The 2000 book is good in that it has more up-to-date biological information, talks about (failed) efforts to capture and keep coelecanths alive for public aquaria, and also recounts the discovery of the 2nd coelecanth species, Latimeria menadoensis.
Chris Scharpf
who has a near life-size paper maiche coelecanth hanging in his living room; see
http://www.wardmorgan.com/sculpt3.html
for the artist who made mine (mine was his first)
> >>>JLB Smith...published a nifty book about the
> whole adventure back in 1956. I recently lost an ebay auction in which I
> tried to get it, but from what I understand, the thing reads almost like
> an Indiana Jones movie, but one written by Jones himself.<<<
>
> That book is easy to find and is usually inexpensive. Last copy I bought was
> $15 sans dustjacket. Original British edition is called "Old Four Legs," but
> American version is titled "Search Beneath the Sea." The latter may show up
> at local library sales.
>
> I really liked Keith Thomson's 1991 book - "Living Fossil - The Story of the
> Coelacanth." Its more objective, more complete, and provides some
> interesting insights into the motives and operations of the good Dr. Smith.
> It's a great recounting of the story and a great summary of the science
> behind the story. Nicely illustrated with line drawings and photographs.
> Thomson is an ichthyologist and is very good at putting coelacanth-specific
> information into a broader fish-context.
>
> My wife recently gave me a 2000 book on the coelacanth she found in Edward R.
> Hamilton: "A Fish Caught in Time - The Seartch for the Coelacanth." Have not
> had time yet to read it. Looks good. Also well illustrated.
>
> - Jan Hoover
> Vicksburg, MS
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