"Very funny and moving...The glimpses of rare fauna seem to have enlarged [Adams'] thinking, enlivened his world; and so might the animals do ...
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Feb 19, 2011
Kwesi 章英狮
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I'm not a zoology student but I have a 3 unit subject and we were required to visit either Manila Zoo or the National Museum of the Philippines animal research section, it was a part of our annual field trip without the teacher in charge. Because I'm new here in Manila last year my classmates decided to go both the zoo and the museum. In spite of the fact that the weather was hot, we were forced to go outside and take pictures for our journal because it was the last day of submission.
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Mar 04, 2011
Brittany
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I love Douglas Adams's science fiction. Just look at my bookshelves if you don't believe me. So it's as a firm fan that I say: Douglas Adams was wasted--wasted--on science fiction.
The man is obviously a science writer.
His science fiction was always good. Clearly. But none of it sings like Last Chance to See. This book is a passionate, loving, critical look at the human species and the influence we've had on our planet-mates. It chronicles the decline, and impending loss, More...
The man is obviously a science writer.
His science fiction was always good. Clearly. But none of it sings like Last Chance to See. This book is a passionate, loving, critical look at the human species and the influence we've had on our planet-mates. It chronicles the decline, and impending loss, More...
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Nov 10, 2007
Ellen
rated it: 
Last Chance to See
Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine‘s book on capturing photos of nearly extinct species from around the world:
The book certainly had a very serious topic that is usually covered by explanation of the facts in a rather dry manner. I read those kinds of things anyway and take them to heart. The thing that was different for this book is that the presentation was lighter, with Douglas taking us into his head to deal with the insanity of travel, normal aberrant thoug More...
Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine‘s book on capturing photos of nearly extinct species from around the world:
The book certainly had a very serious topic that is usually covered by explanation of the facts in a rather dry manner. I read those kinds of things anyway and take them to heart. The thing that was different for this book is that the presentation was lighter, with Douglas taking us into his head to deal with the insanity of travel, normal aberrant thoug More...
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Sep 28, 2008
Lena
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Mark Carwardine was a zoologist working for the World Wildlife Fund when he was hired by a magazine to take Douglas Adams to see the world’s rarest nocturnal lemur, the Madagascar aye-aye. The trip was enough of a success that they decided having Adams write funny things about his attempt to visit endangered species was a good way to raise awareness about animal conservation, so they reunited a few years later to track down some other animals whose numbers have fallen into the double digits. T
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Aug 11, 2008
Aaron
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Hillarious and strangely touching. Douglas Adams is the guy who wrote 'Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy' and some other science fiction humor books. In this non-fiction book, his publisher randomly paired him up with a zoologist and sent him to Madagascar to look for an endangered lemur. They just thought it would be a funny idea for an article. During the trip, Douglas Adams became really passionatly interested in animals and decided to do a whole book about endangered animals all over the worl
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Dec 01, 2008
Raquel
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Este libro, del autor de la brillante y desopilante guia del autoestopista galáctica, es una pequeña obrita de arte, en el más contemporáneo de los sentidos. Douglas Adams es cronista de viajes y un gran narrador. Los viajes que narra aquí son visitas de cortesía a los últimos ejemplares de algunas especies en vías de extinción, en sus ambientes naturales (bastante poco confortables): el dragón de Komodo, los delfines del río Yangtzee (recientemente acabados, por cierto), y otras rar More...
Mar 10, 2011
A phenomenon that was started by one trip to Madagascar to find an almost extinct Lemur called the aye-aye, ended in a television show a radio show and this amazing book. Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams is an honest look at nature like we’ve never seen it before. This once science fiction novelist, goes on an adventure that will make you question everything you thought you knew about nature and animals. Adams‘ leaves the fiction behind in this real life story about one man’s journey around t
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Dec 29, 2010
Christiane
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In 1990 Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine traveled the world in search of the most endangered animals. I originally read this book years ago but was reminded of it again when I recently read “Kakapo Rescue”. Kakapo were on the verge of extinction in 1990 and are still on the verge of extinction today; there are 122 birds left (according to the Kakapo Recovery website). Some of the other animals they visited include the Komodo dragon, Northern white rhino, mountain gorilla, Yangtze River dol
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Nov 13, 2010
Nicholas
rated it:
If a book is well-written, and I don't simply mean it is an enjoyable romp, I mean really well written -- it is consistent, there is no break in the flow, voice, or tone -- and it accomplishes the elusive task of making you think, then what might we call that book? I would call it remarkable.
Douglas Adams is one of the most amusing writers of all time, perhaps even the most amusing writer of all time; couple this with an incredible intellect and the ability to write quite well and you More...
Douglas Adams is one of the most amusing writers of all time, perhaps even the most amusing writer of all time; couple this with an incredible intellect and the ability to write quite well and you More...
Mar 23, 2011
Becky
rated it: 
Last Chance to See chronicles Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine's trips to far flung places to see, and call attention to, endangered and borderline extinct animal species.
I listened to the audio, read by Douglas himself (except for the very end which is read by Mark Carwardine), and it was brilliant. Not only does Douglas really bring each destination and trip to life, but he does so in a way that allows the reader to understand his feelings regarding these things, but without soun More...
