This was a fine adventure novel in its day. In the times the book is set, killing sharks was an act removing killers and making the ocean safer. Unfortunately, most of the sharks killed were harmless and their slaughter (by many, not just the author) drove some key species to the brink of extinction. Still, the book describes some extraordinary adventures in a time long past, when the world was a very different place, by some of the explorers who opened up the sea to the eyes of the public. Did they lay waste to beautiful and fragile ecosystems? Yes. Did they do as much damage as a single long line boat in a day? Probably not. The book will give you a glimpse into how the author, and humanity, viewed sharks and the marine system at the time it was written. ( )

This was such a depressing read. The book follows the author and Ron Taylor as they document various ways to kill sharks for their 'Shark Hunters' documentary series. Cropp even notes the population decline of grey nurse sharks on the NSW coast as a consequence of their work. Today, the east coast population of grey nurse sharks is listed as critically endangered. As a work, I can't recommend it, other than to note how far attitudes towards sharks have progressed in the last fifty years. Not long after the book's publish date, both Taylor and Cropp committed their careers to conservation and have since received numerous honors for their work. ( )