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1 of 4 copies available
"Jasmin Graham has that winning combination of talent and grit needed to excel as a scientist. Every girl who wants to be a marine biologist should have this book." —Hope Jahren, New York Times bestselling author of Lab Girl and The Story of More
Sharks have been on this planet for over 400 million years, so there is a lot they can teach us about survival and adaptability. For example: how do sharks, which unlike other fish are denser than water, stay afloat? They keep moving. When Jasmin Graham, an award-winning young shark scientist, started to feel that the traditional path to becoming a marine biologist was pulling her under, she remembered this important lesson: keep moving forward.
If navigating the choppy waters of traditional academic study was no longer worth it, then that meant creating an ocean of her own. Jasmin joined with three other Black women to form Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization dedicated to providing support and opportunities for other young women of color. She became an independent researcher: a rogue shark scientist, seeking ways to keep these extraordinary endangered creatures swimming free—just like her.
Sharks Don’t Sink is a riveting, moving, and ultimately triumphant memoir at the intersection of science and social justice: a guidebook to how we can all learn to respect and protect some of nature’s most misunderstood and vulnerable creatures—and grant the same grace to ourselves.
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
July 16, 2024 -
Formats
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OverDrive Listen audiobook
- ISBN: 9780593869277
- File size: 173772 KB
- Duration: 06:02:01
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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May 6, 2024
In this inspiring debut memoir, marine biologist Graham discusses her trials and triumphs as a Black woman in the sciences. Growing up in South Carolina, Graham cultivated a love for the water while fishing with her father. After attending a marine science summer camp as a teenager, she resolved to pursue a career in the field. But she felt out of place in academia (she describes herself as “a unicorn in horse-dominated world that hated horns”) and struggled to get ahead professionally. Her isolation ended when she met fellow researcher Carlee Jackson Bohannon, whom she first spotted in a Twitter photo “floating underwater with an adorable nurse shark.” After the two compared their struggles, they joined with three other Black women to found Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), which offers workshops and grants to minorities in the field. Interspersed with the MISS origin story are endearing sections in which Graham geeks out about sharks, challenging their reputation as killers and sharing fascinating tidbits about their biological processes, including how different species breathe. Vivid prose (the underwater world is “a natural cathedral of bending light”) and Graham’s palpable enthusiasm for her work make this sing. It’s an impassioned tale of ambition and advocacy. Photos. Agent: Chad Luibl, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc. -
December 6, 2024
Award-winning marine biologist Graham shares her love of sharks while discussing the challenges she's encountered as a Black woman in the sciences. Growing up in South Carolina, Graham was a high-achieving student whose passion for the water ignited a remarkable life's journey. Inspired by Eugenie Clark, a marine scientist known as "the Shark Lady," Graham devoted herself to studying sharks, only to discover toxic competition, distrust, and discrimination in academia. She eventually left academia for a career outside traditional research institutions, joining with three other Black women to cofound Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization that seeks to support racial and gender minorities pursuing marine studies. As an independent researcher, she employs her creativity and resilience to further shark research while providing a positive role model for other scientists of color. Graham narrates her own memoir, and her performance has some flaws--her pacing is somewhat awkward, giving the impression that she's reading from cue cards. Even so, her unique voice and perspective are irreplaceable, and her openness and expertise are engaging. VERDICT Despite some audio imperfections, this debut memoir delights, offering a compelling story about science and passion, as well as fabulous information about sharks.--Christa Van Herreweghe
Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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