A lot of technical and scientific writing is drab.
You’d assume that this type of writing was preordained to be lifeless. Many technical and scientific reports seem as if the writer’s words are designed to close down the reader’s mind as quickly as possible.
It does not have it to be so.
Rachael Carson’s ‘The Sea Around Us‘ is proof that science can be clear, informative, and powerful prose.
Carson’s ability to illuminate through words helps explain why she has had so much influence and continues to do today.
Vivid imagery brings alive the oceans, the forces that drive them, and the species that dwell in the deep.
“It is a beautifully balanced system – as long as it remains in balance. What happens when the Humbolt is temporarily displaced is nothing short of catastrophic.” (p.166)
As Farnham Street noted, it is proof that describing the whole from many different angles illuminates the complex.
If you want to get a glimpse of the opportunities to tell a powerful story, take the time the time to read this book.