... The result was “Last Chance to See”, quite possibly the best piece of non-fiction writing you may ever come across, and definitely the best book I have ever read about endangered wildlife.
It’s essentially just a description of a journey, or rather several journeys, to foreign locations ... Read review
The record of an odyssey by a zoologist and a zoologically-innocent comic novelist. It ... more
began in 1985 with a search for a rare lemur in Madagascar and went on to include expeditions which witnessed fruitbats man-eating lizards gorillas a blind dolphin and the most inept parrot the kakapot.
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Join Britain’s best-loved wit and raconteur, Stephen Fry, as he follows in the ... more
footsteps of his great friend, the late writer Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), along with zoologist Mark Carwardine, to remote parts in search of some of the rarest and most threatened animals on Earth. Twenty years ago Carwardine teamed up with Adams and embarked on a groundbreaking expedition in search of some of the world's most endangered animals. This time, he is joined by Stephen Fry to see how all those animals have been faring in the years since and which, if any, survived. In this programme we follow the duo on six separate journeys which take them from the steamy jungles of the Amazon to the ice-covered mountain tops of New Zealand and from the edge of a war zone in Central Africa to a sub-tropical paradise in the North Pacific. Along the way, they search for some of the weirdest, most remarkable and most troubled creatures on earth: a large, black, sleepy animal easily mistaken for an unusually listless mudbank, a parrot with a song like an unreleased collection of Pink Floyd studio outtakes, a rhino with square lips, a dragon with deadly saliva, an animal roughly the length of a Boeing 737 and the creature most likely to emerge from the cargo doors of a spaceship. Last Chance to See is a unique insight into the disappearing world around us, and this is their hilarious, entertaining, informative and thought-provoking adventure.
Join Britain's best-loved wit and raconteur Stephen Fry as he follows in his great ... more
friend Douglas Adams' footsteps with zoologist Mark Carwardine in search of some of the rarest and most threatened animals on Earth. In the 1980s celebrated writer Douglas Adams teamed up with zoologist Mark Carwardine and together they embarked on a groundbreaking expedition travelling the globe in search of the world's endangered animals. Twenty years later comic genius Stephen Fry is returning with Mark to see if the species still exist. A major BBC television series follows the two on six separate journeys which take them to the Amazon basin East Africa Madagascar New Zealand Indonesia and Mexico to look for a flightless parrot the Amazonian manatee man-eating Komodo dragons man's closest living relative the northern white rhino and an animal so bizarre it seems to have been assembled from bits of other creatures. These are not just travels to the four corners of the world but a journey in time to open our eyes to what humans have done to the Earth in the 20 years since the original Last Chance to See expeditions. It is a unique insight into the disappearing world around us by one of the most extraordinary informed enthusiastic and amusing partnerships.
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Douglas Adams' genius was in using comedy to make serious points about the world' - ... more
"Independent". After years of reflecting on the absurdities of life on other planets Douglas Adams teamed up with zoologist Mark Carwardine to find out what was happening to life on this one. Together they lead us on an unforgettable journey across the world in search of exotic endangered creatures - animals that they may never get another chance to see. They encounter the animal kingdom in its stunning beauty astonishing variety and imminent peril: the giant Komodo dragon of Indonesia the helpless but lovable Kakapo of New Zealand the blind river dolphins of China the white rhinos of Zaire the rare birds of Mauritius Island in the Indian Ocean. Both funny and poignant "Last Chance to See" is the tale of an unforgettable wildlife odyssey - and a timely reminder of all that we must protect.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Join Britain’s best-loved wit and raconteur, Stephen Fry, as he follows in the ... more
footsteps of his great friend, the late writer Douglas Adams (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy), along with zoologist Mark Carwardine, to remote parts in search of some of the rarest and most threatened animals on Earth. Twenty years ago Carwardine teamed up with Adams and embarked on a groundbreaking expedition in search of some of the world's most endangered animals. This time, he is joined by Stephen Fry to see how all those animals have been faring in the years since and which, if any, survived. In this programme we follow the duo on six separate journeys which take them from the steamy jungles of the Amazon to the ice-covered mountain tops of New Zealand and from the edge of a war zone in Central Africa to a sub-tropical paradise in the North Pacific. Along the way, they search for some of the weirdest, most remarkable and most troubled creatures on earth: a large, black, sleepy animal easily mistaken for an unusually listless mudbank, a parrot with a song like an unreleased collection of Pink Floyd studio outtakes, a rhino with square lips, a dragon with deadly saliva, an animal roughly the length of a Boeing 737 and the creature most likely to emerge from the cargo doors of a spaceship. Last Chance to See is a unique insight into the disappearing world around us, and this is their hilarious, entertaining, informative and thought-provoking adventure.
