A Fascination for Fish, by David C. Powell - For many years, Powell was the curator of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. His tales of developing techniques to capture and exhibit schools of large ocean fish and living kelp forests are as fascinating as the fish themselves. A naturalist, pioneering aquarist, and ardent conservationist, Powell wanted to display the ocean world as naturally as possible. The adventure and grief behind the huge and remarkable aquarium exhibits are well described. A fascinating book. Very readable.

    Diving : The World's Best Sites, by Jack Jackson, is like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit. This book motivates you to quit your job, sell all of your possessions, and spend your life diving the world's oceans.

    National Audubon Society Field Guide to Tropical Marine Fishes: by C. Lavett Smith Covering tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda, this field guide sets the tropical-fish standard. It focusses on distiguishing characteristics and certain behaviors that a diver or a hobbyist might see in encounters with these fish.

    Underwater Archaeology by Jean-Yves Blot & Alexandra Campbell. Many exciting archaeological discoveries are made exploring shipwrecks and the remains of sunken human settlements. An inexpensive, colorful book and a great introduction to the subject of marine exploration.

    Scuba Talk: A Guide To Underwater Communication, by Keith A. Ellenbogen, is an easy book to read. It explains a system of hand signals to identify and tell your buddy you have seen a specific fish or marine animal. Contains useful information about the habits and behavior of aquatic life.