Sharks

Shark Life by Peter Benchley New York: Delacorte Press, 2005

 Call Number: 597.3 WOJ

**__Summary/Description__:** This book was about Peter Benchley's true stories of the ocean and the experiences he had under the water. Peter was a pioneer to the sea, and he had much success with the writing of //Jaws.// Because of the book and movie //Jaws//, the perception of sharks have changed into fear and anxiety. Sharks do not attack people, they have encounters with them, and occasionally the become curious and take a test bite to see if humans are ideal prey. Quickly sharks find out that we are not worth their energy, and they move on. Sharks are beautiful, mysterious, and graceful animals, who are being over hunted and the entire shark population is declining rapidly. Benchley talks about everything in this book from shark attacks to rip tides, and throughout his experiences, he has gained an exuberant amount of knowledge about sharks and the sea. Peter Benchley came face to face with what he thought would be his death many times, took a ride on the back of a manta ray, and had many other amazing experiences, that are so extraordinary it seems impossible. //Shark Life// is an excellent book about a man doing the things he loves, and the experiences he had doing it.

__** Beyond the Book: **__ Go beyond the book by exploring these recommended web resources:
 * [|More about Peter Benchley] - This link will take you to a website about Peter Benchley, and his life and accomplishments. Benchley was the bestselling author of Jaws, and this link tells you a lot about the many books he wrote. It also has behind the scenes for the movie //Jaws//, awards Benchley has received, and a biography of Peter's spectacular life. When Benchley thought there was no hope left as a writer, the idea of //Jaws// came to him. At the time, his idea seemed so stupid, but little did he know //Jaws// would change our culture forever.
 * [|Shark Cage Diving] - Would you like to experience cage diving with the deadliest predator in the sea, just like Peter Benchley did? Here is your chance. Experience the wonder and awe as you stare face to face with a Great White Shark. In //Shark Life,// it talks about Benchley's experience cage diving. If you ever find yourself looking for something to do on vacation, book a cage dive, and I guarantee it will be the highlight of your vacation.
 * [|Types of Sharks] - On this website, you will learn about the characteristics of many sharks throughout the sea that were mentioned in //Shark Life,// including Great White Sharks, Tiger Sharks, Bull Sharks, Mako Sharks, and Blue Sharks. Each shark in the sea are unique in their own way. For example, The Mako shark is the fastest fish in the ocean, and the Hammerhead Shark has a uniquely shaped head, shaped like a sledgehammer. Benchley describes each shark he encounters in great detail, and each shark has a remarkable story to go along with it.
 * [|Preserve the Sharks] - 100 million sharks are killed a year by humans. 100 Million! Sharks keep all the ecosystems in the ocean healthy and alive, yet the shark population is declining rapidly. This website talks about the many ways sharks are being killed including, fishing, finning, and loss of their environment. It is our duty to protect all living things on our planet including sharks, so that the ecosystems on Earth stay healthy. This link also has ways you can help save sharks by donating money.
 * [|Shark's Role in the Ocean] - Sharks are a crucial part in the ocean's ecosystem. Without sharks, coral reefs would not be able to survive. Sharks are being extremely over hunted in Asia and other countries because there is such a high demand for shark fin soup on the other side of the world. Also many fisherman hunt sharks for game, and that reduces the population as well. If people do not stop hunting and fishing for sharks, the effect on the ocean could be devastating. Peter Benchley realized the possible dangers of this, and he has made many efforts to try and preserve sharks for future generations. One of Benchley's most famous quotes was "Save the sharks, and we can save the ocean." This quote mean without sharks, the ocean will die.
 * [|Great White Sharks True Power] - Great White Sharks are one of the ocean's most majestic and beautiful creatures. There is still so much to be learned about these sharks. Their power and agility is awesome as shown in this video. Great White's favorite food is seals, and in this video the sharks are catapulting out of the water to catch this tasty meal. As in //Shark Life// this video exhibits the Great White's true beauty, and that they are not just big, brutal, killing machines.