Descent

February 21, 2005
A legendary naturalist and a wealthy engineering student come together in the name of science (and glory) in this highly readable look at the discoveries that made William Beebe and Otis Barton international celebrities of the Depression era. Journalist and nature-doc producer Matsen (Planet Ocean
, etc.) shows how Barton, who'd long dreamed of undersea adventure, convinced the already-famous Beebe that his diving device will be the key to Beebe's success. Barton would pay for the bathysphere—a four-and-a-half-foot steel ball dangling from a wire rope and ventilated by its occupants waving a palm leaf fan—and thus go along for the ride. The men were personally incompatible, but they made an effective team; from 1929 to 1934, they made more than 20 dives off Bermuda and many improvements in their vehicle. Matsen devotes greater energy to Beebe, noting how his scientific credentials were often questioned—a bon vivant, he wrote for Ladies' Home Journal
as well for Science
. Matsen also pays tribute to the duo's support team (which Beebe often did not), including wildlife artist Else Bostelmann. From interpersonal conflict to the first radio broadcast from the ocean's depths and the intricate negotiations with National Geographic Society that enabled them to make their last dive in the depths of the Depression, Matsen's account is a thoroughly researched, fluently written addition to the history of science. Agent, Richard Abate
.

Starred review from March 1, 2005
In the 1930s, marine biologist William Beebe and engineer and aspiring underwater cinematographer Otis Barton achieved a series of deep-diving records off Bermuda in the "Bathysphere", an uncomfortably small steel globe lowered by cable from a boat on the surface. Their final dive was to 3,028 feet in 1934; at a time when no one had gone deeper than 350 feet, this accomplishment was extraordinary. Both Beebe and Barton wrote books about their adventures -Beebe's "Half Mile Down", Barton's "The World Beneath the Sea" -but marine writer Matsen ("Fishing Up North") weaves the separate threads together into a fascinating tale. He vividly depicts not only the danger, thrills, and engineering feats of the dives but also the two strong personalities involved, their collaboration and their disagreements that left them barely speaking to each other. Illustrated with photographs from the Wildlife Conservation Society's archives, "Descent "is an essential read for anyone interested in marine science, underwater exploration, marine biology, engineering, or the history of science. Highly recommended for most public libraries. -Margaret Rioux, MBL/WHOI Lib., Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst., MA

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2005
Today, it corrodes in a utility yard abutting the Coney Island roller coaster. Seventy years ago, it was front-page news, plunging into the sea off Bermuda. It's the original bathysphere, the brainchild of Otis Barton, who teamed up with zoologist William Beebe. In Matsen's history of their partnership, Barton needed Beebe for his fame and social connections, while Beebe needed Barton for his money, and on that pragmatic basis--they apparently disliked each other--they pioneered deep-sea diving from 1928 to 1934. Their project was dressed up as scientific research, but record-setting, death--defying adventure was its sine qua non. At that time, a few hundred feet was as deep as anyone had gone; then Barton learned that Beebe had a submersible project. It won't work, thought -engineering-educated Barton, who offered instead a steel sphere on a cable. Its operations and occasional malfunctions dramatize Matsen's account, which is further vitalized by the portraits of the protagonists. A marvelous story for maritime mavens.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)