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I received this book for free from Pantheon Books in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Sharks Don't Sink by Jasmin Graham Narrator: Jasmin Graham
Length: 6 hours 1 minute
Published by Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group on July 16, 2024
Genres: Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology, Nature / Ecosystems & Habitats / Oceans & Seas
Pages: 224
Format: ARC, Audiobook
Source: Pantheon Books
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Goodreads
The uplifting story of a young Black scientist’s challenging journey to flourish outside the traditional confines of academia, inspired by her innate connection to nature’s most misunderstood animal—the shark.
"Jasmin Graham has that winning combination of talent and grit needed to excel as a scientist. Every girl who wants to be a marine biologist should have this book." —Hope Jahren, New York Times bestselling author of Lab Girl and The Story of More
Sharks have been on this planet for over 400 million years, so there is a lot they can teach us about survival and adaptability. For example: how do sharks, which unlike other fish are denser than water, stay afloat? They keep moving. When Jasmin Graham, an award-winning young shark scientist, started to feel that the traditional path to becoming a marine biologist was pulling her under, she remembered this important lesson: keep moving forward.
If navigating the choppy waters of traditional academic study was no longer worth it, then that meant creating an ocean of her own. Jasmin joined with three other Black women to form Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization dedicated to providing support and opportunities for other young women of color. She became an independent researcher: a rogue shark scientist, seeking ways to keep these extraordinary endangered creatures swimming free—just like her.
Sharks Don’t Sink is a riveting, moving, and ultimately triumphant memoir at the intersection of science and social justice: a guidebook to how we can all learn to respect and protect some of nature’s most misunderstood and vulnerable creatures—and grant the same grace to ourselves.
A Must-Read Book for Future Marine Biologists
I haven’t seen a lot of mentions of Sharks Don’t Sink, so allow me to introduce you to a very interesting memoir by a Black woman shark scientist. There is also a great audiobook, read by the author, for my audiobook listeners. Not gonna lie, I picked this book up for two big reasons: I’d never heard of a Black Woman Shark Scientist and Shark Week was coming.
This book addressed a lot of topics that I expected and a few that caught me off guard. Racism is addressed in the book, but another ism dominates, which is sexism. Through Jasmin Graham’s story you will learn about her leadership in Minorities in Shark Sciences. As a Black woman, Graham has had to really rely on the mentorship of other women in her field to build her knowledge and courageousness.
Dealing With Sexism
I didn’t realize how sexist and hostile an environment it is for female scientists to work in until I read Jasmin’s memoir. Sexual harassment is disgustingly common out on the research vessels. But once you find yourself immersed in her story you will quickly understand why women have to support each other in the male-dominated environment of scientific research.
#BlackinNature
I loved how she starts off the book with how she found connection with other Black women in shark science through the Twitter #BlackinNature . Feeling like she was the only one in her field, this opened her eyes to the possibility of connecting with multiple Black women shark scientists. She also tells her own family history and background of living in the South throughout the book. She comes from a fishing family with Southern roots. Her experiences contribute to her dedication for social justice and give her a wider perspective when comes to approaching science and the environment.
If you know a young woman who wants to be a marine biologist, I would definitely recommend this Sharks Don’t Sink as a must-read! As a non-scientist I was immersed in her story as it alternated between her family’s history and her experiences as a young Black woman scientist.
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