The Shark and the Albatross

April 18, 2016
Aitchison, whose cinematography awards include an Emmy and a BAFTA, writes that filming wildlife in its tooth-and-claw glory reveals the very real struggle between humankind and the environment. To open this collection of wonderfully descriptive essays, he recounts the time he documented young albatrosses as they struggled to avoid the gaping maws of cruising sharks. Tempting though it was to take sides in this conflict, Aitchison writes that it was far more disturbing to see dead albatross chicks that had choked to death on plastic refuse. "The most important choice is not whether we prefer predators or prey," he writes, "it's whether we are on nature's side or against it: whether we want the shark and the albatross, or neither." Aitchison weaves this narrative thread through 14 chapters. His prose is clear and poetic as he describes running with wolf packs in Yellowstone National Park, witnessing a whale feeding frenzy in Alaska's northern sea, and encountering endangered tigers in India's dense forests, among other adventures around the globe. Throughout, Aitchison notes that observing wildlife highlights the precariousness of the natural world. This book will interest those drawn to filmmaking as well as to wildlife and the environment.

April 15, 2016

Wildlife filmmaker Aitchison has traveled the world shooting footage for National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, PBS, and the BBC for documentaries such as Frozen Planet and Yellowstone. Here he shares his adventures in remote parts of the planet, from Alaska to China to Antarctica. The author has photographed polar bears, wolves, tigers, lynxes, Siberian cranes, wandering albatrosses, whales, and penguins, documenting the challenges they face to survive. In this memoir of sorts, interspersed with stories of historical expeditions and current research on the animals he films are descriptions of Aitchison's joys and trials as he paints a lyrical picture of the animals, their varied habitats, the often harsh conditions he endures, and the camaraderie of the film crew and scientists and the sailors who transport them to the ends of the earth. VERDICT This captivating, in-depth look at the lives of a filmmaker and his subjects will be relished by adventurers, armchair travelers, natural history buffs, and wildlife photographers.--Sue O'Brien, Downers Grove P.L., IL

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