1
of
1
What the Wild Sea Can Be
Shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Nonfiction
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 580 ratings, 103 reviews)
Brief Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION No matter where we live, we are all ocean people, Helen Scales observes in her bracing yet hopeful exploration of the future of the ocean. Beginning with its fascinating deep history, Scales...
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
What the Wild Sea Can Be
$2799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Latest News
The Book Briefing - September 1st
Welcome to this week's Book Briefing where we round up the news for the week!...
Screen Time for Tamariki - the books you need!
Finding the task of navigating screen time and the digital world for children incredibly complex,...
Shirl's Road Trip Reads and Board Game Picks
I recently spent a couple of weeks road-tripping with whΔnau visiting Aotearoa from overseas showing...
The Story to Screen Report - 01/09/2026
Sacha has rounded up all the biggest Story to Screen news from the past week,...
Books Our Dads Gave Us
For Fatherβs Day, we asked some of the team to share the books their Dads...
See moreAn impassioned examination of the existential threats to the world's ocean and cautious optimism for the abundant life within it.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION
LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION
No matter where we live, we are all ocean people, Helen Scales observes in her bracing yet hopeful exploration of the future of the ocean. Beginning with its fascinating deep history, Scales links past to present to show how prehistoric ocean ecology holds lessons for the ocean of today.
In elegant, evocative prose, she takes us into the realms of animals that epitomise current increasingly challenging conditions, from emperor penguins to sharks and orcas. Yet despite these threats, many hopeful signs remain, in the form of highly protected reserves, the regeneration of seagrass meadows and giant kelp forests, and efforts to protect coral reefs.
Offering innovative ideas for protecting coastlines and cleaning the toxic seas, Scales insists we need more ethical and sustainable fisheries and must prevent the other existential threat of deep-sea mining. Inspiring us all to maintain a sense of awe and wonder at the majesty beneath the waves, she urges us to fight for the better future that still exists for the ocean.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781804710531
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 03 April 2025
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Grove Press
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 25.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 0g
Pages: 320
Collections
About the Author
Dr Helen Scales is a marine biologist, acclaimed author and broadcaster who explores the wonders and plight of the oceans and the living planet. Her books, including The Brilliant Abyss and Spirals in Time, have been adapted for stage and screen, and translated into 15 languages. She writes for National Geographic Magazine and the Guardian, teaches at Cambridge University and is a storytelling ambassador for the Save Our Seas Foundation. Helen divides her time between Cambridge, England, and the wild Atlantic coast of France.
Also by Helen Scales
View all-
18% offWhat the Wild Sea Can Be
LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2025 No matter where we live, What the Wild Sea Can Be, Helen Scales observes in her bracing yet hopeful exploration of the future of the ocean. Beginning with its fascinating deep history, Scales links past to present to show how prehistoric ocean ecology holds lessons for the ocean of today. In elegant,...Paperback$3100Usually:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Shell Spotterβs Guide
Turn any beach into a treasure hunt with this beautifully illustrated book packed with surprising and delightful wonders of nature. Looking for seashells and learning their names is the perfect way to explore Britainβs coastline at leisure. Itβs a nostalgic, simple pleasure, and a way to discover some of natureβs most exquisite wonders. From the common cockle to the blue-rayed...Hardback$2799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Around the Ocean in 80 Fish and other Sea Life
Dive beneath the waves to meet 80 of the ocean's strangest and most surprising inhabitants. This beautifully illustrated aquatic world tour tells the fascinating stories of beguiling sea creatures and their ingenious feats of survival - from producing anti-freeze to enduring boiling temperatures - revealing the ways in which these seemingly remote creatures have shaped our own lives, whether through...Hardback$6100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
20% offWild Seas Jigsaw - 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
Discover the extraordinary ways the world's oceans and sea life are coming back from the brink and making remarkable recoveries in this stunning new 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, with 20 uniquely shaped pieces that give a new twist to puzzling. Beautifully illustrated by Good Wives and Warriors and accompanied by a fold-out poster with text written by Dr Helen Scales, discover...1000 PieceGame$3600Usually:$4499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Shells... and what they hide inside
In this board book companion to What a Shell Can Tell, award-winning marine biologist and documentary maker, Helen Scales, introduces children ages 2-4 to the wonders of shells. With over 40 flaps to lift creating interactive opportunities on every page and stunningly lifelike illustrations, children are encouraged to observe, engage with, and understand a range of shells and environments. From...Board book$4300Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Around the World in 50 Fish
Dive beneath the waves to meet 50 extraordinary ocean inhabitants in this 1000-piece puzzle. Piece together seahorses and clownfish in the shallows, then travel to the depths and spot deep-sea creatures like vampire squid and dragonfish. Discover the fascinating stories of marine life from around the globe on the fold-out poster guide. A 1000-PIECE JIGSAW featuring sea life from all...1000 PieceJigsaw$5900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Wild Earth Jigsaw
Piece together flora and fauna from around the globe in this 1000-piece puzzle, with 20 specially shaped pieces. Vibrantly illustrated by Good Wives and Warriors and accompanied by a fold-out poster with text written by Dr Helen Scales. Discover the extraordinary ways the world's land dwelling wildlife are surviving and thriving, find out how the Voeltzkow species chameleon was lost...1000 PieceJigsaw$6100Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Ocean Art
Artists have captured the marvels of ocean life throughout history. From fine art to scientific illustrations, these portrayals help us to appreciate and interpret the diversity of shapes, colours and patterns of the remarkable organisms that inhabit the oceans of the world. In Ocean Art, marine biologist and writer Helen Scales takes readers on a tour of ocean art, looking...Hardback$6900Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 2-3 weeks -
Pre-orderInto the Deep Sharing Puzzle