Advantages: Warmth, humour and some great descriptions. Disadvantages: Knowing that Adams is gone, and there'll not be more like this
In 1985, The Observer newspaper decided to send Douglas Adams to Madagascar to hunt for a virtually extinct lemur. No-one seems quite sure exactly why they did this, including Douglas Adams himself. Quite possibly, it’s because he was quite good at creating strange alien creatures that no-one is ever likely to see, and no-one really expected him to ever see the aye-aye, the lemur in question.
Quite against the odds, he did. And so, ... ...done for some time and actually catching sight of the aye-aye, Douglas Adams and Mark Cawardine, the zoologist who had accompanied him, decided to go looking for some more endangered species.
In 1988, they did. The result was “Last Chance to See”, quite possibly the best piece of non-fiction writing you may ever come across, and definitely the best book I have ever read about endangered wildlife.
In 1985, The Observer newspaper decided to send Douglas Adams to Madagascar to hunt for a virtually extinct lemur. No-one seems quite sure exactly why they did this, including Douglas Adams himself. Quite possibly, it’s because he was quite good at creating strange alien creatures that no-one is ever likely to see, and no-one really expected him to ever see the aye-aye, the lemur in question.
Quite against the odds, he did. And so, buoyed with their success at doing what no-one else had done for some time and actually catching sight of the aye-aye, Douglas Adams and Mark Cawardine, the zoologist who had accompanied him, decided to go looking for some more endangered species.
In 1988, they did. The result was “Last Chance to See”, quite possibly the best piece of non-fiction writing you may ever come across, and definitely the best book I have ever read about endangered wildlife.
It’s essentially just a description of a journey, or rather several journeys, to foreign locations in an attempt to find endangered species. It’s almost just a natural history version of Tony Hawks “One Hit Wonderland”, only better written. Think of a cross between David Attenborough and Michael Palin’s BBC documentaries, and you’re getting the right idea.
It is the same thing that made Michael Palin’s travelogues so entertaining that makes “Last Chance to See” as easy to read as it is. It’s written in a hugely accessible style, with very few technical terms – you’ll not find a single Latin species name here – and with an ever present humour. Douglas Adams has taken these voyages as an opportunity to poke fun at everything, including himself. There are moments that a lesser writer would have left out, such as the parts involving aftershave, which Adams does not.
However, the true beauty is in some of the descriptive work. Adams isn’t a naturalist, and so can look at what he sees with a completely fresh eye, having never previously considered seeing any of these animals, much less studied them, even theoretically, for some time. This, in addition to his clearly being a writer of some skill, gives rise to some unique descriptions that both entertain and make perfect sense, as well as conjuring up some wonderful mental pictures. Describing a rhinoceros as “a nimble young tank” is something you’re unlikely to see anywhere else, but somehow manages to evoke a wonderful image, even for those who have only ever seen either a rhino or a tank in pictures.
The only part of the book where the style seems to change in any way is during the trip to China. Unlike many of the other destinations, Adams doesn’t really seem completely comfortable with the idea of China and it does show a little in his writing. Of course, there is also the mention of Tiananmen Square, which was to be the scene of much unhappiness shortly after their visit. Although perhaps containing the most laugh out loud recollections as they try to waterproof a microphone, this section does lose a little of the humour that is otherwise prevalent. Although this is noticeable, it’s by no means a distraction.
“Last Chance to See” is no less than a total joy to read. The pages fly by and, although there’s a serious message here, it’s presented in such a gentle and humorous way that it never becomes cloying or overly sentimental. Adams’ writing is of such a quality and his touch so light that, although we are being preached to just a little bit, it’s done so gently that you don’t realise until after you’ve realised that you’re actually enjoying yourself.
If there is a touch of sadness to be had, though, it’s on the front cover. There is a poignancy in seeing Douglas Adams face above the words “Last Chance to See”, as it reminds us that there will be no more writing of this calibre from him ever again. He may have gone looking for endangered species but he beat them to the edge of extinction himself. It’s a brief moment of sadness in an otherwise light hearted read.
It’s not a book that will provide belly laughs, so fans of humour and people expecting writing more like Adams’ other works may be a little disappointed. But if you have anything more than a passing interest in hearing of travel to new places or in animals, this really is a book you have to read.
Even at £6.99, writing of this high order represents good value, which is rarer and rarer in books these days. However, from £6.39 at Amazon or £5.99 from play.com, it’s really something that should not be missed. Copies have been seen on eBay from £1.45 and in the Amazon marketplace from 90p, but they tend to be few and far between. Simply because some things are just so good, you can’t bring yourself to let them go once you have them. This is one of those things.
Advantages: Ape-like creatures destroy an insignificant green planet Disadvantages: This isn't fiction!
