"Anyone with a serious interest in understanding the oceans will want to own a copy of Wunsch's book. Its treatment of what is really known about the ocean is the fruit of a lifetime of effort by Wunsch in obtaining, analyzing, interpreting, and critically evaluating oceanic observations. This authoritative and helpfully opinionated book is a must-read for every oceanographer."--Joe Pedlosky, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
"In this magnificent book, Wunsch provides a broad introduction to modern observational physical oceanography, encompassing one of the most exciting and important scientific revolutions of the past three decades. It is a tour de force that should be mandatory reading for graduate students and researchers in physical oceanography and related disciplines."--David Marshall, University of Oxford
"Wunsch has led the effort to build a global ocean observing system, which has brought oceanography into a new era. Here, he enables students to appreciate the connections between the basics of this science with the infusion of data from satellites, robotic deep-sea probes, and classic expeditions with ships. We finally can see the inner working of the ocean, at a time when global warming is nudging it in dangerous directions."--Peter Rhines, University of Washington
"Essential reading for all serious students of physical oceanography. Wunsch explains how our knowledge derives from instrumental observations and conceptual models, yet how we often misunderstand the limits of what we see. Knowing these limits illuminates the history of the field and reveals the opportunities that lie ahead. This book's treatment--by one of the most profound thinkers in oceanography--is insightful, wise, erudite, and useful in practice."--Thomas Haine, Johns Hopkins University
"Wunsch is a world-renowned expert in oceanography, especially in observational oceanography, and this book is correspondingly authoritative. It discusses the real ocean, in particular how it is observed and what we can infer about the ocean from these observations. It is unique in its approach and a valuable addition to the canon."--Geoffrey K. Vallis, author of Climate and the Oceans