Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before Reviews

• Only one complaint

  
  By AMDNFWMHK8U0V on 2007-05-20
  Most of the books images have been poorly resized upwards. Almost every image is marred by pixelization -- Zebra stripes have jagged stairsteps. While original digital footage was shot with enough resolution for HD DVD, those screen captures do not have enough detail for good prints.
  
  

• Excellent accompaniment to the DVD set, or alone.

  
  By A1S338BNRBMGC7 on 2007-04-12
  Its Loaded with pictures from the series on DVD set. At first I found the DVD set to be terribly expensive for my pocketbook (limited income), and while looking for this DVD set, I came across this book and ordered it INSTEAD, thinking it would be the only thing I could afford. I love it!! Worth the money! BUT after having seen some of the series on TV and hearing what they had to go thru and the years it took to get this series made for us, I thought WOW, it is TOTALLY worth the price and More even!!! I am so grateful to the makers of this series for bringing us a message of the earth and its occupants and how fragile and strong it is at the same time.. Brings a new appreciation of it all !! I highly recommend the book for those who maybe cannot afford the DVD set, but I hope all who can will consider getting both!!! I DID!!
  
  

• Spectacular photos

  
  By AQQLWCMRNDFGI on 2007-12-14
  The first thing that a reader notes, as he or she leafs through the pages of this volume, is the spectacular color photos. This work is a companion to a series on Discovery Channel and BBC. The goal of the series and the book is described by David Attenborough in the Foreword: "So this remarkable and beautiful book should stand not just as a revelation and celebration of the wonders that our planet still retains at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It must surely also be seen as an eloquent rallying call to all of us who care for the Earth's welfare to redouble our efforts to protect those wonders that still survive."
  
  The "chapters" of this work include the following: The Whole Earth, Frozen Poles, The Great Forests, The Great Plains, The Great Sands, Mountain Heights, The Underworld, Fresh Water, Rainforests, Shallow Seas, and Open Ocean Depths.
  
  Some wonderful photos. . . . In "Frozen Poles," we see some of those great photos of Emperor Penguins huddled together to protect themselves against the cold, we see the marches from the sea after having filled their bellies with food, and so on. The photos remind us of that great recent movie on the lives of Emperor penguins. On pages 44-45, there are three wonderful photos of a polar bear family.
  
  Some stunning satellite photos are included. On pages 160-161, there is a satellite view of rain clouds being pushed across India by monsoon winds. On pages 222-223, there is another wonderful satellite photo of the world's largest river delta.
  
  The chapter on rainforests (Chapter 9) is also beautiful. Whether satellite photos or more "up close" pictures, this chapter shows us the lustrous appearance of rainforests. We also see the animals living in the rainforests.
  
  And so on.
  
  And though the photos are breathtaking, the text itself speaks to the issues raised in each of the chapters. Pages 188-193 combine text of a recent cave discovery (in New Mexico) with some neat pictures of those same caves. The combination of text and photos is compelling.
  
  I must confess that this review does not contain much analysis or critique, but this is one of those books where I choose simply to appreciate the artistry of the photos and go from there.
  
  
  

• Planet Earth

  
  By A32UHSOJJFABYR on 2007-07-15
  I was a little disappointed with this book. I have been watching the series on TV and the photography is brilliant. The book is not the best quality and the photographs are missing the brillance you would have expected with the quality of the series.
  
  

• Plant Earth - The Book - Most Excellent

  
  By A18F86NS7KZ8ON on 2007-05-14
  This is a beautifully produced high quality book suitable for display on your coffee table to be enjoyed by all. It appears (to me) that all magnificent photographs and much of the text are the same as that found on the DVD series with the great advantage of not requiring a DVD player to partake of all the splendor our universe still affords us. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
  
  
• Enthralling TV Series Translated to a Handsome Coffee-Table Book
  By A13E0ARAXI6KJW on 2007-12-15
  First things first, there is no way the spectacular Discovery Channel/BBC series Planet Earth could be captured in its sensory overload glory in printed form. However, series producer Alastair Fothergill has done a fine job capturing the highlights while summarizing the key facts shared in the series in an eminently readable fashion. In an inevitable coffee-table book format, the impressive result is still so far above any other book in its category that a purchase is most worthwhile.
  
