The Whale Warriors

Every once in a while, the world forgoes the usual omens - and hits you upside the head with a two-by-four instead.

I was sitting at the coffee shop, diligently arguing with M. over whether the bookstore at 120th was a Barnes & Noble or a Borders (I had a coupon for 25% off at Borders - which is why the whole conversation was relevant) - when a gentleman wandered into the room. "Oh," he said. "Are you going to a bookstore?"

"Yes," I said - with that wavering tone reserved for situations where you aren't sure whether the other person is going to engage in small talk or suddenly begin barking like a seal. Honestly, I was prepared for either.

He laughed. "It's just that I finished writing a book . . . and I thought you might want to buy it."

My brain immediately slammed into over drive. RED ALERT! RED ALERT!!! Man marketing his own book. RUN AWAY! Barring a clear exit . . . back away slowly.

"Ah," he said nervously, to break the sound of crickets chirping. "It's doing really well on Amazon.com."

(Wait a minute,) my brain cut in. (Amazon? Amazon is pretty respectable. Wow.) "Um," said my mouth - finally catching up with the rest of my body (What the heck? I won't be interested - but can't hurt to ask), "what is it called?"

"The Whale Warriors," he said enthusiastically. "It's about a group called Sea Shepherd, who hunt the Japanese whaling fleet while they hunt whales. I'm a writer for National Geographic, and I spent time on their ship during their 2006 campaign."

I was speechless. (Oh my god,) my brain cut in. (I'm actually interested.)

Peter Heller has done an excellent job (and a service to both Sea Shepherd and the marine life they are striving to protect) in publishing a novel that is a breathtaking examination of a very complex ethical and political situation. Unlike many other "save-the-planet" books (for lack of a better term), he doesn't launch into lengthy explanations of the horrors being inflicted on the animals - instead, he devotes his pages to examining the people, the politics, the ethics - and yes, the tactics involved - and he has captured it in a way that lets the reader make up their own mind about Sea Shepherd and their controversial methods.

News stories come and go - but a novel is a piece of work that can be passed from one person to the next. It sparks interest and debates. And this is - frankly - one darn good novel. As soon as I finished it, I made sure to pass it on to a friend - with a small sticky that read "This book is very very good - but prepare to be very very angry."

I was so angry when I finished it - I couldn't sleep. But my anger wasn't directed at the whalers. It was directed at all the various political entities that aren't doing ANYTHING. I also decided to visit Sea Shepherd's web-site to see if they were still in operation - and if there were any updates. There is a wealth of information that I have not even begun to plunder.

The most startling thing I found was a fairly recent connection between Steve Irwin (the Crocodile Hunter) and Sea Shepherd. I had a great respect for Steve Irwin and the projects he put his name behind - and Terri Irwin has recently given Sea Shepherd her approval to name one of their vessels after her departed husband. The Steve Irwin is still sailing the seas, trying to do what is right and bring attention to the plight of animals who desperately need both attention and conservation.

Poof went the anger. Out came the tears.

But enough of my emotional insanity. If you get a chance, READ THIS BOOK. If you don't want to read the book, at least visit Sea Shepherd and READ THE SITE. I believe that things happen for a reason . . . and really, how often does the author of a book approach you at a coffee shop, introduce himself, and tell you to buy his book? Now I'm doing my part - telling YOU to buy this book. The Whale Warriors. By Peter Heller. On Amazon.com. Got it?