March Of The Penguins, by Luc Jacquet, including narration written by Jordan Roberts, and photographs by Jerome Maison

If you are wondering the obvious question as to whether this book is the companion volume to the movie of the same name, that is correct. This book, with a publishing date of 2004, is labeled as the companion volume to the movie released in early 2005, and which I remember seeing in the theaters in 2006 when it was given a wide release around award season. One could argue, very easily, that this book was released in part to build hype about the movie, by showing still photos of adorable emperor penguins making the long walk to their mating location, then to and from that location to the sea in the brutal Antarctic winter to obtain food while their partner guards the fragile egg from which new life will come in the form of an adorable baby penguin chick, who needs to be fed and protected until it can join its parents and other emperor penguins in feasting on fish and krill in the sea to fatten themselves up before the next winter when they will do it all again. This book basically recapitulates the movie, with mostly photos as well as narration text, and a section at the end that shows how the film (and book) were made by photographers in bright orange costumes seeking to understand the ways of the emperor penguin in Antarctica on behalf of National Geographic.

Does this book need to exist? Strictly speaking, the vast majority of this book was made redundant as soon as the movie came out and allowed people (like myself) who are fans of penguins to watch the penguins in their harsh, austere life in Antarctica where they engage in complex mating and feeding behaviors at considerable risk and danger to themselves. A lot has to go right for the next generation of penguins to survive. If either the father or mother die, the survival of the other partner and baby are imperiled. If the baby dies, the parents break up, the purpose of their union defeated. A lot is at stake in the marching and countermarching of the penguins between their breeding area and feeding area. Yet even if the material of the book obviously served its purpose once the movie was made in providing for more attention–the movie was, deservedly, well-regarded, award-winning, and massively profitable to boot. Even now, though, this book has at least some purpose if one uses it as a coffee table book, and that is showing guests of one’s fondness for penguins (which one ought not to be ashamed to show off), as well as reminding others of the movie, perhaps with the aim of watching it. That is purpose enough to have and keep a book like this one.

Concerning National Geographic, I have had a lot of criticism of them over the years, especially for their terrible maps and atlases and the like and for their association with Disney and all of the woke garbage that company has inflicted on the Western world over the past few years (non-Western nations were spared by having different version of Disney products, at least). This book (and its accompanying movie) were created before National Geographic became part of Disney, and it demonstrates the real strength of the company not as a geographical company engaged in the production of maps–which it does very badly–but in its excellent photography and videography which help to show the world and its mysterious beauty. It is that quality which is on display here, with gorgeous shots of the harsh Antarctic setting as well as adorable pictures of penguins–the baby penguins are particularly googooli with their round faces, bodies, and their general fuzziness. We can always use more books filled with photos of adorable penguins, so this book will always bring a lot of value to whomever appreciates its material.