First published 2010
Jacques Cousteau creates the aqualung and dives into uncharted waters. The former military officer becomes an inventor, entrepreneur, and television personality who brings the ocean's mysteries to millions of viewers. Bradford Matsen draws on interviews with Cousteau's family and closest associates to reveal the complete man behind the famous red cap. The biography shows Cousteau as father, businessman, and adventurer, tracing his journey from early diving experiments to global fame. Matsen captures the people and scientific discoveries that drove Cousteau's passion for the sea. The book reveals how one man's curiosity about the underwater world changed how humanity sees the planet.
Genres: biography, 20th-century, adventure, biography-memoir, 21st-century, adventurers
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: man-on-a-mission, rags-to-riches
Setting: Underwater, Global
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
320 pages · Paperback · Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group