In Pursuit Of Giants

For millennia the great fishÑmarlin, bluefin tuna, and swordfishÑhave reigned over the worldÕs oceans and awed human beings. Naturalists, photographers, sportfishermen, and writers from Zane Grey to Ernest Hemingway have been inspired by their beauty, power, and sheer size. But like much other marine life today, these fish face perilous reductions in their populations due to destructive and illegal fishing, inept fisheries management practices, and dramatic changes in ocean ecology, including those wrought by climate change. In Pursuit of Giants is a moving elegy and a call to arms for the protection of these creatures, as well as a five-year, 75,000-mile global adventure story that takes author Matt Rigney on a quest to discover how once-thriving species are now threatened. RigneyÕs pilgrimage to encounter these giants takes him from the sportfishing mecca of Cabo San Lucas, to the Great Barrier Reef, from New Zealand to Nova Scotia, Japan and the Mediterranean, as he joins commercial and sport fishermen, marine biologists, fish-farming pioneers, and ocean activists to investigate the dangers these species face, and the various efforts being madeÑor notÑto protect them.

A riveting and rollicking tour-de-force about the terrifying power of nature's most deadly phenomena — colossal waves — and the scientists and super surfers who are obsessed with them. The New York Times bestselling author of The Devil's Teeth probes the dramatic convergence of baffling gargantuan waves that pummel oil rigs and sink massive ships, the extreme surfers willing to stare down death in order to ride them, and the marine scientists trying to unlock the physics of these waves, the climate changes that are provoking them, and what chaos they might wreak. Susan Casey explores the phenomenon of monster waves and how they have become an obsession for extreme surfers like Laird Hamilton — who serves as the author's guide as she takes the reader into the intense, white-knuckle world of 100-foot waves.

Celebrate the golden age of San Francisco Giants baseball with Giant Splash, a firsthand account by Giants beat reporter and best-selling author Andrew Baggarly. Since the team moved to the shores of McCovey Cove in 2000, Giants fans have been thrilled by iconic players, historic moments, and heroic performances—not to mention three World Series championships. Giant Splash takes readers onto the field and inside the clubhouse for every unforgettable moment: Barry Bonds' record-setting home runs, Tim Lincecum's no-hitter, Matt Cain's perfect game, Travis Ishikawa's walk-off pennant winner, and many more.

The book describes how cultural distinctions and socialization processes can influence how we see the world and ourselves. As we mature, we find out that what little coping skills and positive assumptions do little to anesthetize us against the complex and ever-changing negative influences of the world in which we exist. In every complex situation of our life, whether intentional or by accident, seen or unseen we are challenged to find new coping skill and new rules to survive and live by. This survival mode prompt millions to turn to religion and the supernatural to reinforce our sense of stability and self-acceptance. As I did, millions of people find resolve and stability in understanding that the Holy scriptures with its doctrines were inspired for our learning and usage as we journey through this decaying world. It is my intention, in this book to unravel and expose the unmerited favors of the creator, fitted for mental and spiritual stability.