Blue Whale, Channel Islands, CA
Books by Leigh Calvez
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Fathoming the Giants of the DeepIn The Breath of a Whale, naturalist Leigh Calvez draws from a dozen years researching, observing, and probing the lives of the giants of the deep to relate the stories of nature’s most remarkable creatures—from ancient blue whales and migratory humpbacks to the familial orcas that struggle against catastrophic ecological change to survive.
The author invites the reader to board a small research catamaran maneuvering among 100-foot long blue whales; to join the task of monitoring patterns of humpback whale movements at the ocean surface; or to follow the hopeful story of Springer, the orphaned orca calf that became the first cetacean to be successfully reintroduced to the wild after rehabilitation. Combining a breadth of scientific knowledge with her narrative gifts as a nature writer, Calvez reminds us that to understand the lives of whales deepens our connection with the natural world. Leigh Calvez is the author of The Hidden Lives of Owls, a New York Times bestseller. She has studied, observed, and shared her knowledge of whales in Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Zealand, British Columbia, and the Azores Islands off Portugal. She lives in Suquamish, Washington.
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"The Breath of a Whale is as intimate and spirited as its title. This splendid book offers us the whale watch most of us can only dream of: We get close-up and personal with wild giants, in company of an expert who feels like a close friend. But because these whales' individual dramas are closely entwined with those of their observer, the insights in these pages are not only riveting but deeply inspiring. Leigh Calvez offers not only hope for saving these endangered leviathans, but also for saving ourselves."
--Sy Montgomery, author of Journey of the Pink Dolphins and The Soul of an Octopus
"With style, accessible writing, and a narrative of personal growth and discovery, Leigh Calvez’s The Breath of a Whale is both more positive and more personal than other books of its type."
--Foreword Reviews
"Leigh Calvez writes well-researched, thoroughly beautiful books that illuminate the lives of animals without stripping them of their essential mystery."
--The Stranger
--Sy Montgomery, author of Journey of the Pink Dolphins and The Soul of an Octopus
"With style, accessible writing, and a narrative of personal growth and discovery, Leigh Calvez’s The Breath of a Whale is both more positive and more personal than other books of its type."
--Foreword Reviews
"Leigh Calvez writes well-researched, thoroughly beautiful books that illuminate the lives of animals without stripping them of their essential mystery."
--The Stranger
Previous Books
New York Times Best Seller!
#9 in Animals
Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and your local bookseller.
A naturalist probes the forest, mainly at night, to comprehend the secret lives of owls in this book that will appeal to readers of Crow Planet and H is for Hawk. Join Leigh Calvez on adventures into the world of owls: owl-watching, avian science, and the deep forest—often in the dead of night. These birds are a bit mysterious, and that’s part of what makes them so fascinating. Calvez makes the science entertaining and accessible while exploring the questions about the human-animal connection, owl obsession, habitat, owl calls, social behavior, and mythology.
“Leigh Calvez enters the world of owls with a sense of wonder as wide-eyed as her subjects. The reader shares every discovery along the way in this winning and heartfelt exploration.”
—Thor Hanson, author of Feathers and Bartholomew Quill
“Almost like spying on the neighbors, Leigh joins the brother- and sisterhood of nocturnal birders who track and measure night birds for science and for love. I’ve often wondered what the owls were saying to each other. The answer is surprising but inevitable, like all good stories.”
—Kathleen Alcalá, author of The Deepest Roots
“You’ll love going owling with superb naturalist and writer Leigh Calvez. Like the birds themselves, The Hidden Lives of Owls is filled with drama, mystery, and surprise. You’ll come away from this riveting book blessed with owl wisdom that will enlarge your world forever.”
—Sy Montgomery, author of Birdology and The Soul of an Octopus
“Naturalist Leigh Calvez looks into the almost-human eyes of these elusive birds and shares her riveting and well-told adventures of owling. Informative as it is captivating, this book is a compelling window into the science and secrets of these guardians of the forest.”
—Brenda Peterson, author of Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals
“Leigh Calvez shares what she calls her ‘owl journey’ in this beautiful book, which is full of sensitive observations and high drama. It’s a pleasure to see the world through an owl’s eyes, a point of view that Leigh herself believes has enlarged her life. Certainly this book does the same for ours."
—Kristin von Kreisler, author of An Unexpected Grace and Earnest
"She [Calvez] offers a thought-provoking, behind-the-scenes look at the work of countless volunteers and scientists who study the “secret” lives of owls. Their unsung efforts in banding, recording, observing, nest-checking and other owl-related activities are truly impressive. And she presents the extreme challenges some owl species face in a changing world and changing ecosystem."
--Washington Post
"Calvez probes the forest at night in search of answers to the mystery [of owls], exploring topics such as owl calls, social behavior and mythology attached to the species."
--The Chicago Tribune
"Calvez writes with feeling and is obviously in awe of these mysterious creatures.”
--Library Journal
“This enthusiastic study of the owls of the Pacific Northwest may inspire new fans and citizen scientists.”
—Shelf Awareness
“An owling delight.”
—The Owl Pages
“Leigh Calvez enters the world of owls with a sense of wonder as wide-eyed as her subjects. The reader shares every discovery along the way in this winning and heartfelt exploration.”
—Thor Hanson, author of Feathers and Bartholomew Quill
“Almost like spying on the neighbors, Leigh joins the brother- and sisterhood of nocturnal birders who track and measure night birds for science and for love. I’ve often wondered what the owls were saying to each other. The answer is surprising but inevitable, like all good stories.”
—Kathleen Alcalá, author of The Deepest Roots
“You’ll love going owling with superb naturalist and writer Leigh Calvez. Like the birds themselves, The Hidden Lives of Owls is filled with drama, mystery, and surprise. You’ll come away from this riveting book blessed with owl wisdom that will enlarge your world forever.”
—Sy Montgomery, author of Birdology and The Soul of an Octopus
“Naturalist Leigh Calvez looks into the almost-human eyes of these elusive birds and shares her riveting and well-told adventures of owling. Informative as it is captivating, this book is a compelling window into the science and secrets of these guardians of the forest.”
—Brenda Peterson, author of Build Me an Ark: A Life with Animals
“Leigh Calvez shares what she calls her ‘owl journey’ in this beautiful book, which is full of sensitive observations and high drama. It’s a pleasure to see the world through an owl’s eyes, a point of view that Leigh herself believes has enlarged her life. Certainly this book does the same for ours."
—Kristin von Kreisler, author of An Unexpected Grace and Earnest
"She [Calvez] offers a thought-provoking, behind-the-scenes look at the work of countless volunteers and scientists who study the “secret” lives of owls. Their unsung efforts in banding, recording, observing, nest-checking and other owl-related activities are truly impressive. And she presents the extreme challenges some owl species face in a changing world and changing ecosystem."
--Washington Post
"Calvez probes the forest at night in search of answers to the mystery [of owls], exploring topics such as owl calls, social behavior and mythology attached to the species."
--The Chicago Tribune
"Calvez writes with feeling and is obviously in awe of these mysterious creatures.”
--Library Journal
“This enthusiastic study of the owls of the Pacific Northwest may inspire new fans and citizen scientists.”
—Shelf Awareness
“An owling delight.”
—The Owl Pages