Modern Classics Log From The Sea Of Cortez: Amazon.ca: John Steinbeck, Richard Astro: Books

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In 1940 Steinbeck sailed in a sardine boat with his great friend the marine biologist, Ed Ricketts, to collect marine invertebrates from the beaches of the Gulf of California. The expedition was described by the two men in "Sea Of Cortez", published in 1941. The day-to-day story of the trip is told here in the Log, which combines science, philosophy and high-spirited adventure. This book is an exhilarating and highly entertaining read.

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In 1940, Steinbeck and his friend, biologist Ed Ricketts, ventured into the Gulf of California to search for marine invertebrates along the beaches. This exciting, day-by-day account of their trip, drawn from the longer work, Sea of Cortez, is a wonderful combination of science, philosophy, and high-speed adventure that provides a fascinating portrait of Steinbeck and Ricketts. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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14 Reviews

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4.6 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Rate, Sep 8 2003

By

C. Ebeling "ctlpareader" (PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: 20th Century Log From The Sea Of Cortez (Paperback)

John Steinbeck had a high interest in marine biology, one that helped forge an extraordinary friendship with Ed Ricketts in the 1930s. Ricketts, the model for Doc in CANNERY ROW, was a professional biologist living in Monterey. He proposed an exploration of the Gulf of California and in the spring of 1940 he and Steinbeck set sail on a rented boat with a colorful crew that should have suggested a sea novel along the lines of CANNERY ROW and TORTILLA FLAT. The original result from this trip was the book THE SEA OF CORTEZ, which included the "log" fashioned by Steinbeck and an extensive inventory of the scientific information collected. It was published in the fall of 1941 and promptly forgotten when Pearl Harbor was struck. A decade later, the scientific catalogue was removed and Steinbeck added another section, a moving and often hilarious appreciation of his friend Ed Ricketts. The title became THE LOG FROM THE SEA OF CORTEZ and that's what we have here.

This is a great book for the beach, where I read it. It is filled with the imagery of a warm coastal area. It is several things, really: a book filled with the wonder and scientific knowledge of marine life, a how-to (and sometimes how-not-to) guide for collecting specimens, a travelogue that captures the wilderness communities of Baja California in its time, and an often hilarious account of staying amused at sea with the likes of a crew with names like Tony, Tex, Sparky and Tiny. Steinbeck also takes the occasion to explore his own philosophy as inspired by their studies. Especially interesting is his Easter Day entry, in which he defines and explores at length what he calls "teleological" and "non-teleological" thinking. He gives us much to think about, and does so in clear, fluent prose. If you pay close attention, you will see him forming the idea for what years later became THE PEARL.

One caution: read the critical introduction AFTER enjoying the text. Like most introductions, it contains some spoilers and it also makes references that are better understood once one is familiar with the material it limns.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Profound, Aug 20 2001

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Currahee (South Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 20th Century Log From The Sea Of Cortez (Paperback)

I was compelled to read this book several years ago, as it made a list of "Most inspirational books to Marine Biologists." Since I consider myself a marine biologist and was then taking some free time to revisit the classics I couldn't resist. I had appreciated Of Mice and Men and other Steinbeck work in highschool, but was tragically unaware of his interest in marine science. Needless to say I now read this book at least once a year.
The Log From the Sea of Cortez starts out as a factual telling of a tail about the crew of a boat, seamen, fishermen and scientists who journey to the little traveled Gulf of California (sea of Cortez). The book does an wonderful job of describing the day to day toil of the journey where they must stop every day and collect large numbers of specimens at each low tide. The work is drudgery but it is offset by the fact that they are doing something new, learning things unknown. Throughout Steinbeck explores the metaphysics of being a scientist and an explorer. The characters, who happen to be real people, are excellent vehicles for this exploration. We feel as if we are there with them and appreciating the things that they are, thinking their thoughts and feeling there pain. The trip on the Western Flyer (the boat) would have been the trip of anyone's lifetime. If you read this book it is almost as if you made it also.

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4.0 out of 5 stars collection of animals and a sense of adventure, Jan 19 2004

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William D. Tompkins (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 20th Century Log From The Sea Of Cortez (Paperback)

steinbeck's darwinian novel that captues a sense of adventure as well with his good friend. there may be a need to be interested in the science of animal classification to really enjoy this book.

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