I listened to the audio, read by Douglas himself (except for the very end which is read by Mark Carwardine), and it was brilliant. Not only does Douglas really bring each destination and trip to life, but he does so in a way that allows the reader to understand his feelings regarding these things, but without soun More...
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Apr 01, 2011
Kathleen
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This was Douglas Adams’ favorite of the books he wrote. It’s a serious book about a serious issue that was very important to him: preserving biodiversity. Now, when I say it’s a serious book, what I mean is that it’s a serious treatment of the subject matter. But that is not to say that it isn’t infused with Adams’ unique and quirky brand of humor, because it is.
Adams, along with zoologist and co-author Mark Carwardine, made a series trips between 1985 and 1989 to some far-flung c More...
Adams, along with zoologist and co-author Mark Carwardine, made a series trips between 1985 and 1989 to some far-flung c More...
Jan 08, 2008
Angela
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Wow, so many cute animals, with pictures! And they're disappearing... This amusing / horrifying book perfectly captures the mood of the urgent environmental crisis we're in (it's by no means comprehensive, just engaged in the discussion). But! The author's wit and compassion come through, and the book is hysterical by times, instructive, engaging, and compelling by others.
Douglass Adams, why did you die so early?!!!
Douglass Adams, why did you die so early?!!!
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Jan 01, 2012
Brett
rated it:
Douglas Adams is, of course, most famous for his work on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books, but if there was one piece not related to HHGTTG by DNA that I wish people would read, it would be this one.
Mr. Adams was deeply fascinated with the natural world, and this love for the world around him absolutely shines through in this book, wherein Mr. Adams records his experienced traveling the world, encountering various endangered species in their natural habitat. His wonderful More...
Mr. Adams was deeply fascinated with the natural world, and this love for the world around him absolutely shines through in this book, wherein Mr. Adams records his experienced traveling the world, encountering various endangered species in their natural habitat. His wonderful More...
Sep 15, 2011
Maggie
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Of the two travel journals of comedic writers I've read recently (the other being The Innocents Abroad: or, The New Pilgrims' Progress), this one was more fun and more substantive. Douglas Adams wrote with sadness and hope about the plight of animals who are charmingly ill-suited to the world that has changed around them.
In a more serious work than the books I know him for, he expresses his awe and empathy and discomfort along the way with a lot of clarity -- enough for me to empathiz More...
In a more serious work than the books I know him for, he expresses his awe and empathy and discomfort along the way with a lot of clarity -- enough for me to empathiz More...
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Dec 31, 2011
Dimitris
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Douglas Adams proved with this book that he wasn't just a brilliant science fiction writer with a virtually unrivalled wit and sense of humour; it went to show that he had an admirable, enviable even, sense of social and ecological responsibility, taking him, as far as I am concerned, from the "brilliant writer" tier, to the "paradigm of humanity" club, reserved only for those people (and there's not a lot of them around) that can work as true inspiration for me. Last Chance
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Aug 02, 2011
Kirsten
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One of the best books on conservation and endangered species that I've read! Many books tend to get so bogged down in the details that the non-scientists out there can become overwhelmed and lost. Douglas Adams draws on his fantastic sense of humor in telling his stories of searching for some of the world's most endangered species. The book highlights a few of his travels, and tells the stories of those trips in depth. There is a big emotional take-away from this book - you don't just learn
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Jan 20, 2009
Hayley
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Written by a well-known scifi humorist, this real-life account of his travels to see endangered animals is very funny, but is also very poignant when it's NOT funny.
In a concise little book, the author conveys the most interesting details of his trips to see several species, including the silly and sometimes alarming details of his travels, the struggles to locate the rare species in the wild, what it's like when he finally does, and how conservationists are working to protect the More...
In a concise little book, the author conveys the most interesting details of his trips to see several species, including the silly and sometimes alarming details of his travels, the struggles to locate the rare species in the wild, what it's like when he finally does, and how conservationists are working to protect the More...
Nov 30, 2010
Shahina
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From my old blogs - <Douglas Adams the science-fiction-comedy-writer along with Mark Cawardine a zoologist-writer-photographer taking a BBC backed look at some of the species that are in danger of disappearing from the face of Earth… curious? I was and I picked up the book mostly because of Douglas Adams and you get more than just that hilariously zany imagination, you get a touching, sensitive view of what is happening around us, because of us.
It is an endearing picture of the world o More...
It is an endearing picture of the world o More...
Dec 18, 2008
Frank
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Funny, quirky travelogue from Douglas Adams about his journey to see endangered species around the world. If you liked any of his Hitchhiker books then this one is worth picking up and reading. Easy read. About 200 pages. Here's a sample from the section on the New Zealand kakapos : "It would help if there were plenty of them being born, but this brings us on to more problems. The kakapo is a solitary creature; it doesn't like other animals. It doesn't even like the company of other kakapos
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Mar 07, 2011
Kyle
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I'm conflicted on this book. On one hand, I truly enjoy Douglas Adams's sense of humor and writing style. On the other hand, I'm biologist at heart and I find the study of endangered species to be a truly interesting and noble undertaking. However, when these two things are mixed together in Last Chance to See, I found the end result to be muddled. I think Adams and Carwardine knew exactly what they wanted to write here, but it's not exactly what I was expecting, and it didn't quite gel with me.
