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A review by kahn_johnson
Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams, Mark Carwardine
5.0
There are several reasons why this is one of the saddest books you'll ever read.
For a start, Douglas Adams is no longer with us - and any book of his you read is a stark reminder of the talent that has been lost.
Secondly, and arguably more importantly, Last Chance To See is a documentation of man's ability to really fuck up the planet.
Through treks across several continents, Adams and his co-writer Mark Carwardine, look at different projects that were - at the time - fighting to save a specific species.
In all cases, the species in question needed saving because man had happened. It wasn't a situation of their making.
Obviously, this being an Adams book, there are moments of breathless hilarity, and there were at least four occasions when I had to put the book down because it's damn hard to read when you are crying with laughter.
And you need those moments.
Because without them, you're dwelling on how a dolphin is being killed because man thinks his boats are more important.
That's not to say this is a depressing book - far from it. Along with the humour there is good news from some of the projects visited. And this news gives us hope for the future.
But that hope is predicated on man actually learning from what has happened and is happening.
And as Adams himself observes, that's something we as a species are both capable of and disinclined to do so.
For a start, Douglas Adams is no longer with us - and any book of his you read is a stark reminder of the talent that has been lost.
Secondly, and arguably more importantly, Last Chance To See is a documentation of man's ability to really fuck up the planet.
Through treks across several continents, Adams and his co-writer Mark Carwardine, look at different projects that were - at the time - fighting to save a specific species.
In all cases, the species in question needed saving because man had happened. It wasn't a situation of their making.
Obviously, this being an Adams book, there are moments of breathless hilarity, and there were at least four occasions when I had to put the book down because it's damn hard to read when you are crying with laughter.
And you need those moments.
Because without them, you're dwelling on how a dolphin is being killed because man thinks his boats are more important.
That's not to say this is a depressing book - far from it. Along with the humour there is good news from some of the projects visited. And this news gives us hope for the future.
But that hope is predicated on man actually learning from what has happened and is happening.
And as Adams himself observes, that's something we as a species are both capable of and disinclined to do so.