The Sea's Enthrall

About the Book

What People Are Saying
"Timothy Parsons is a... national treasure... if you love our ocean planet, you'll need to read this book."
Paul Kennedy, Host/Producer of IDEAS (CBC Radio One)

"...wonderfully informative and entertaining... a well-written memoir hallmarked with philosophy, humor, and a cosmopolitan outlook on life."
Midwest Book Review

"... his anecdotal accounts are at times reminiscent of episodes that many of us can recall having experienced at one time or other."
David W. Townsend, Professor of Oceanography, University of Maine, for Oceanography

"Parsons' comments on social, religious, literary as well as scientific aspects of our society with a lightness of touch and humour that makes the text very accessible to a wide audience. It is a pot pourri of experiences, comment and anecdote, that is full of interest and information."
Martin Angel, Underwater Technology

"... full of lively and amusing portraits, not only of scientists, but also of bungling bureaucrats, corrupt officials and devious taxi-drivers, which gave me many good laughs... a delightful, insightful and moving book..."
William Hsieh, CMOS Bulletin

"... a good story told by a gifted raconteur whose sense of humour and strong opinions on many subjects come across in a forceful way, while his quiet passion and curious mind seeks to find answers on many topics quite apart from the ocean sciences."
Valerie Green, Saanich News

About the Author

Dr. Parsons is an internationally acclaimed oceanographer and recipient of the prestigious Japan Prize (second only to the Nobel). In the Spring of 2005 he was honoured again with the inauguration of the Timothy R. Parsons Medal for Oceanography.

His life's work has been an attempt to link the various disciplines of oceanography together to provide a holistic view of how the oceans work. His textbooks remain some of the leading resources for trainee oceanographers.

This book of memoirs, however, offers a more gentle introduction to Dr. Parsons' world, leading the reader through the dreams of childhood in the latter days of Empire and war-torn England, the awkwardness of young adulthood in the New World, and the continued aspirations of the later years researching in the Orient. It has something for everyone, not just oceanographers, and provides inspiration to others who love this planet!