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Mar 19, 2011
sabisteb
rated it:
Dietmar Mues liest sehr gut, dennoch war ich entäuscht von diesem Hörbuch. Bisher kannte ich vor allem "Douglas Adams liest", eine Aufnahme von einer Lesung mit Douglas Adams, das kann Dietmar Mues einfach nicht toppen. Zudem ist die Auswahl der Geschichten nicht so gut oder besser, sie haben nicht gerade meine Lieblingsgeschichten aus dem Buch ausgewählt sondern die eher langweiligen. Ich hätte dann doch die lustigeren bevorzugt.
Auf der CD enthalten sind die Geschichten:
1. " More...
Auf der CD enthalten sind die Geschichten:
1. " More...
Sep 08, 2010
Lee
rated it:
I have a Goodreads list to thank for finding this book. If you are a fan of Douglas Adams ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), you'll want to read "Last Chance to See." It's a delightful mix of travel memoir and reports on visits to endangered species of animals.
Adams and his coauthor, Mark Carwardine, do a fine job of capturing the urgency of protecting endangered animals and places, and do it with large doses of humor. It sounds a bit like the Hitchhiker's More...
Adams and his coauthor, Mark Carwardine, do a fine job of capturing the urgency of protecting endangered animals and places, and do it with large doses of humor. It sounds a bit like the Hitchhiker's More...
Aug 17, 2011
Steve
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This book is Douglas Adams at his best. That is not to say that the five books that make up the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (I know, I know) and the Dirk Gently novels are not superb - they are - but this is a non-fiction work that raises issues of just how the human race is destroying the ecology of this planet. Written in Douglas’s inimitable style that his fans will love, the book is full of his dry wit while carrying a very sad message.
Douglas Adams and zoologist Mark Carwar More...
Douglas Adams and zoologist Mark Carwar More...
Mar 16, 2009
Devin
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Teamed up with zoologist Mark Carwardine, Adam's searches the globe for endangered species. (and consistently notes feeling rather unqualified to do so) Recollections of real life adventures unfold in this humorous read. Perhaps the most comic element is the focus on the frustratingly passive nature in which the two explorers are treated most of the time. (making it through airports seems to be a greater challenge than actually finding rare animals) The presentation isn't near as deep as his sci
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Aug 04, 2011
Larissa
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This was a great book about traveling to see different animals that are endangered. It was humorous and sad at the same time. I highly recommended it. As a Christian it was hard for me at times because the author is so positive toward evolution yet at the same time almost unknowingly supports creation by the very fact that he acknowledges that the world has a system- and a complex one at that. Evolution seems to say the world just started out of nothing and it is hard to imagine "nothin
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Jul 20, 2010
JoyfulK
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If you read science fiction---any maybe even if you haven't---you'll have heard of Douglas Adams' Hitchikers trilogy. However, Adam's best work may be his least known. In this excellent non-fiction book, he takes his whimsical view of the world on a tour of Earth's endangered creatures. After reading these essays, accompanied by Mark Carwardine's amazing photos, you'll never look at animals in quite the same way again. It's a bittersweet note that, due to Adam's untimely death, these species lik
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May 20, 2010
Graeme
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Last Chance to See, unlike Douglas' other books, is not science-fiction. It's a true story about how he, zoologist Mark Carwardine, and various BBC reporters traveled around the world to find some of the worlds rarest and most endangered animals. They see aye-ayes, Yangtze River dolphins, Komodo dragons, the worlds fattest species of parrot, Rodrigues fruit bats, a sexually confused kestrel, White Rhinos, Mountain Gorillas, and some customs officials who ought to be endangered but do not seem do
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Oct 18, 2010
thisncondition
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Fantastic book! Although his travels took place over 20 years ago, the species he discusses are still endangered making this book still relevant. Douglas Adams has an innate ability to introduce humor into any situation, and this one is no different. An entire book dedicated to bringing awareness to several threatened species could be a bit overwhelming and too heavy; Adams is able to imbue his humor throughout the book and engage the reader while never losing sight of the importance of the work
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Jul 09, 2011
Cara
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Douglas Adams has a special place in my heart for the way he writes. In this book he visits several areas where species are on the verge of extinction with a biologist. I think the other guy was a biologist, it's been a few years since I read this. Anyway, he clearly cares about the topic that he's writing about and manages to portray the humor in each of his adventures, as we would expect from Douglas Adams. But the moment that sticks out in my mind the most about this book is the ending. It wa
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Apr 13, 2009
Kevin
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Often enough, we read a book based on a faux pas that has been so well ingrained into our skulls that we sometimes chastise ourselves for doing it . . . at first, at least. The old cliche states that we should never, under any circumstances judge a book by its cover. To commit such an atrocity deserves the ole hang, draw and quarter. But, you know, I don't care. And why? Because, sometimes, the greatest books can be discovered by judging them by their covers.
Now, I know what you're
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