Flotsametrics and the Floating World: how one man's obsession with runaway sneakers and rubber ducks revolutionized ocean science

by Curtis Ebbesmeyer and and Eric Scigliano

This is an OK book, though it drifts a bit and the author has a couple of New-Agey spiritual moments. I would have preferred more science, but it's probably just the right amount of science for non-nerds. I wasn't terribly interested in the author's personal story, but maybe I was just frustrated with the amount of science. Really, to be honest, you could save yourself the trouble and just read this article from Harper's.

Lastly, this book is a tad depressing. The ocean is so full of garbage and microscopic particles of plastic, it's probably too late. We poisoned the earth without paying attention, and it might be irreversible no matter how much attention we pay now. If you're prone to ecological nightmares, read with caution.