Jonathan White is an active marine conservationist, a sailor, and a surfer. His first book, Talking on the Water: Conversations about Nature and Creativity, is a collection of interviews exploring our relationship with nature and features Gretel Ehrlich, David Brower, Ursula K. Le Guin, Gary Snyder, Peter Matthiessen, and others. White has written for the Christian Science Monitor, The Sun, Orion, Surfer's Journal, and other publications. He holds an MFA in creative nonfiction and lives with his wife and son on a small island in Washington State.
"A phenomenal book -- probably one of the smartest books about a
spirit I've ever read." - The Toronto Star
"A rich story... engaging." - The Wall Street Journal
"A lively exploration of the heritage, culture, practices and
politics that shape Mexico's most famous export. Martineau
introduces producers using traditional agricultural and
distillation methods, shows readers why they're worth preserving,
and outlines the challenges facing anyone concerned with the
quality and sustainability of tequila, mezcal and other agave
spirits." - The Kansas City Star
"Martineau journeys through Mexico interviewing producers of the
agave-based spirits tequila and mescal. She's dismayed that
international beverage distributors now design and market Mexico's
signature alcoholic drinks and that techniques of mass production
too often sacrifice integrity and authenticity." - Foreign
Affairs
"Martineau argues convincingly that good tequila resembles wine
more than it does its fellow liquors. She writes of agave
plantations as if they are vineyards, with variations in climate,
slope, soil, and moisture resulting in variations in the plants
that are, in turn, discernible in the distilled product. She
co-opts the precious French word terroir and applies it to her
subject with no intended loss of dignity." - The Los Angeles Review
of Books"Conservationist Jonathan White combines scientific
investigation with personal memoir in this solid examination of the
nature of tides and waves."- Publishers Weekly
"Anyone inclined to take the movement of the tides for granted will
think twice after reading this wide-ranging study from a
conservationist and avid sailor... White's heightened awareness of
the planet's "cosmic beat" is bound to make readers more sensitive
to the mysteries of what might otherwise seem commonplace."- Kirkus
Review
"[Jonathan White's] writing can be gorgeous.... prose that's as
beguiling as it is informative."- The Oregonian
"Tides is a circumnavigation - tides are simultaneously the
protagonist and antagonist. Wrecker of havoc and deus exmachina.
And perhaps what's most interesting is White's narrative
surrounding how each part of the world has adapted to their unique
tidal variations. Tides aspires to inspire a new
appreciation for a global natural process that most ocean
enthusiasts take for granted."- The Internia
"A wonderful bit of writing... wonderfully descriptive... a
travelogue and an adventure story."- Helen Palmer, host of Living
on Earth
"Jonathan White is not only an accomplished storyteller, but a rare
exemplar of the marriage of technical lucidity with stylistic
grace."- Alan Littell, Ocean Navigator
"A grand mix of science history, ocean lore and literary travel
writing."- Seattle Times
"Fascinating account."- Epoch Times
"A fascinating work of literary nonfiction, rich with characters,
stories and scenes from around the globe. White considers the book
to be 'a life's work,' one that took him more than 10 years to
complete. He doesn't simply examine the mysteries of the tides, he
brings readers on his adventure - one filled with wonder and
surprises and fed by White's relentless curiosity."- Bangor Daily
News
"As a surfer and sailor, Jonathan White pays attention to tides.
But he didn't really understand them until he traveled around the
world to meet people and see places where the ebb and flow, the
rise and fall, shape lives and tell epic stories. His new
nonfiction book, Tides, is the result."- San Diego
Union-Tribune
"[Jonathan]...you write like an angel....Lovely, lyrical writing."-
Michael Krasny, host of The Forum on KQED
"The sailor-surfer-conservationist takes us on a global
travelogue-scientific expedition."- Sacramento Bee
"A fascinating read."- Portland Press Herald
"A captivating examination of all things tidal." - Anchorage Daily
News
"Jonathan White's tidal explorations drew me in with just the right
mix of science, history, and storytelling, propelled throughout by
the author's infectious curiosity and sense of wonder. Beautifully
written, impeccably researched, and filled with unexpected
connections and discoveries, Tides is a splendid book;highly
recommended." - Thor Hanson, author of Feathers and The
Triumph of Seeds
"I loved this book. Jonathan White weaves the science throughout
his travel stories so that the reader is not inundated with
mathematical and scientific theories. I recommend it to both
scientists and nonscientists." - Sally Warner, PhD in physical
oceanography, Oregon State University
"One of the most fascinating, engaging, relevant, and impeccably
brilliant books I have ever read. It has profoundly changed my
sense of the earth, the oceans, the sky, and how they are deeply
interwoven with the course of human thought and history." -
Richard Nelson, author of The Island Within
"Newton's death mask, bore tide waves on a Chinese river, a
grounded sailboat in Alaska, a French monastery, the slowing of the
earth's rotation, world-class surfing, alternative energy, and more
come together in Jonathan White's wonderful Tides, a book for every
lover of the sea and for those who think- mistakenly- that tables
and charts contain everything worth knowing about the perpetual
rise and fall of the sea."- Bill Streever, author of And Soon
I Heard a Roaring Wind: A Natural History of Moving Air
"Tides is easy to read, easy to follow, erudite. White beautifully
integrates his personal experience into the science, keeping me
grounded in the present as a reader and making the tides not just
personal but passionately alive. I expect to read it again and
again. Pass it on, recommend it, give it as a gift!" - Pam Loew,
Turtleback Books
"Jonathan White provides us in this fine, fascinating book with a
clear understanding of the infinitely complex and wild nature of
our planet's tidal forces in all their mystery and beauty." -
Peter Matthiessen, from the foreword
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