Mark Carwardine

In which Douglas Adams, author of [b:The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy|11|The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, #1)|Douglas Adams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1531891848l/11._SY75_.jpg|3078186] and [b:Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency|365|Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency (Dirk Gently, #1)|Douglas Adams|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1554401296l/365._SY75_.jpg|1042123], is escorted by zoologist Mark Carwardine to some remote parts of the world in order to see and report on various endangered species. They visit:

• the aye-aye lemur (Madagascar)

• the man-eating dragon lizard (Komodo, Indonesia)

• the mountain gorilla and northern white rhinoceros (Zaïre)

• the kākāpō flightless parrot (New Zealand)

• the baiji river dolphin (China)

• the Rodrigues fruit bat, Mauritius kestrel, pink pigeon, and echo parakeet (Mauritius)

What Adams produced at the end of this expedition was a half-humorous, half-serious travel-and-nature book (mainly humorous about the travel, mainly serious about the animals): the sort of thing Gerald Durrell used to write. It’s very readable, amusing in places, and quite interesting. Even if you’re not particularly interested in animals, you can read it as a travel book.

It includes 66 good-quality colour photos illustrating the text: animals, people, and landscape.

Of the species mentioned in the book, according to Wikipedia in 2024 the northern white rhinoceros is now critically endangered (possibly extinct in the wild); the kākāpō flightless parrot is critically endangered; the baiji river dolphin is possibly extinct.

The aye-aye, the Komodo dragon, the mountain gorilla, and the Rodrigues fruit bat are still endangered.

The Mauritius kestrel was reduced to a population of 4 in 1974, but deliberate conservation efforts restored the population to about 400 by 2019. The pink pigeon and echo parakeet have also recovered from critically endangered to merely vulnerable.… (more)

Thirty‑plus years ago Douglas Adams of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy fame and Mark Carwardine, a wildlife zoologist and photographer, set out to find some of the rarest creatures on earth before it was too late and document their encounters with them. This book is a result of that expedition. There are touches of the absurd humor and satire in it that Adams was well known for but what stands out is his insightful commentary about the reasons the creatures became endangered in the first place. I had planned to follow this up with Stephen Fry’s 2009 book, Last Chance to See: In the Footsteps of Douglas Adams but now I’m going to wait because I know it will suffer in comparison.… (more)

You might wipe your eyes and wonder “Haven’t I seen this title before?”; and, yes, you might have because this is a follow-up on the original book “Last Chance to See” by the late-and-yet-immortalised Douglas (Noël) Adams (DNA) and Mark Carwardine.

I love the first book as it is testament to DNA’s manyfold interests and his engagement in several fields. Not to mention his trademark humour.
This time around, Mark Carwardine, British zoologist and conservationist, is joined on a series of trips by Stephen Fry who is a worthy successor for Adams albeit not quite as funny.

As in the original, the authors have done a marvellous job of blending witty humour with profound insights into the world of endangered species. Carwardine's expertise as a zoologist and conservationist, in conjunction with Fry's linguistic prowess, creates an enchanting and deeply engaging narrative throughout the book. The duo retraces the steps of the original journey undertaken by Adams and Carwardine about 20 years earlier (around 1990), lending the book an air of nostalgia that is both heart-warming and tantalising.

What struck me most about this book was how the authors managed to maintain the essence of Adams' classic while infusing it with their own unique perspectives. The book is replete with vivid descriptions of the many endangered species they encounter, as well as the oftentimes precarious situations the authors find themselves in. I found myself chuckling at many (but not all) their humorous anecdotes and, at the same time, feeling a sense of responsibility towards the fragile ecosystems they describe.

In addition and to its great benefit, the book is peppered with captivating photographs that brilliantly capture the essence of the species and habitats discussed - and sometimes of the authors themselves. Especially a series of portrait shots of “The many moods of Amazon adventurer and explorer Stephen Fry” was highly amusing.

A very memorable part for me was about the Yangtze River dolphin: The last known specimen of its kind died in 2002. In less than two decades, during the prime of responsibility of my own generation, while we, the world, were well aware of their looming extinction, we eradicated an entire species of highly intelligent animals. And many other species, including the first book’s Northern white rhino, are gone as well.

However, it is not all doom and gloom. Carwardine and Fry also share stories of hope and resilience, showcasing the tireless work of conservationists around the world. Through their storytelling, they inspire readers to take an active role in preservation efforts, urging us all to become stewards of the environment.

All in all, this book is a fitting tribute to the original work and a splendidly engaging read in its own right. Mark Carwardine and Stephen Fry have woven a tapestry of wit, wisdom, and wonder that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. It doesn’t quite reach its predecessor’s genius but is still a great read.

Four out of five stars.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam… (more)

You’re out walking and spot a cardboard box someone house-moving has left outside their front gate: “Free books. Please help yourself.” That’s how I got this one.
   Quite a book to get for free too; as you’d expect from this publisher, Dorling Kindersley, the production is immaculate—illustrations, layout and all-round design wonderful. It’s actually a field-guide for identification, but simply reading my way through it I’ve learned much about all the various groups of cetaceans, which are these: right whales, rorqual whales, sperm whales, beaked whales, blackfish, dolphins (including river dolphins) and porpoises—seventy-nine species in total. Lovely book.… (more)