One of my goals in 2020 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.
I couldn’t remember if I had ever read Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine all the way through: Now I have. I’ve had this copy which I’ve, ahem, borrowed, ahem, from The New School of Monmouth County’s library for many years.
Acclaimed sci-fi comedy writer Douglas Adams had long been interested in conservation but when he met up with Mark Carwardine, things really got cooking. Together, with various guides, BBC photogs and producers, as well as a host of random characters, they travel the world in search of rare and endangered animals. They even find a few.
Once I had completed this book, I realized I had read it before and I realized why I probably couldn’t remember having done so. This book is depressing.
Here’s some history about me and Douglas Adams; I’m obsessed with him. I have been since I was a kid. I listen to his voice almost every night and have done so for as long as I can remember. That’s pretty weird. But Adams shaped a lot of who I am and still does. Reading (or I guess, rereading) Last Chance to See, I was struck by his humor, but also his pessimism and his perseverance. Mostly remembering his comedic work, I didn’t really think that that is how the tone of this book would be. In Last Chance, Adams travels to amazing places, sees amazing animals, and meets amazing people doing amazing work, but all the stories end the same, with doubt and uncertainty. And the crazy thing is, reading this book 31 (!!!) years later, the story is still the same. Recently the kakapo parrot, which Adams got to visit at essentially the beginning of their preservation, is still holding on by a thread. And that’s one of the best cases.
Despite it’s depressing nature, I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in conservation, animal studies, environmentalism, or those who want to learn about the human impact on the world. This book holds up amazing well, bc so much of the information is still relevant on all these subjects. I would also recommend this book for Douglas Adams fans.
Do you enjoy books on nature or environmental issues?