Flashman's Lady (Flashman)

Flashman's Lady (Flashman)
Average customer rating:

Completely Bonkers

Flashman Rides Again--To Rescue His Lady

Flashy shows a spark of selflessness in spite of himself

Flashman and the Pyrates, or, Flashman in Madagascar

Flashy again

Flashman's Lady (Flashman)
George MacDonald Fraser
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452264898

Customer Reviews:

Completely Bonkers.......2006-02-19

This one is my favourite, partly because of the snippets of long-forgotten Asian history and partly because the story's completely bonkers. We start in a central London watering hole with Flashy being brow-beaten into playing cricket by an old school bore. Then we're at Lord's, batting and bowling against the nation's finest. Along comes a swarthy Oxford type called Suleman who's on the hunt for Flashy's Elspeth, and before you know what's what we're boffing Lady What's-her-name and on a slow boat to Singapore to avoid the London bookies. Blink and you'll miss Flashy getting mugged by knife-wielding triads and Elspeth getting kidnapped by Suleman, who turns out to be an infamous pirate (but with Oxford manners). Then we're off to Borneo with the Royal Navy, fighting pirates and fornicating with their locals and eventually Flashy's reunited with Elspeth after months of enforced servicing of Queen Ranavalona in Madagascar, that nookie-loving despot who ruled by boiling her opponents and force-feeding them chicken bones and poison. Saved by the French Navy after their own one left them to rot, Flashy and Elspeth live to ride again, Flashy with all and sundry, and Elspeth with all of Flashy's mates. Fabulous. Not a moral in sight. 5 Stars.

Flashman Rides Again--To Rescue His Lady.......2006-01-30

Flashman rides again, this time to the rescue of his lady, the beloved and empty headed Elspeth, who has been stolen away by a pirate. Lots of fun is had along the way, including an early 19th Century cricket match where our Harry shines, battles galour (some in the company of the famous pirate hunter Rupert Brooke), and lovely females, dangerous to be sure, but all buxom and bonaire. How many marriages can stand this strain and still endure?

Flashy shows a spark of selflessness in spite of himself.......2005-05-25

In the 1966 screen adaptation of A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield) advises his daughter Meg (Susannah York):

"If (God) suffers us to come to such a case that there is no escaping, then we may stand to our tackle as best we can. And, yes Meg, then we can clamor like champions, if we have the spittle for it. But it's God's part, not our own, to bring ourselves to such a pass. Our natural business lies in escaping."

One of the most endearing qualities of author George MacDonald Fraser's anti-heroic protagonist, Harry Flashman, is his natural cowardice, which he freely admits with a certain degree of pride. Flashy is an expert at escaping; More would have been impressed.

In that volume of his memoirs entitled FLASHMAN'S LADY, Flashy is still young in the mid-1840s. His talent for a prudent and precipitous departure has yet to mature, as evidenced by his delayed response when beset by thugs in a dodgy section of Singapore:

"I'm not proud of what happened in the next moment. Of course, I was very young and thoughtless, and my great days of instant flight and evasion were still ahead of me, but even so, with ... my native cowardice to boot, my reaction was inexcusable ... in my youthful folly and ignorance, I absolutely stood there gaping ..."

The larger portion of this book's plot involves the kidnapping of Flashy's beautiful but scatterbrained wife, Elspeth, by a certain Don Solomon Haslam, a moneyed and mannered member of English high society who's not what he seems. Harry's determination to stay out of harm's way is severely taxed as he pursues Elspeth's rescue into the pirate-infested interior of Borneo, and later into Madagascar, where Flashy finds himself the slave of that island's mad and despotic queen, Ranavalona.

A chief attraction of Fraser's Flashman series is the knowledge it gives the reader about historical and factual, but arcane, events and places. In FLASHMAN'S LADY, the reader is apprised of the private war against the pirates of the East Indies by the eccentric English imperialist, James Brooke, and the reign of terror perpetuated by that female Caligula of the period, Queen Ranavalona I of Madagascar. Indeed, the author's research into the latter has prompted me to place a non-fiction history of the subject on my Wish List.

Deep down, I think, Flashy's personal appeal is based on the realization that he's Everyman, whether one would wish to admit it or not. Our natural preference is to escape, and it's only through blundering circumstance, good luck, or an odd quirk of fate that any one of us might, like Harry himself, be perceived a hero by our fellows.

