The orca – otherwise known as the killer whale – is one of earth's most intelligent animals. Remarkably sophisticated, orcas have languages and cultures and even long-term memories, and their capacity for echolocation is nothing short of a sixth sense. They are also benign and gentle, which makes the story of the captive-orca industry and the endangerment of their population in Puget Sound that much more damning.
In Of Orcas and Men, a marvellously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores an extraordinary species and its occasionally fraught relationship with human beings. In the tradition of Barry Lopez's classic Of Wolves and Men, David Neiwert's book is a triumph of reporting, observation, and research, and a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom's most remarkable members.
David Neiwert is an award-winning investigative journalist based in Seattle. His reportage for MSNBC.com on domestic terrorism won the National Press Club Award for Distinguished Online Journalism in 2000 and has written two acclaimed books on the topic of American right-wing extremism And Hell Followed With Her: Crossing the Dark Side of the American Border and The Eliminationists.