"[A] colorful history of times long gone, of environments degraded, of an intricate web of life threatened—and how it has finally begun to recover through the hopeful work of communities and their leaders…[A] fascinating book, filled with anecdote and history, they explore the complex environment of the region, its fabulous sea life, and its colorful cast of humans."
The San Francisco Chronicle
"In this buoyant history of Monterey Bay, it's the humans, not the ocean life, that take center stage… the happy ending, so rare in nature literature nowadays, is refreshing."
Publishers Weekly
"Palumbi and Sotka bring to life a rich cast of characters from five centuries to tell the story of Monterey Bay's discovery, destruction, and redemption. A marvellous tale, beautifully told."
Callum Roberts, Professor, University of York and author of "The Unnatural History of the Sea"
"In a world of too many problems and too few solutions, Monterey Bay, California bucks the trend. It's better now than a century ago, and the vision of what can happen when stubborn people set their minds to something makes this a story not just of a great place, but of inspiration that can work in many places."
Carl Safina, author of "Song for the Blue Ocean" and "The View From Lazy Point"
"Just as the Monterey Bay Aquarium now exhibits the wonders of marine life in the unique environment of Monterey Bay, Palumbi and Sotka turn back the pages of time to illuminate the fall and rise of the sea otter population; the lives of the local squid and abalones; the men and women who lived and worked there; the whales that came (and still come) to visit; the collapse of the sardine canneries; and how the dilapidated Hovden cannery was transformed into the best aquarium in America."
Richard Ellis, author of "The Empty Ocean" and "Tuna: A Love Story"
"[Explains] the incredible comeback of one of the most important locales for marine biodiversity [and details the] entertaining lessons on species interdependence and the quirky characters who helped the recovery happen."
TreeHugger
"Fascinating"
Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Palumbi and Sotka have taken the legacy Monterey Bay and created a model for successful ocean conservation: understand the ecology of the area, commit to marine protected areas, educate the public, be patient and persevere. Individual contributions might only be apparent in hindsight, but that does not make the many less significant. The story of Monterey Bay is not only a story of exploitation and collapse, but also one of resilience and hope."
Trends in Ecology & Evolution
"The death and life of Monterey Bay: a story of revival should be the top candidate as a narrative for the next seminar you teach on socio-ecological systems."
Ecology