This has been one of my favorite books since its re-publication. Not only is Jack a fabulous story teller, but the illustrations drawn from the works of Walter Inglis Anderson resonate with the texts and vividly bring to life those familiar creatures found in the intertidal zone of the Gulf of Mexico.

This book itself seems alive when you read it. And I know of very few authors who can make one appreciate more the tremendous need for all us us to learn about and become respectful of the web of life around us. This book belongs on the shelves of all armchair marine biologists and explorers of the seas.

What a great read! If you like a good old-fashioned tale of adventure you'll really enjoy this book. If you love the north Florida Gulf Coast it'll be even more fun and you'll find this book "un-put-downable"! The author obviously knows his locations and his citizens. This up-to date fictional tale of what is happening as the shrimpers of yesterday try to support their families doing what they love but under today's rules is interspersed with enough wild action to make an Ed McBain reader very happy. Mr. Rudloe makes you really like the good guys and really hate the bad guys, and you keep reading to find out who wins. Plus it will make you think every time you order those delicious Gulf shrimp!

I greatly enjoyed this book. It was extremely interesting learning about the common threads of sea turtle mythology in different cultures. What was lacking was more balance from the scientific side. I would have appreciated more information on the biology and natural history of sea turtles.

Jack Rudloe's Search For The Great Turtle Mother is one man's travelogue reflecting his lifelong love of sea turtles, an enthusiasm that led him to Central America, Malaysia, and other exotic places around the world in search of scientific knowledge of, and stories about, these marvelous creatures. Written by the founder and proprietor of the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory, Search For The Great Turtle Mother covers everything from the hypotheses that magnetic forces help guide sea turtle migration; to myths and legends about the Turtle Mother that instilled some native cultures with respect for these grand creatures, and which enabling them to harvest the turtles without rampantly destroying their population. Highly recommended for anyone with a keen interest in marine wildlife, Search For The Great Turtle Mother is a welcome addition to personal reading list, as well as to school, and community library Wildlife Studies collections.

I've been reading Jack Rudloe's books for years, and have always been impressed with his ability to meld scientific fact with personal reflection and the "big questions". And "Search for the Great Turtle Mother" is his most personal and mystical journey yet. Blending the details of his quest for the facts behind an old Miskito Indian myth with speculations about our destiny as a species, this is a heartfelt and deeply moving book.

I have the pleasure of living near Panacea, Florida and have visited Gulf Specimens Lab, the home port for Jack Rudloe. I've been fortunate to take Ann Rudloe's Coastal Ecosystem class, so these stories present a delightful appendix to those Panhandle experiences. Presented here is a rewarding mix of adventure, science, and Jack's home spun philosophy. He starts on the shore with horseshoe crab mating and describes their birth then describes a canoe adventure down the Suwannee. Further adventures describe finding the largest toad fish, giant sea roaches, and adventures with sawfish, octopus, electric rays, and spiny lobsters. Perhaps pulling the stories together are the tails of turtles and "the turtle mother".