The Search for the Giant Squid

The most mysterious and elusive of all sea creatures, the giant squid--at least sixty feet long and weighing nearly a ton--is also one of the largest. Yet for all its magnificent size and threatening undersea presence, Architeuthis has remained a mystery. Until now. In this marvelous and beautifully illustrated book, marine biologist, explorer, and artist Richard Ellis presents all that is known about the giant squid. Delving into myth, literature, popular culture, and science, he brings readers face to face with this remarkable creature. He also provides a thorough, compelling study of what is known and what is still to be discovered about this exotic animal that has never been studied alive. Interweaving his engrossing narrative with a wealth of fascinating illustrations and photographs, Ellis gives us the first comprehensive history of the only living creature that can truly be called a "sea monster."The Search for the Giant SquidIntroducing Architeuthis
Is the Sea Monster a Giant Squid?
The Biology of Squids, Giant and Otherwise
By What Name Shall We Call the Giant Squid?
Architeuthis Appears
What Do We Know About Architeuthis?
Battle of the Giants
The Giant Squid in Literature and Cinema
The Models of Architeuthis
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Authenticated Giant Squid Sightings and Strandings
References
Illustration Credits
IndexRichard Ellis is a celebrated authority on marine biology and America’s foremost marine life artist whose work has been exhibited worldwide. His nine books include The Search for the Giant Squid (a Publishers Weekly 1998 Best Book of the Year), Great White Shark, Encyclopedia of the Sea, Men and Whales, Monsters of the Sea, Deep Atlantic The Book of Whales, and Imagining Atlantis.