The Secret History of Sharks

“A must-read on the history of the underwater predator.”—The New York Post“[A] wonderfully rich book.”—The Spectator“Exhilarating. Long brings to life the incredible story of sharks… . Each adventure is pulse-pounding, giving readers a front row seat to the discoveries that have reshaped our understanding of shark evolution… . This accessible and engaging book is not only an enlightening read for those curious about marine life, but also a compelling case for why their survival is essential to our own.”—American Scientist“Sharks scare and fascinate us. How did they evolve? How did they beat out the ocean’s other giant predators of the past, like carnivorous marine reptiles? Is it ever safe to swim with Great White Sharks? What else do sharks do to make a living, besides eating us and other big prey? This book, by shark expert and great writer John Long, will keep you on the edge of your seat from its first page to its last page.”—Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel“In this magnificent book, the eminent paleontologist John Long tells the true story of sharks and their evolutionary legacy spanning hundreds of millions of years. Rich with scientific detail and enlivened with stories from Long’s decades of fossil discoveries and cutting-edge research, this book is the work of a master scientist and storyteller.”—Steve Brusatte, professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs“Dive in to this effervescent, engaging biography of the world’s most misunderstood creatures. Evolving in obscurity almost half a billion years ago, sharks have endured the worst that the earth could throw at them. They were here long before the dinosaurs. When dinosaurs died out, sharks were still here. But will they be able to survive the Earth’s current threat: us?”—Henry Gee, PhD, senior editor of Nature and author of the award-winning A (Very) Short History of Life on Earth“Every week is Shark Week for John Long, who has spent his life scouring the planet for clues to the mystery of shark evolution. Thoroughly researched and wonderfully narrated, The Secret History of Sharks makes a convincing case that the story of sharks is nothing less than the story of life on Earth. Highly recommended!”—Nate Blakeslee, New York Times bestselling author of American Wolf“Readers will want to sink their teeth into this.”—Publishers Weekly“Long writes lively, lucid prose, and while this is not a textbook, he delivers an extremely detailed education in the history, anatomy, behavior, and ecology of the extensive shark family… . An expert natural history with few stones left unturned. If you enjoy searching for shark teeth, read this book.”—Kirkus Reviews

John Long is the strategic professor of paleontology at Flinders University, one of Australia’s largest paleontological research groups. The former vice president of research and collections at the Museum of Natural History of Los Angeles County, Long has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers, some 25 books and over 150 popular science articles. His groundbreaking research work on the evolution of fishes and the origins of sex has appeared in the magazines Nature, Science, and Scientific American.