With The Reef, Iain McCalman (Darwin's Armada) has composed "a passionate history" of the Great Barrier Reef, opening with his own long-awaited voyage (part of a reenactment of Captain Cook's original trip). He then shifts to the role of historian and chronicles the Great Barrier Reef as known to Western society over the last few centuries.
The Reef is divided into three parts. Beginning in 1770 with Captain Cook and proceeding through later explorers who helped chart the reefs in the 1800s, the first part, "Terror," emphasizes the threat the reef posed to ships and their navigators, and the fear of cannibals and others thought to inhabit the area. In Part II, "Nurture," the reef begins to offer refuge for those seeking to escape civilization or make a fresh start; naturalists arrive, captivated by the biodiversity and beauty of the area while beginning to realize that coral is a resource that can be exploited. In the last part, "Wonder," the scientific community takes an interest and activists fight to defend the unusual and changing ecosystem. Returning to the personal nature of his prologue, McCalman's epilogue speaks to the grim consequences of climate change but holds forth hope as well.
This work's strengths include a coherent structure, friendly narrative style and a reasoned culminating call to action that does not disrupt its primary role as a comprehensive history. Plentiful notes indicate strong research, but McCalman's writing is accessible to any reader interested in the intersection of science, nature and history. From perceived threat to resource to paradise destination to climate-change indicator, the Great Barrier Reef is fully explored in this engaging study. --Julia Jenkins, librarian and blogger at pagesofjulia