales
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By:
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Helen Scales
About this listen
Bloomsbury presents The Brilliant Abyss written and read by Helen Scales.
The deep sea is the last, vast wilderness on the planet. This is the story of our relationship with it – how we imagine, explore and exploit it.
For centuries, myth-makers and storytellers have concocted imaginary monsters of the deep, and now scientists are looking there to find bizarre, unknown species, chemicals to make new medicines, and to gain a greater understanding of how this world of ours works. With an average depth of 12,000 feet and chasms that plunge much deeper, it forms a frontier for new discoveries.
The Brilliant Abyss tells the story of our relationship with the deep sea – how we imagine, explore and exploit it. It captures the golden age of discovery we are currently in and looks back at the history of how we got here, while also looking forward to the unfolding new environmental disasters that are taking place miles beneath the waves, far beyond the public gaze.
Throughout history, there have been two distinct groups of deep-sea explorers. Both have sought knowledge but with different and often conflicting ambitions in mind. Some people want to quench their curiosity; many more have been lured by the possibilities of commerce and profit. The tension between these two opposing sides is the theme that runs throughout the book, while listeners are taken on a chronological journey through humanity’s developing relationship with the deep sea. The Brilliant Abyss ends by looking forwards to humanity’s advancing impacts on the deep, including mining and pollution and what we can do about them.
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What listeners say about The Brilliant Abyss
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- John Higgins
- 08-02-23
Excellent book - thoughtful and delightfully read by the author
Well presented and engaging collection of themed essays on the deep oceans and their ecology.
Sharp and direct points on human exploitation and short sightedness and the need for urgent change.
My only criticism - and this could be applied to almost every similar work - is that it fails to acknowledge or discuss the most difficult issue of catastrophic human-induced environmental change, namely that the human population has reached unsustainably high levels.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Monique
- 20-12-23
Insightful and thought provoking
A magical account of first hand experiences and insightful information about the deep and its importance in the cyclic and connected food chain within eco systems which I thoroughly enjoyed. This narrative also reveals the very real and current political discussions surrounding our future on this planet.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Jj
- 07-07-21
Great listening
Can tell shes very passionate about her work and it made it more of a joy to listen. Amazing book
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Daniel
- 30-09-21
An incredible listen
This well researched and presented book will install you with a passion for deep sea biology and all the incredible and weird creatures that we share our planet with.
The information is up to date on the cutting edge of the more mysterious part of our world.
The narration by the author is also very well done and keeps you hooked.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- ME E M LUCAS
- 25-04-21
The best book I have read for some time.
Narrator shared her enthusiasm for her subject. There was much food for thought. I hope many people will read this book.
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- Evelina
- 24-04-21
Wonderful book
Amazing story. A wonderful insight into life in the deep sea, and the rather parasitic nature of humanity looking to exploit anything on the planet with no regard for the consequences as long as the money is flowing. I hope many people will read this and aim to help to preserve the deep.
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- Alex W
- 02-06-21
Excellent content and narration
I enjoyed this audiobook a great deal and found it fascinating throughout. The polemical tone of the chapters concerning deep-sea mining and the inevitably terrible repercussions of this activity, for me, was entirely relatable, moving and thought-provoking. I reckon it’s a cracking book.
The author’s narration is superb. Her voice is lovely to listen to - very engaging and clear.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jacimac
- 10-07-24
Vivid visual description
I was fascinated by this book and learned so much more about the deep sea.
It seems such a vast and virtually Unknown area of our planet, yet one which helps stabilise our’ blue planet’.
I was shocked to hear of the damage that certain types of fishing can do and outraged to hear of plans for deep sea mining which could irreparably damage species and their habitat and ultimately life in dry land too.
It is so entertaining so well read by the author, and so full of interesting information that I am definitely going to read it again in a couple of months.
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- KT
- 18-03-23
A book of wonder and terror
This was an awesome, beautiful book, the first half is full of the wonders of the deep. There is a vocabulary all its own to describe the creatures and life deep under the sea. The terror comes when you hear what the ever charming human race have been doing and plan to do. Thank goodness for the advocates of the sea and their relentless work to protect it and, by extension, all of us. The last part of the book gives a kernel of hope, but we need to be actively pushing our leaders in the direction of innovation that will in turn protect our magnificent oceans, and to be doing our bit locally, daily, to reduce our relentless overconsumption and reliance on single use plastics.
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1 person found this helpful
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- helen
- 31-07-21
Great book.
Helen clearly has a passion for the deep and that comes across beautifully when she is describing the abyssal layer of the Ocean. It brings up some very serious points that man kind must over come so we dont lose such a beautiful and mesmerising place.
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