Shark Trouble

True Stories About Sharks and the Sea

By: Peter Benchley

Narrated by: Peter Benchley

Drawing on more than three decades of experience writing about sharks and other marine animals, the bestselling author of Jaws combines high adventure with practical information in a book that is at once a thriller and a valuable guide to being safe in, on, under, and around the sea. “Shark attacks on human beings generate a tremendous amount of media coverage,” Benchley writes, “partly because they occur so rarely, but mostly, I think, because people are, and always have been, simultaneously intrigued and terrified by sharks. Sharks come from a wing of the dark castle where our nightmares live—deep water beyond our sight and understanding—and so they stimulate our fears and fantasies and imaginations.” Benchley describes the many types of sharks (including the ones that pose a genuine threat to man), what is and isn’t known about shark behavior, the odds against an attack and how to reduce them even further—all reinforced with the lessons he has learned, the mistakes he has made, and the personal perils he has encountered while producing television documentaries, bestselling novels, and articles about the sea and its inhabitants. He tells how to swim safely in the ocean, how to read the tides and currents, what behavior to avoid, and how to survive when danger suddenly strikes. He discusses how to tell children about sharks and the sea and how to develop, in young and old alike, a healthy respect for the ocean. As Benchley says, “The ocean is the only alien and potentially hostile environment on the planet into which we tend to venture without thinking about the animals that live there, how they behave, how they support themselves, and how they perceive us. I know of no one who would set off into the jungles of Malaysia armed only with a bathing suit, a tube of suntan cream, and a book, and yet that’s precisely how we approach the oceans.” No longer. Not after you’ve read Shark Trouble.

©2002 Peter Benchley (P)2012 Random House

Critic reviews

“Benchley is a master.” (Chicago Tribune)

Gripping and easy to lose yourself to

I have read this book probably 4-5 times over my lifetime. The way that Peter tells his stories has me laughing, gripped by or lost in thought thinking about it. it is incredibly well worded and gives a good peak into his life pre and post jaws as well as a fantastic read to learn about sharks and the ocean in general since, ya know, knowing the animals that live on our planet and respecting them is what people like Peter would want.

Shark Trouble is an excellent book about the Sea

loved this book. Peter Benchley will be missed. His writing style pulls you into the story.

6th grade

Thought of giving this 1or 2 stars (as an adult) but, on reflection, I think it could be a 5 or 4 star book for someone in middle school.