...rush out and by - Last Chance to See - which he wrote with acclaimed zoologist Mark Carwardine. I'm sensing a few of you shuffling in your seats already (please don't it's very off-putting) and I can hear the almost inaudible whisper of 'he wrote a book with a zoologist???!'. But book he wrote and what a book it is. It is, essentially, a non-fiction catalogue of a number of endangered species - and when I use the term endangered here I am talking ... ...animals are drinking in the last chance saloon of life. It is Adams gift for description which makes the book so readable, for example, when visiting the baiji dolphin, he likens their system of navigation - echolocation - to the use of bike bells by the Chinese, thus making the animal much easier to understand and, along the way, providing an insight into modern Chinese living. This book is about the animals, but it is so much more than that. It ...
x_elf_x 30.08.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams
Advantages: Interesting, informative and thought-provoking Disadvantages: Seemed short although may be i was just enjoying it.
...Medium Rare? -
In the last chapter Douglas and Mark go to Mauritius to see (ready?) Rodrigues Fruitbat, Mauritius Kestrel, The Dodo, Echo Parakeet and the Pink Pigeon. They see so many rare animals in this chapter because Mauritius (like the Galapagos islands) has many rare animals. They originally intend to go to Rodrigues but were convinced otherwise by a local who had all of these animals at a conservation centre. The kestrel turns out to be ... ...and has some very interesting mating habits. (One of these birds may be a fake, to see if you were listening (reading))
At the end of the book a chapter has been added to say how the animals have been doing since the pair were there. All of the animals are doing well it reveals. I believe this book isn’t very well known (and you may be reading when you haven’t even heard of the book) but I would definitely recommend it to anyone who ...
R_Easton 12.10.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams
...that we can make up the rules for ourselves as we go along."
Further point of interest:
You can also get Last Chance on CD-ROM the text is accompanied by hundreds of photographs, maps, interviews, sound recordings and datasheets about the animals, its also read aloud by DA. ...
Trillian 27.08.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams
Advantages: Informative, funny and makes you think about some issues too. Disadvantages: Factual, no Arthur Dent or Dirk Gently!
...endangered species, it has the best of both worlds, some startling statistics about world conditions and the last chances we have to see some species that are on their last breath, and some funny asides by the best comedy SF writer in the history of everything. Go buy it NOW! ...
Raybid 24.06.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams
Advantages: It is by the late, great Douglas Adams Disadvantages: Difficult to find in my bookshop - wasn't sure where to look and had to ask an assistant.
This is an inspiring and truly great book, told with Adams' trademark quirky sense of humour.
This book is partly great travel writing, partly natural history, partly brilliant comedy and partly committed environmentalism.
Even if you are not into saving the planet, this book is still worth reading due to Adams' great gift for telling a story.
It is a wonderful evocation of the terrible damage we are doing to the environment, as well as containing ... ...his travels and the hardships - bureaucratic as well as physical -Adams encounters in accessing some of the remotest parts of the globe.
Adams sets out to discover the rarest animals on theplanet, with the help of a biologist Mark Carwardine.
There are many stand-out moments from the book. The brilliant description of the Komodo dragon's island home, followed by the devastating anti-climax when we realise that it has been made into a tourist trap, ...
drewish 28.11.2004
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Advantages: funny story, very well written Disadvantages: no disadvantages
series, but this book the RATEOTU puts the story in all connections with the history of the 3 later books. The trilogy is altogether an excellent read. The trilogy is also available on unabridged audio books read by DouglasAdams.
Other books by douglasAdams
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> The Meaning of Liff (1983, with John Lloyd)
> The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts (1985, with Geoffrey Perkins)
> The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book which includes:
+ Young Zaphod Plays it Safe
+ The Private Life of Genghis Khan,
+ A Christmas Fairly Story
+ "Supplement to The Meaning of Liff"
>The Deeper Meaning of Liff
> LastChancetoSee
> The Illustrated Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1994)
> DouglasAdams's Starship Titanic
> The Salmon of Doubt (2002), unfinished ...
In 1985 Douglas Adams was sent by a newspaper to Madagascar with Mark Cawardine to search for an almost extinct form of lemur called the aye-aye. Cawardine is an experienced zoologist and his role on the expedition was to be the one who knew what he was talking about. Adams, on the other hand, was an extremely ignorant non-zoologist to whom everything that happened would come as a complete surprise, the biggest of which was that they actually found one. Adams was absolutely riveted by this experience and decided he wanted more of it. Three years later, he and Cawardine set off on a further six expeditions - to Mauritius to find the world's rarest fruitbat and a mad Welshman; to Zaire to find man's closest living relatives, the gorillas; to Indonesia to find the man-eating dragons of Komodo; to China to find a blind dolphin; and to New Zealand to find the world's fattest and least aerodynamic parrot, the kakapo. The resulting account tells the story of the animals they found, but also of the journeys they made to find them, the people they met and the difficulties they overcame.
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