  The book divides neatly into eleven chapters which approximate the eleven parts of the series beginning with a more holistic view of the planet and then tackling the major ecological biomes - mountains, deserts, plains, oceans, shallow seas, fresh water, rainforests, jungles, the polar caps, and most intriguingly, the underworld of mostly unexplored caves. Made up of what looks to be screen captures of the vivid images that startled onscreen, the chapters bring each biome to life mainly through the flora and fauna that inhabit them uniquely (with the exception being the crossover intrusion of man). The book's subtitle - "as you've never seen it before" - is no misnomer, as you will likely be as floored as I was in seeing images both intimate and majestic in scope. Although secondary to the photos, the text is genuinely educational without the intellectual tone that alienates the layman with an excess of scientific names and facts.
  
  Even if you have seen Luc Jacquet's documentary, March of the Penguins, the chapter on the polar caps will strike you with another fresh perspective on Antarctica, for example, the rare sight of a mother polar bear and her cub emerging from their den. Fans of Jacques Cousteau's early 1970's TV documentaries will be regaled by the three chapters devoted to varying marine life. The most fascinating chapter is focused on the so-called underworld where we learn over 90% of the world's limestone caves have yet to be explored. Here you will see amazing images of the variety of depths and textures these caves have, as well as the nocturnal wildlife. Mexico's Cave of Swallows can hold the Empire State Building, and the Lechuguilla Caves in New Mexico have recently been discovered as a marvel of intricate gypsum crystal formations. You need not have been enthralled by the TV series to buy the book. It stands on its own.
  
  
• A Revealing Look at Extreme Conditions and Their Effects on Life
  By A1K1JW1C5CUSUZ on 2008-01-15
  Planet Earth would make a great present for a young person who is interested in the natural world. It opens up views from the microscopic level up to the perspectives from the moon that unveil the Earth and its animals and plants in new ways. It's almost as though you have just arrived on a spaceship to an unknown world. Most of the book will seem unfamiliar to you.
  
  Where many books about the natural world are filled with seeming hyperbole ("you can see this feature from space"), Planet Earth does its best to display the basis for those references by making the statement and showing the photographic evidence. As a result, this book makes a serious impression on the range of challenging environments on Earth, the reasons for each challenge, and examples of how animals and plants have successfully adapted to those challenges. Darwin would be envious that you can see more in one book than he could in a lifetime of study.
  
  If you didn't see the television series or the DVD, here's the structure:
  
  Whole Earth (overview of how the various regions differ and why)
  Frozen Poles (the Arctic and the Antarctic and why they differ)
  Great Forests (huge bands of trees in temperate climes)
  Great Plains (the semi-arid regions)
  Grand Sands (extended deserts both hot and cold)
  Mountain Heights (the highest peaks and their environments)
  Underworld (caves)
  Fresh Water (lakes and rivers)
  Rainforests (tropical jungles)
  Shallow Seas (Coral-inhabited areas)
  Open Ocean Depths (the bulk of the seas)
  
  Each section contains information about the geology, physics, and chemistry of the region's character and origins. A number of stories about the plants and animals that inhabit the areas are included. The section also displays some of the most magnificent views. The book is generously illustrated with the text being less than half of the pages printed.
  
  The book's main drawback is that the photographs are often not reproduced very well. As a result, views may be muddy, indistinct, and hard to interpret. Take a few extra seconds and stare closely, and you'll usually see something remarkable. The book was obviously edited to provide the most unusual views, even where reproduction would suffer some. I think the decisions were usually pretty wise.
  
  I cannot emphasize enough how fascinating I found the book. By taking me to so many places I will never see (restricted caves, unusual mountainsides, rare tropical locales, and Antarctica), I was able to extend my understanding of life on Earth in important new ways. I'm sure I'll be integrating the views for years to come.
  
  I especially commend the sections about the whole Earth, Antarctica, untouched forests, limitless deserts, and caves as showing me new dimensions of why wilderness is important to us. Ansel Adams would have liked to see and photograph these sites.
  
  Take a good look!
  
  
  
• AMAZING PICTURES!
  By A23G39XF2IZHML on 2008-02-13
  BEAUTIFUL BOOK TO HAVE. NOT ONLY IS IT INFORMATIVE, BUT THE PICTURES ARE TRULY A PIECE OF ARTWORK.
  
  
• PLANET EARTH GREAT COFFEE TABLE BOOK
  By A33L8A2K3IG27I on 2007-04-10
  If you want a book with great photos of animals and nature then this is the book for you. It would be a great book to display on your coffee table. I find a book like this interesting, but would not buy it and prefer borrowing it from the library.
  
  
• Nowhere near the video, but...
  By A30RATNJQEOAIU on 2008-02-09
  It does have various bits of info that arent included in the videos (probably due to time constraints). The pictures are very nice but a couple do have a tiny bit of graininess to them. All in all a very good purchase and companion to the Planet Earth video.
  
  
• Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
  By A1RQ63QFF79D1Y on 2008-02-13
  Breathtaking! What an incredible collection of photographs of our amazing planet. A great addition to the dvd collection.
  
  
• PLANET EARTH.........GOTTA HAVE IT!
  By A1I37PL8Q1PAFY on 2007-05-17
  I BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR MY 10 YEARS OLD NEPHEW. HE JUST LOVES IT! THE PICTURES ARE BEAUTIFUL. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO LOVES ANIMALS. YOU HAVE TO GET THE DVD'S TOO.
  
  
• Planet Earth
  By A16DYYCSD4VL8B on 2007-05-25
  The book is wonderful. I have not watched all of the DVD's yet, but am sure they will not disappoint...
  John
  
  
• Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
  By A3CY0SB81UADAQ on 2007-06-09
  Incredible and unbelievably beautiful photographs -- wonderful perspectives!
  
  
• Planet Earth is astonishing!
  By A2WYR28BRK7IPI on 2007-12-31
  Amazing accomplishment; it outdoes anything of its ilk I have seen before. Breathtaking photography and a narrative that addresses complex issues in a common sense format. The rigors they had to go through to make this stunning photography happen were arduous. Living for months in Antartica and swimming repeatedly with sharks with no protection from them are but two examples. The result is a series rich in its detail and far surpassing similar efforts.
  
  
• One of the best books to ever hit print.
  By A3BR51ZK36PWUX on 2008-01-07
  An absolutely astonishing book. There is no need to go into depth in a review because this is a must have. The picture quality is amazing and the content of this book is simply breathtaking. These are images you will remember for the rest of your life.
  
  Even after seeing the entire series in HD on a beautiful television there is nothing that can compare to these unbelievable printed images with full story included.
  
  This is the best for a coffee table book or perfect for your den. Your visitors will thank you!
  
  
• Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It Before
  By AI550PA0D4QKO on 2007-05-15
  Beautiful and rarely seen photos. A "feast" for the eyes (and brain).
  
  
• Perfection
  By AJ7WX8MC01RJQ on 2007-05-24
  This book is a masterpiece. It is full of beautiful photography. The text is easy to read and understand.
  I have it displayed on a table in my living room and when guests are over the book always catches someone's attention. They can't resist picking it up and always exclaim over it and want to know where I found this book! It has even caught the attention of teenagers!
  
  
• Wonderful
  By A38MR3T7M1CK0A on 2007-06-27
  Children and adults of all ages should take a look at this. It is absolutely amazing.
  
  
• Planet Earth.
  By A344GA15FSBNSD on 2007-08-14
  Wow!!! my 8 year old loves this DVD. Very interesting to watch. Does have some parts that my 8 year old has a trouble watching, this is the section of life and death in the food chain. Otherwise highly recommended, in HD DVD is Awesome....
  
  
• Erica Asahan's Review
  By A8GOJUA6TULDX on 2007-12-11
  Erica Asahan wrote:
  
  There are several segments from show that were captured beautifully and are included in this book. By far, one of the best books of my generation. I am greatful to have this in my collection and I would recommend it to all!
  
  Erica Asahan
  
  
• Incredible!
  By A2IQCWVR5R2WLL on 2007-12-28
  Incredible photos and information. This was my son's favorite gift for holidays, and Amazon's pricing was the best, and of course the amazing quick delivery in perfect condition. Couldn't have been better!
  
  
• Planet Earth: As You've Never Seen It
  By A1GXMDPA028KR4 on 2008-01-01
  Copy is interesting; photography is terrible. A disappointment as a companion piece to the excellent DVD series.
  
  
• The third rock from the sun is an AMAZING place!!
  By A2VP7JOT3K7PFM on 2008-08-11
  XXXXX
  
  "The authors of [this] book (producers of the [Planet Earth TV] series) are extremely grateful to the [TV series'] production [the production team consisted of almost 25 people], post-production, and camera teams [the camera team consisted of more than 55 people] for their talent, dedication, and determination. The result of their hard work on this challenging series is not only obvious in the television programmes but in these pages. The stories they unearthed and the trips they organized were the inspiration for much of the text, and many of their unique images [or photographs] illustrate this book."
  
  The above is found in the first paragraph of this book's acknowledgements section. According to this book's cover, it is authored solely by Alastair Fothergill, one of the TV series producers. However, according to this book's title page, there are five more co-authors (all producers of the TV series) making it thus authored by six people altogether.
  
  This book (a "New York Times" bestseller and endorsed by Oprah Winfrey) is supposed to be a "companion" to and a "mirror" of the TV series which "took four years to make [and was] filmed in more than 200 locations worldwide." However, don't get the idea that this book is simply a rehash of the TV series because it definitely is not.
  
  This book consists of two outstanding features:
  
  (1) exquisite, revealing, and unique colour photographs (of which I counted more than 360 captioned ones)
  (2) text (which is quite comprehensive and informative)
  
  To give the potential reader a "feel" for this book, I will give the chapter titles and a brief description. Note that the first chapter should be read first and subsequent chapters can be read in any desired order:
  
  (1) The Whole Earth (Gives a general overview of the entire planet and orientates the reader.)
  (2) Frozen Poles (The ultimate places of extremes, the Artic and the Antarctic.)
  (3) The Great Forests (Between the poles and the equator lie huge tracts of forest. These forests have great effects for both the wildlife living there and for the health of the entire planet.)
  (4) The Great Plains (These plains cover more than a quarter of the planet's land. They support the greatest gatherings of wildlife anywhere on Earth.)
  (5) The Great Sands (Deserts are the hottest, most arid regions of the world. Only the hardiest of plants and animals can survive in these areas, each with a special repertoire of tricks.)
  (6) Mountain Heights (Mountains epitomize wilderness--remote high-altitude places, where only the hardiest of animals survive the cold.)
  (7) The Underworld (Caves are the least known environments on land, are home to some of the strangest animals, and offer unique landscapes and thrilling experiences. **This is my personal favourite chapter.)
  (8) Fresh Water (All life on land is dependent on fresh water. It is the most precious resource on Earth.)
  (9) Rain Forests (Reliable year round sunshine and regular rain downpours result in a rich rain forest with a variety and complexity of life unmatched by any other habitat on Earth.)
  (10) Shallow Seas (These are by far the richest parts of the ocean. It's in these seas that you find the coral reefs, the sea grass beds, the kelp forests, and 90% of the world's commercial fisheries.)
  (11) Open Ocean Depths (The deep and open ocean covers more than 60% of the Earth's surface. It regulates the climate, conditions the atmosphere, and contains some of the least known and most extraordinary animals on Earth.)
  
  Finally, there are some problems with this book. Note that these problems in no way affect its readability but are irritations (at least to me):
  
  (1) In the book's front material is a world map with the names of the continents, oceans, selected seas, and other selected landmarks printed directly on it. (This map is not indicated in the table of contents.) As well, there is a numbered list of almost 55 features whose numbers are printed on the map. This map is untitled and there is no explanation of how it's to be used.
  
