by Neil Caudle

Sharks, Skates, and Rays of the Carolinas. By Frank J. Schwartz. The University of North Carolina Press, 184 pages, $15.95 paper.

For more than forty-five years, Frank Schwartz has studied sharks and their kin, and this book condenses that legacy into a compact guide nonscientist readers can use. Schwartz, a professor and curator of fishes at Carolina's Institute of Marine Sciences, describes each species and illustrates its distinctive characteristics. It's an impressive cast of characters. Some fifty-six species of sharks frequent North Carolina waters, ranging from the flattened Atlantic angel shark to the fearsome great white. Schwartz analyzes the record of known shark attacks on humans and finds striking correlations with ebb tides and time of day. He also speculates about the future of these fishes and efforts to manage their populations. "Sharks have been around for millions of years," he writes, "and will continue to swim the changing world oceans feeding on its inhabitants."

Neil Caudle is editor of Endeavors magazine.