This jigsaw puzzle has 180 pieces in two different sizes: big pieces for little hands and little pieces for bigger hands. They all fit together to make one complete puzzle, so the whole family can enjoy working togetherβkids and grown-ups, beginners and experts! Spot all your favourite sea creatures while piecing together the oceanic scene, from the Whale Shark and...180 PieceJigsaw$5200Unit price /UnavailableOut 15 Sep 2026Pre-order -
Pre-orderThe Deep Dark Ocean
Travel to the bottom of the ocean to explore the hidden deep sea environment with marine biologist Dr Helen Scales. The deep sea is the biggest, most mysterious part of our planet. For a long time, scientists thought it was just a huge empty space, devoid of life: too dark, too cold, too much pressure and not enough food. Now...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableOut 24 Oct 2026Pre-order -
Oceanopedia
Discover an incredible world hidden beneath the waves with this beautiful encyclopedia of our oceans and the animals that live in and around them. Our planet's oceans are home to a breathtaking array of animals. From the neon squid that roam the open waters and the floating forests of the Sargasso Sea, to glow-in-the-dark sharks and the angel fish of...HardbackSold Out -
Return of the Wild
Discover the extraordinary ways nature has come back from the brink in this collection of 20 environmental success stories from around the world, written by Dr Helen Scales and beautifully illustrated by Good Wives and Warriors. From humpback whale populations thriving again in the freezing seas of Alaska and the recovery of kiwi populations in New Zealand, to the setting...HardbackSold Out
More from Science & Nature
View all-
19% offWhat If? 10th Anniversary Edition
CELEBRATING TEN YEARS OF THE MILLION-SELLING POP SCIENCE CLASSIC WITH A SPECIAL EDITION. THIS IS WHAT IF? . . . x10. THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Nerd royalty' β BEN GOLDACRE 'Totally brilliant' β TIM HARFORD 'Required reading across the world' β NEW YORK TIMES From the creator of the wildly popular xkcd.com, experience hilarious and informative answers to important questions...Hardback$3400Elsewhere:$5000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Anxious Generation
A powerful argument for reclaiming childhoodβand all human relationshipsβfrom the online world, from the influential social psychologist and international bestselling author. Jonathan Haidt has spent his career speaking truth and wisdom in some of the most difficult spacesβcommunities polarised by politics and religion, campuses battling culture wars, and now the mental health emergency hitting teenagers today in many countries around...Paperback$2299Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Prisoners of Geography
Prisoners of Geography looks at the past, present, and future to offer crucial insights into one of the major factors that determine world history β because if you donβt know geography, youβll never have the full picture. Originally published in 2015, this completely revised and updated edition brings it up to date with the events and trends of the past...Paperback$2899Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Ultra-Processed People
Launching the runaway bestseller with ambitions to be the biggest non-fiction paperback of the year IT'S NOT YOU. IT'S THE FOOD. "If you only read one diet or nutrition book in your life, make it this one" - Bee Wilson "You've got to get this book in your life . . . Completely compelling . . . Read a page...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Buy to Win
Sapiens
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari is an extraordinary exploration of humanity's history from the dawn of our species to the present day. Harari delves into our evolution, offering insights into the cognitive revolutions that allowed Homo sapiens to rise above other animal species. Traversing through various stages of human development, he examines the Agricultural Revolution, the unification of humankind through...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Invisible Women
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez is a groundbreaking and meticulously researched exploration into the pervasive gender bias that infiltrates every aspect of our society. Through compelling case studies and thorough analysis, this book unveils the hidden ways women are systematically disadvantaged in a world predominantly designed by and for men. Perez's revelations stretch across various sectors including government policy,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Clean & Green
Simple swaps and innovative ideas for cleaning and maintaining your home that won't cost the Earth. Learn how easy it is to make simple swaps in your cleaning and tidying methods for a more eco-friendly home. This beautifully illustrated black and white guide with 101 hints and sustainable, natural cleaning tips and hacks will help you take small steps that...Paperback$2999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Genetic Book of the Dead
From one of the worldβs great science writers, a book that explores the deepest principles of evolutionary history. In this groundbreaking new approach to the evolution of all life, Richard Dawkins shows how the body, behaviour, and genes of every living creature can be read as a book β an archive of the worlds of its ancestors. A perfectly camouflaged...Hardback$4900Elsewhere:$5499Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
16% offThe Coming Wave
The instant Sunday Times bestseller from the ultimate AI insider - the only book you need to read on this subject. An Economist, Financial Times, Guardian, Prospect and Sunday Times Book of the Year Shortlisted for the FT and Schroders Business Book of the Year This is the only book you need to understand our new world - from the...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2800Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Buy to Win
Breath
Discover the transformative power of breathing in Breath by esteemed journalist James Nestor. This revolutionary book delves into the science and history of one of the most fundamental human activities - breathing. From the bustling streets of SΓ£o Paulo to the serene temples of India, Nestor embarks on a global journey to uncover the secrets of ancient breathing techniques such...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2600Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
13% offDopamine Nation
'Her stories have the power to transform your life' Lori Gottlieb, bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone 'Radically changes the way we think about mental illness, pleasure, pain, reward and stress' Daniel Levitin, bestselling author of The Organized Mind THE NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER We are a wired generation. In these fast-paced times, we...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Cat's Tales
Once upon a time, the enchanting creature that is the cat infiltrated our lives β and our folklore. Cats have a long association with the supernatural β from being worshipped as gods in ancient Egypt to vilified as witchesβ familiars in Europe β and they appear in countless fairy tales throughout history. Every part of the world has its own...Hardback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
