When you dive into the sea, do you ever wonder what’s down there, beneath you, poised to take an inquisitive bite? Author of Jaws Peter Benchley and film director Steven Spielberg certainly did, for below the waves lies a world we neither see nor understand; an alien world where we are but the briefest of visitors.

The Shark that Walks on Land uncovers tales of ancient and modern mariners, with stories of sea serpents, mermaids and mermen, sea dragons, and the true identity of the legendary kraken. But this book contains more than just a medley of maritime myths and mysteries for marine biologists; it celebrates wonderful discoveries by blending the unknown and the familiar in an entertaining miscellany of facts, figures and anecdotes about the myriad creatures that inhabit the oceans.

Along the way we meet the giants, the most dangerous, the oddballs and the record breakers — and the shark that really does walk on land!

Michael Bright