The Ocean World of Jacques Cousteau promises to be an epic. Having seen [Oasis in Space, The Act of Life, and Quest for Food], the first three volumes of the 20 book set, I am impressed by what quality work can be published at such a reasonable price….

The texts, expectedly, are excellent. Whether they were ghost written or translated from French we are not told, but they have the same clarity and adventuresomeness that Cousteau's television specials have. The introduction to the first volume, Oasis in Space, may surprise with its pessimistic message. The oceans are in danger of dying and thus the threat to mankind is enormous. But the situation is remedial and Captain Cousteau tells what the approach will be in this set. "… we want to explore the themes of the ocean's existence—how it moves and breathes, how it experiences dramas and seasons, how it...