David Shiffman is a marine conservation biologist at Arizona State University. His work has appeared in the Washington Post, National Geographic, and Scientific American, and he writes a monthly column in Scuba Diving Magazine. He can be found on Twitter at @WhySharksMatter, where he's always happy to answer questions about sharks.
Shiffman says he wants 'to teach you why sharks are remarkable and awe-inspiring animals, why we're better off with sharks than we are without them, and what you can do to help protect the alarming and increasing number of sharks of conservation concern.' He succeeds on all counts. The argument of Shiffman's book is that we should do a better job of protecting sharks, and his method is to dip analysis and policy recommendations in a sugar coating of cool facts. For Shiffman, our inability to conceptualize relative risk is both an ecological and aesthetic tragedy, undermining conservation efforts while preventing us from exulting in the glory of sharks-with their dermal denticles, their total lack of bones and their ability to hear an injured fish from a mile away. -Molly Young, New York Times Whether this book makes you pause and reflect on your perception of sharks, or teaches you some new facts about these predators, Shiffman hopes he has shed light on human side of shark conservation through this work. [Shiffman] delivers the book he was born to write. Join award-winning marine biologist Dr. David Shiffman in an approachable, humorous and adventure-packed narrative about sharks-the mysterious guardians of the ocean. You'll learn why we should overcome our misconceptions regarding these creatures, delve deep into Shiffman's own experiences with sharks, and explore decades of scientific research and policymaking related to shark conservation. A fun, engaging and informative read. Written by a US shark-conservation expert with a solid academic background...[Shiffman] question[s] the easy assumptions we divers sometimes make for emotional reasons about protecting sharks, rather than being guided by the science. Shiffman is quick to celebrate those who advance the interests of sharks, profiling a diverse group of dedicated scientists (itself laudable in a field dominated by white men). His bluntness and specificity is refreshing in the face of so much advocacy that just sets its sights at 'raising awareness.'