Author: Tim Flannery
Title: Among the Islands:
Adventures in the Pacific
Description: I’m reading lots of travel books for the contest, but this was one I just
happened to pick up from the library at the same time. Flannery, a mammal
specialist from Australia, made several journeys to remote islands in the South
Pacific doing animal surveys. He explains the theories of mammal migration—how
mammals made it to these very remote islands. Unfortunately, small islands only
support small mammals, so most of the book is about rare bats and rats.
Flannery is enthusiastic enough about them to make a fairly interesting read.
Writing style: The
book reads like a travelogue; Flannery knows enough to write about the
islanders and his coworkers as well as the small mammals he encounters and has
a good ear for interesting scenes.
Audience: The
book will appeal most to those who enjoy accounts of travel and to those who
are interested in natural history.
Major ideas: There
are still undiscovered species, and there is a chance to save endangered
species, but as habitat is destroyed by human settlement and logging, the
chance is rapidly diminishing.
Wrap-up: I didn’t
regret reading it, but it wasn’t what I had hoped for. 3/5*
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