Description: "Sharks have been fighting for their lives for 500 million years and are under dire threat today. They are the longest surviving vertebrate on Earth, outlasting multiple mass extinction events that decimated life on the planet. How did they thrive so long? By developing superpower-like abilities that allowed them to ascend to the top of the oceanic food chain. Yet they often found themselves in the shadows of larger, more formidable killers--and they not only survived, but also took their crown as the king of the sea. ... Because of recent technological breakthroughs, scientists' understanding of sharks has taken a quantum leap forward in the last decade. John Long has been on the cutting edge of this research and in this [book] weaves a fully updated and unexpected tale of shark's extraordinary evolutionary adventure"--
Review Quotes: "A must-read on the history of the underwater predator."--The New York Post
"[A] wonderfully rich book."--The Spectator "Exhilarating. Long brings to life the incredible story of sharks. . . . Each adventure is pulse-pounding, giving readers a front row seat to the discoveries that have reshaped our understanding of shark evolution. . . . This accessible and engaging book is not only an enlightening read for those curious about marine life, but also a compelling case for why their survival is essential to our own."--American Scientist "Sharks scare and fascinate us. How did they evolve? How did they beat out the ocean's other giant predators of the past, like carnivorous marine reptiles? Is it ever safe to swim with Great White Sharks? What else do sharks do to make a living, besides eating us and other big prey? This book, by shark expert and great writer John Long, will keep you on the edge of your seat from its first page to its last page."--Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel"In this magnificent book, the eminent paleontologist John Long tells the true story of sharks and their evolutionary legacy spanning hundreds of millions of years. Rich with scientific detail and enlivened with stories from Long's decades of fossil discoveries and cutting-edge research, this book is the work of a master scientist and storyteller."--Steve Brusatte, professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs "Dive in to this effervescent, engaging biography of the world's most misunderstood creatures. Evolving in obscurity almost half a billion years ago, sharks have endured the worst that the earth could throw at them. They were here long before the dinosaurs. When dinosaurs died out, sharks were still here. But will they be able to survive the Earth's current threat: us?"--Henry Gee, PhD, senior editor of Nature and author of the award-winning A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth "Every week is Shark Week for John Long, who has spent his life scouring the planet for clues to the mystery of shark evolution. Thoroughly researched and wonderfully narrated, The Secret History of Sharks makes a convincing case that the story of sharks is nothing less than the story of life on Earth. Highly recommended!"--Nate Blakeslee, New York Times bestselling author of American Wolf "Readers will want to sink their teeth into this."--Publishers Weekly "Long writes lively, lucid prose, and while this is not a textbook, he delivers an extremely detailed education in the history, anatomy, behavior, and ecology of the extensive shark family. . . . An expert natural history with few stones left unturned. If you enjoy searching for shark teeth, read this book."--Kirkus Reviews