To Touch A Wild Dolphin
To Touch A Wild Dolpin, by Rachel Smolker 
Blurb:In 1982, Rachel Smolker traveled to Monkey Mia, a remote spot in western Australia where she’d heard wild dolphins regularly interact with people. She had no intention of staying long; she simply wanted to see if the rumors were true. That initial trip changed Smolker’s life; it commenced a fifteen-year scientific obsession that has culminated in this fascinating scientific adventure story–the first-ever intimate account of dolphin life in the wild.This is the second time I've tried to read this book. The first time I didn't get more than a few chapters in. This time I finished it but I have to say there were times when I was forcing myself to read it. It seems to plod along. There are bits that are really interesting and I liked that this is a scientist who worked with wild dolphins rather than captive ones.I enjoyed learning about the dolphins at Monkey Mia and their different personalities and, as I said, I also liked learning about wild dolphins rather than captive ones, since you can't say that the behaviour of captive dolphins in normal. Also, the pictures in the book are gorgeous!I did have to keep reminding myself though that this book is relatively old. It was published in 2001 but most of the research is from the late 1900's, mostly before I was born. I love the idea of Monkey Mia, but was saddened to hear it was turned into a tourist resort and god knows what it's like now.However, the thing for me was the pacing. Beginning and end it was so slow, though it was faster paced in the middle. Also, the layout confused me a little since in one chapter it would mention that a certain dolphin died, then in the next it would be talking as if it were alive. I understand that it's laid out that way for a reason and it does make sense, but at times it confused me. Although relatively old, all in all this is a good book to learn about wild dolphins if you can persevere through the first few chapters. 
My favourite quotes from 'To Touch A Wild Dolphin':'I wanted to be a part of the dolphin world, not force them to become part of mine.' 'The more we have looked and conducted experiments and compared different species, the more we have been forced to rephrase the question "How smart are they?" to ask "How are they smart?"''What disturbs me most about these drop-in tourists is that they don't seem to realise just what an incredible privilege they are being granted. Thought their eyes dolphins are reduced to quaint little critters, put here to provide a trifling amusement and a photo op.' 'The notion that humans are their own worst enemy may be disheartening, but it nonetheless wings true.' 'I guess we tend to care for individuals whose personalities we can know and with whom we can identify.'
Blurb:In 1982, Rachel Smolker traveled to Monkey Mia, a remote spot in western Australia where she’d heard wild dolphins regularly interact with people. She had no intention of staying long; she simply wanted to see if the rumors were true. That initial trip changed Smolker’s life; it commenced a fifteen-year scientific obsession that has culminated in this fascinating scientific adventure story–the first-ever intimate account of dolphin life in the wild.This is the second time I've tried to read this book. The first time I didn't get more than a few chapters in. This time I finished it but I have to say there were times when I was forcing myself to read it. It seems to plod along. There are bits that are really interesting and I liked that this is a scientist who worked with wild dolphins rather than captive ones.I enjoyed learning about the dolphins at Monkey Mia and their different personalities and, as I said, I also liked learning about wild dolphins rather than captive ones, since you can't say that the behaviour of captive dolphins in normal. Also, the pictures in the book are gorgeous!I did have to keep reminding myself though that this book is relatively old. It was published in 2001 but most of the research is from the late 1900's, mostly before I was born. I love the idea of Monkey Mia, but was saddened to hear it was turned into a tourist resort and god knows what it's like now.However, the thing for me was the pacing. Beginning and end it was so slow, though it was faster paced in the middle. Also, the layout confused me a little since in one chapter it would mention that a certain dolphin died, then in the next it would be talking as if it were alive. I understand that it's laid out that way for a reason and it does make sense, but at times it confused me. Although relatively old, all in all this is a good book to learn about wild dolphins if you can persevere through the first few chapters. My favourite quotes from 'To Touch A Wild Dolphin':'I wanted to be a part of the dolphin world, not force them to become part of mine.' 'The more we have looked and conducted experiments and compared different species, the more we have been forced to rephrase the question "How smart are they?" to ask "How are they smart?"''What disturbs me most about these drop-in tourists is that they don't seem to realise just what an incredible privilege they are being granted. Thought their eyes dolphins are reduced to quaint little critters, put here to provide a trifling amusement and a photo op.' 'The notion that humans are their own worst enemy may be disheartening, but it nonetheless wings true.' 'I guess we tend to care for individuals whose personalities we can know and with whom we can identify.'
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