The Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure
 Cover ofThe Silent World: A Story of Undersea Discovery and Adventure | |
| Author | Jacques-Yves CousteauwithFrédéric Dumas |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Harper & Brothers Publishers |
Publication date | 1953 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Hardback |
| Pages | 266 |
| LCCN52-5431 | |
The Silent World(subtitle:A story of undersea discovery and adventure, by the first men to swim at record depths with the freedom of fish) is a 1953 book co-authored by CaptainJacques-Yves CousteauandFrédéric Dumas,and edited byJames Dugan.[1]
Background[edit]
Although a French national, Cousteau wrote the book in English.[2]Cousteau andÉmile Gagnandesigned, built, and tested the first "aqua-lung"in the summer of 1943, off the southern coast of France. In the opening chapters, Cousteau recounts the earliest days ofscuba divingwith his diving companionsFrédéric DumasandPhilippe Tailliez.The aqualung allowed for the first time untethered, free-floating extended deep water diving, and ushered in the modern era of scuba diving. Later chapters include excursions diving to shipwrecks.
It was the basis of the Academy Award-winning documentaryThe Silent World(1956). It has been very successful; as of the book's 50th anniversary, it has been translated into some 22 languages and sold over 5 million copies,[3]and is still in print, notably as a 2004 hardcover edition published by theNational Geographic Society.[4]
The book contains 48 pages of black-and-white photos by various photographers, and 16 pages of color photos, made available byNational Geographic Magazine.The hand-held work inEktachrome"is the first ever made in significant depths, using artificial light and scientific color correction."[2]
References[edit]
- ^James Dugan biography
- ^abJacques-Yves CousteauandFrédéric Dumas(1953).The Silent World.Harper & Brothers Publishers.pp. preface.
- ^Gabriel Abad, "Undersea Exploration" inLiterature of Travel and Exploration: An Encyclopedia,page 1212
- ^The Silent World.National Geographic Society, 2004.ISBN0-7922-6796-6
External links[edit]
- Book review,C. H. Blickenstorfer, scubadiverinfo.com
