A Sea of Glass

“Harvell seems to channel the devotion that motivated the Blaschkas.”—The Guardian
 
“Stunning photos . . . contextualize the dramatic taxonomic and ecological shifts in ocean life over the past 150 years.”––Nature
 
“The author makes an eloquent plea for marine biodiversity conservation.”—Library Journal

“An engaging travel adventure that blends art, science, and natural history. A Sea of Glass documents Drew Harvell’s quest to document the conservation status of some of the ocean’s most charismatic marine invertebrates, from sea slugs to octopuses. Inspired by her discovery of a lost collection of handblown glass animals, Harvell dives the world’s oceans to determine how their living counterparts are faring in today’s beleaguered marine ecosystems. Beautifully illustrated, A Sea of Glass is both a call to action and a loving ode to our oceans.”—Ted Danson, actor, activist, and founding member of Oceana
 
"This book is significant not just for its scholarship on a fragile ecosystem but also for its celebration of the symbiotic relationship between art and science.”—Dale Chihuly, American glass sculptor and founder of the Pilchuck Glass School
 
“A Sea of Glass weaves two amazing substances, water and glass, into a living tapestry of history, with mesmerizing stories that combine science, art, and the lives of people who, like the author, were fascinated with the menagerie of small, rarely seen sea creatures that shape the nature of the ocean and, therefore, of life on Earth. Many of these animals have sharply declined in recent decades, but knowing of their existence may inspire caring and protection for them and the living sea they—and we—need to survive.”—Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence, former chief scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and founder of Mission Blue
 
“Drew Harvell’s new book spans the fertile yet rarely visited boundary between science and art. Part history, part exploration, and part cautionary tale, A Sea of Glass transforms the fascinating story of the Blaschkas’ glass sea creatures into an elegant metaphor for the fate of our oceans. The result is a visual feast and a splendid read.”—Thor Hanson, author of Feathers and The Triumph of Seeds

“A Sea of Glass is a superb story inspired by the unparalleled artistic creations of two talented Bohemian glassmakers who provided a time capsule of marine life 150 years ago that now serves as a baseline for the author, a marine biologist, to reflect on the fragility and resiliency of life in the ocean. A delightful merger of art, science, and travel adventure that entertains, enlightens, and inspires.” —Jane Lubchenco, U.S. Science Envoy for the Ocean and first woman to be appointed administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration