In Of Orcas and Men, a marvelously compelling mix of cultural history, environmental reporting, and scientific research, David Neiwert explores how this extraordinary species has come to capture our imaginations—and the catastrophic environmental consequences of that appeal.

Orcas are one of Earth’s most intelligent animals. Benign and gentle, with their own languages and cultures, orcas’ amazing capacity for long-term memory and, arguably, compassion, makes the ugly story of the captive-orca industry especially damning.

In the tradition of Barry Lopez’s classic Of Wolves and Men, David Neiwert’s book is a powerful tribute to one of the animal kingdom’s most remarkable members.