Rich Walsh's posterous

Watching Giants: The Secret Lives of Whales by Elin Kelsey -http://amzn.com/0520249763

This is a great short book by Elin Kelsey. It consists of twenty intertwined essays that blend current marine biology research and commentary from many scientists with the author's engaging style and personal perspective. There is lots of interesting - and fun - information about whale and dolphin behavior, their group cultures and the ecology of their breeding and feeding grounds, with special focus on the Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez. The book includes an insert with some wonderful color photos too.

In addition to the fascinating details about these remarkable mammals, there is also very sobering data on the pervasive impact of human actions on marine habitats and sea life. In that respect, the author shifts focus as the book concludes from reflections on individual species and habitats to an advocacy for the need to embrace a broad systems perspective about global ecology - with explicit acknowledgment of human impact on it - to address the scale and scope of complex environmental threats. She uses this quote from Tierney Thys, a biologist, to illuminate her point: "Our next challenge as a species, for us to survive on this planet, is to find our place in the matrix of life as we create the matrix itself"

Ship Fever by Andrea Barrett - http://amzn.com/0393316009

Andrea Barrett's writings cross centuries and mix a deep appreciation of science with both her particular artistic sensibility and a frequent interlocking of characters and timelines between her stories (and books).

I actually consider her Servants of the Map (http://amzn.com/0393323579) as more consistently good from end to end, but very much enjoyed this entire book and its concluding novella - for which the book is named - is simply astonishing in its beauty and emotional impact. I know this stylistic intersection of history, science and literature just topically resonates with my personal interests. That bias aside, I still believe this is a story you cannot forget once you read it.

The Outlaw Sea: A World of Freedom, Chaos and Crime by William Langewiesche - http://amzn.com/0865475814

All the recent press coverage about pirates had me perusing this fascinating book once again. Each chapter is pretty much a separate essay, though all revolve around the interplay of people, ships, commerce and the sea.

One chapter directly addresses modern piracy in the Straits of Malacca between Malaysia and Sumatra. The chapter that actually resonated the most with me was the description of how unneeded ships are effectively dismantled by hand on the beach of Alang in northwestern India. This is truly one of the darker crevices of globalization.

Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh - http://amzn.com/0374174229

This is an excellent work of historical fiction in my view and it is the first part of what I believe is intended to be a trilogy. The story takes place in 1838, shortly before the first Opium War between England and China. It is mostly centered in colonial India, has many interesting characters, very inventive wordplay and an often harrowing perspective on how the poppy economy affected India. I'm very much looking forward to next installment.

Ruling the Waves by Deborah L. Spar - http://amzn.com/015602702X

I read this book when first published about five years ago or so but have recently revisited it and still find it worthwhile. It is a series of case studies on innovation, beginning with the rise of global navigation and ending with music on the Internet.

The author's premise is that each such cycle evolves in a predictable pattern of phases: innovation, commercialization, creative 'anarchy' and finally the establishment of generally accepted rules/governance.

The Rings of Saturn by W.G. Sebald - http://amzn.com/0811213781

This is one of my very favorite books and on this list because I recently reread it and thoroughly enjoyed it again.

It is a work of fiction but not at all a novel in the usual sense. The primary conceit is that the protagonist (who seems to be much like the author) is taking a walking tour of Suffolk, England. However, that is merely a jumping off point for a series of meditations on people and history over many times and places.

It's strange but fascinating stuff. Sadly, Sebald died in a car accident a few years after he wrote the book.

The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier - http://amzn.com/0618242953

I've seen some criticisms that the author's writing is a little too stylized and over-wrought in its figurative language. I can see that but still think she is a beautiful writer who has provided a very readable and well-organized overview of the fundamental aspects of science.

The House of Morgan by Ron Chernow - http://amzn.com/0802138292

By chance, I started reading this book shortly before the now infamous Lehman collapse and all the cascading follow-on events in the economy. Overall, I liked the book quite a lot but it was a bit too long and I found the history up to and through the Great Depression more rewarding than later parts.

Reading the OED by Ammon Shea - http://amzn.com/0399533982

A quick read and really a lot of fun if you like words. The book is organized into a chapter for each letter of the alphabet. Each chapter contains both reflections by the author about his journey through the dictionary as well as some of his favorite words beginning with that letter (along with playful definitions/commentary).

The Lost Art of Walking by Geoff Nicholson - http://amzn.com/159448998X

Relatively brief and very witty in its scope and perspective. I was intrigued after reading a positive review in The Economist late last year. This was the first book I have read by this author though he as written quite a few based on his bio.

Wall Street: America’s Dream Palace by Steve Fraser - http://amzn.com/0300151438

I got this book after hearing the author interviewed on Fresh Air as part of the show's coverage of the financial crisis. It is a fairly quick read and basically is a subjective history of America's love/hate relationship with Wall Street and the financial markets viewed through the prism of four different perspectives: "The Aristocrat", "The Confidence Man", "The Hero" and "The Immoralist".

I enjoyed the book but perhaps not as much as I hoped I would from the interview.