Peter's works are presented on these pages, starting with the most recent, SPIRORBIS – Stories from my Life. Many of the titles are now 'out of print' but can be bought secondhand on Amazon or other online booksellers. His memoirs are available in hardback and E-book (Kindle) formats. Click Here for further information.
Spirorbis
Stories from my Life by Peter Vine
Spirorbis takes the reader on a journey of exploration and adventure to the islands and remote coastlines of Greece, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, East Africa, the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf region.
"...Normally, this would have been ample surprise to scare away a shark but this was a more determined individual. Instead of disappearing into the murky haze, it doubled back and came even closer than before."
Bibliography
The backbone of my bibliography was the books on the Red Sea and my 'country studies' that were pictorial essays covering: The Past, Natural History, Traditions, Art & Artists, and Modern Development of some Arabian Gulf countries together with Seychelles. The most substantial of the Red Sea books was Red Sea Invertebrates, which brought together knowledge of all the invertebrates that had been recorded in the Red Sea, including corals, sponges, crabs, and molluscs etc.
Growth and Decay of Coral Reefs - Fifty Years of Learning
CRC Press, 2023
This book provides a description of how coral reefs in the Red Sea have flourished and declined over the last 50 years and the reasons behind some of these changes... Read more ›
SPIRORBIS – Stories from my Life
Artisan House, 2020
Spirorbis takes the reader on a journey of exploration and adventure to the islands and remote coastlines of Greece, the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, East Africa, the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf region.
The Emirates - A Natural History
Trident Press, 2005
The geology, palaeontology, habitats, flora and fauna of the UAE, both of its land areas and of the adjacent seas, are becoming increasingly recognised by the global scientific community as being of major importance.
The Island of Sir Bani Yas
Trident Press, 2000
The island of the Bani Yas tribe has been inhabited by man for thousands of years, and even contains remains of a Nestorian monastery, together with pre-Islamic and Islamic artefacts. It is a haven for wildlife and has enchanted visitors for decades.
Sir Bani Yas - An Arabian Ark
Immel Publishing, 1999
Paula and I walked and drove all over the island to create this small guidebook. The managed wildlife on Sir Bani Yas is remarkable, and the island today supports several tourist resorts.
UAE in Focus
Trident Press, 1998
A primarily picture driven title that portrayed the emirates that make up the UAE. Development happened so rapidly after its publication that cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi are hardly recognisable from these photographs taken in the late 90s.
Natural Emirates
Trident Press, 1996
The UAE’s wildlife had already been studied by a long list of mainly expatriate amateur naturalists and published in the Emirates Natural History Society journals. My task was to bring all the knowledge into a single volume of use to the general reader.
Heritage of Oman
Immel Publishing, 1995
Oman is one of the most fascinating and attractive countries that I have visited. Writing this title for the Immel Heritage series was a pure delight.
Kuwait - a Nation’s Story
Immel Publishing, 1994
This book contains some unique stories that happened in connection with the Gulf War. It was based on the personal testimonies and recorded interviews with affected individuals.
Seychelles
Immel Publishing, 1994
The Seychelles is a remarkable country that might be described as the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’. My first encounters with it came in the form of two biological expeditions in the early 70s, before later writing the book, and finally renewing my acquaintances on a memorable sailing holiday.
Bahrain National Museum
Immel Publishing, 1993
Paula and I spent many fascinating hours researching the stories behind the artefacts so beautifully displayed at Bahrain National Museum. The museum displays span over 7000 years with intriguing connections to the epic of Gilgamesh.
The Heritage of Qatar
Immel Publishing, 1992
Written when Qatar was still underdeveloped, it was quite a challenge to find interesting material to attract the general reader. Since publication, the country has gone through massive, fundamental transformation.
Tides of War, Ecodisaster in the Gulf
Boxtree, 1991
I wrote this book, together with co-author Michael McKinnon, during the height of the Gulf War when oil slicks were killing turtles, birds, fish and other species. Oil wells had been torched and the scale of the environmental catastrophe was still a matter of debate. It won Best Environment Book prize at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Arabia – Sand Sea and Sky
BBC Books, 1990
Published by BBC Books, this title accompanied the BBC/Discovery TV series under the same name. I wrote it under contract to producer, Michael McKinnon.
The Red Sea
Immel Publishing, 1985
The Red Sea which marked the start of my writing career with Immel Publishing, and of my collaboration with Sheikh Gazi Zainy.
Caribbean Divers’ Guide
Immel Publishing, 1990
Both a guide to marine life in the Caribbean and a country-by-country account of popular dive sites and diving facilities, this book was written in cooperation with a large number of people involved in the Caribbean’s nascent dive tourism industry
Arab Gold, Heritage of the UAE
Immel Publishing, 1989
One of the heritage series of books I wrote for Immel, Arab Gold was a popular title at a time when most books on this region concentrated solely on Dubai or Abu Dhabi, rather than all seven emirates that form the federation. The UAE Government’s positive response to the book led to fifteen years of writing and publishing the UAE Yearbooks.
Immel’s New Guide to Bahrain
Immel Publishing, 1988
This was a pictorially-based guide book with photographs by National Geographic photographer, Adam Woolfitt. It had a long shelf-life. The clue is in the title.
Jewels of the Kingdom, The Heritage of Jordan
Immel Publishing, 1987
One of the heritage series, based on my own travels through Jordan, a country that produced some memorable experiences, including places such as Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and Gulf of Aqaba.
Red Sea Explorers (co-authored with Hagen Schmid)
Immel Publishing, 1987
With a foreword by Dr Hans Hass this account of early exploration of the Red Sea places the reader in the centre of the narrative. It begins: "The next problem was where to bury the body", and goes on to describe the Arabia Felix Expedition, and those of other explorers.
Pearls in Arabian Waters, The Heritage of Bahrain
Immel Publishing, 1986
This was my first volume in a series of books covering the history, natural history, traditions, art, and modern development of Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Seychelles.
Red Sea Invertebrates
Immel Publishing, 1986
There already existed several books on fishes, but nothing providing an overview of the Red Sea’s invertebrates: corals, crabs, molluscs etc. My book provided descriptions of over two thousand species
Red Sea Safety
Immel Publishing, 1986
Red Sea Safety provided a quick guide to how to respond to stings, bites and other shocks to the system. The cross on the cover was supposed to suggest First Aid but such crosses are offensive in Arabian/Islamic culture and the book was not openly sold in Islamic countries.