  When I first came across this map, I assumed that it was unimportant and forgot about it. It was not until I was well into the book that I discovered accidentally what it is and how it's to be used.
  
  This map is a locator map. The idea is that when you come across a place, feature, etc., in the main narrative, you look it up on the map. For example, if you came across in the main narrative the Himalayas, you then go back to the map to see where these mountains are located.
  
  The numbered list of selected landmarks is used in the same way. For example, the list of landmarks indicates that the Great Barrier Reef is #52. When you come across this reef in the main narrative you are then supposed to find this number on the map to discover the Reef's exact location.
  
  I think this is a good idea since this actually adds another dimension to the book. However, I found another problem. The reader is not told when to refer to the map. So what you end up doing is guessing if a particular place, feature, etc., is on the map. I guessed wrong many times and thus became frustrated.
  
  My question is why is there no instructions on this map of how it`s to be used? As well, in the main narrative, why isn't the reader told when to refer to this map?
  
  (2) The same problem goes for the photographs in the book. The reader is not told when to look at a particular photograph. You either have to read the entire narrative on a page and then look at the photograph (many pages have more than one picture per page) or you have to guess when to look at a photograph when you come across the name of a particular animal, feature, etc., in the main narrative.
  
  (3) Much of the material in the text gives some highly specific detailed information. Why isn't there any credit given as to where this information was obtained?
  
  (4) All the back material (most notably the index) in this book is not indicated in the table of contents.
  
  In conclusion, this is a fascinating book where you truly get to see the planet "as you've never seen it before." I leave you with the final paragraph of the book's Forward (written by (Sir) David Attenborough):
  
  "This remarkable and beautiful book should stand not just as a revelation and celebration of the wonders that our planet retains at the beginning of the twenty-first century. It surely must also be seen as an eloquent rallying call to all of us who care for the Earth's welfare to redouble our efforts to protect those wonders that still survive."
  
  (first published 2006; foreword; locator map; 11 chapters; main narrative 305 pages; index; copyright; names of some people that made the television series possible; acknowledgements; picture credits)
  
  <>
  
  XXXXX
  
  
  
• Incredible Book
  By A6K2PDZ5M9C6R on 2007-05-13
  This book is a wonderful companion to the Discovery Channel series. It provides breathtaking pictures of many shots seen in the television show but also some incredible new ones (My favorite was of the polar bear on the blood-covered iceberg after slaughtering a seal. So primal and beautiful at the same time.) The text is easy to read and very informative and leads you through each section throughly. A must have for any nature/animal/photography lover!
  
  
• Planet Earth DVD series
  By AS5UFFBYFE0OT on 2007-05-15
  This is an extraordinary undertaking. The filming is excellent, the explanations and commentary are topnotch. The animals come alive on the screen.We especially like David Attenborough's dialog. The background of filming with the crews gave us a great appreciation of the dedication they had in making this accurate and spectacular series.
  
  
• wonderful book
  By A3N7HIFEXIIW7E on 2007-05-17
  This is a great book, I got it for my nephews and they absolutely love the pictures. It's a pretty big and heavy book but they drag it around all over the house so we can read it to them while they look at the pictures.
  
  
• beautiful book
  By A398JEIY86GXTX on 2007-07-23
  This book was purchased as a memorial gift to a library. It is a visual feast. The library was very pleased with the gift.
  
  
• Glorious
  By A3KANZ95C7DW1 on 2007-07-27
  Beautifully photographed and informational, this book should be on every nature lover's shelf. The "Planet Earth" series, which I watch weekly on Animal Planet, is even more jaw-dropping. I thank the generous and unbelievably courageous people who have the cojones to make this possible!
  
  Julie Townsend
  Metairie, LA
  
  
• magnificent
  By AUZ45M121ZV16 on 2007-07-30
  Amazing photos and wonderous facts regarding everything imaginable to the unusual. Our family has enjoyed this educational and spellbinding photography.
  
  

• Planet Earth - The Complete BBC Series
• The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss
• Planet Earth: The Making of an Epic Series
• Ocean: The World's Last Wilderness Revealed
• Rainforest