Flashman and the Pyrates, or, Flashman in Madagascar.......2004-02-09

Flashy - after, incidentally, pulling a hat trick on the three most celebrated cricketers of his time - accepts a "friendly" wager in a single-wicket match against Don Solomon, a foreign-born Eton-educated socialite. The tie score results in he and Elspeth accompanying Solomon on a cruise to the Far East, where Solomon's true colors are revealed, and he absconds with Elspeth. Flashman must fight, however unwillingly, to get her back - until they both end up in the hands of the bloodthirsty queen of Madagascar, Ranavalona I. This is a fine entry in the series, possibly a little more heavy on the humor this time around than the adventure. The first half of the book is all cricket and social intrigue; a more thorough look at Madagascar might have been in order, tho' perhaps Fraser was dealing with limited intelligence on that subject. Another minor quibble: At the book's opening, our hero is caught in a damned-if-he-does-damned-if-he-don't trap that pushed him again into adventure (lose the cricket match and see Elspeth go on a cruise with Solomon, or win and be beaten by crooked bookies?). And, as in Flash For Freedom, the dilemma that prompted him into action, when he returns (in that case, cheating at cards), is completely forgotten. I would have liked to see some closure in the matter of the threatening bookie, at least. All that aside, this is, of course, another witty, well-researched adventure. Bravo!

Flashy again.......2003-09-18

At his best. The only fault with Flashman is that Fraser had to squeeze him into a single lifetime. Flashman of Flashman's Lady is a great place to begin the Flashman tour of the British Army during the 19th Century, the roll on the floor laughter of Frazer's characterization, the relatively accurate history that goes with this historical fiction. If you haven't read Frazer's Flashman books you are missing a great lot of evenings.

Average customer rating:

The Natural History of Madagascar. Goodman & Bensted eds.

The Natural History of Madagascar

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226303071

Book Description

Separated from the mainland of Africa for 160 million years, Madagascar has evolved an incredible wealth of biodiversity, with thousands of species that can be found nowhere else on earth. For instance, of its estimated 12,000 plant species, nearly 10,000 are unique to Madagascar. Malagasy animals are just as spectacular, from its almost forty currently recognized species of lemurs—a primate group found only here—to the numerous species of tiny dwarf chameleons. With astounding frequency scientists discover a previously unknown species in Madagascar—and at almost the same rate another natural area of habitat is degraded or destroyed, a combination that recently led conservation organizations to name Madagascar one of the most important and threatened conservation priorities on the planet.

The Natural History of Madagascar provides the most comprehensive, up-to-date synthesis available of this island nation's priceless biological treasures. Contributions by nearly three hundred world-renowned experts cover the history of scientific exploration in Madagascar, its geology and soils, climate, forest ecology, human ecology, marine and coastal ecosystems, plants, invertebrates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Detailed discussions of conservation efforts in Madagascar highlight several successful park reserve programs that could serve as models for other areas. Beautifully illustrated throughout, the book includes over one hundred color illustrations, with fifty color photos by nature photographer Harald Schütz, as well as more than three hundred black-and-white photographs and line drawings.

The Natural History of Madagascar will be the invaluable reference for anyone interested in the Malagasy environment, from biologists and conservationists to policymakers and ecotourists.

“For those who are serious about getting to know this fascinating island, there is no better resource.”—Tim Flannery, Nature

“A magnificent overview of one of the strangest and most glorious chunks of the planet.”—Adrian Barnett, New Scientist

“A scientific milestone and by far the largest synthesis of tropical biology research ever.”—Science

Customer Reviews:

The Natural History of Madagascar. Goodman & Bensted eds........2007-06-26

This weighty volume is an edited collection of scientific papers about the natural history of the island of Madagascar- how Madagascar came to be separated from Africa; its fossil record and relationship to existing forms of plant and animal life, most specifically the unique lemurs; its landforms, climatic, and biological zones, etc. Having just returned from two week visit there, in three different areas of country, I can say that I wish I had read more of this book beforehand! I found the parts of Chapter 2 dealing with why Madagascar has such a unique collection of endemic plants and animals especially enlightening and surprising. I happen to be a marine biologist/ecologist professionally and was not put off by the specialized technical terms used by paleontologists, botanists, geologists, and so forth, but I don't think a well read lay reader will be much troubled by them either. This volume is not a guide book, however, but it is amply illustrated to demonstrate particular points. I doubt there is another single source of so much state of the art information about this extraordinary island.

The Eighth Continent: Life, Death, and Discovery in the Lost World of Madagascar

Average customer rating:

It's okay but I wanted more
Incredible Introduction to Madagascar
You feel like you're there with the author!
An excellent book about the natural history of Madagscar
I love this book

The Eighth Continent: Life, Death, and Discovery in the Lost World of Madagascar
Peter Tyson
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Natural History of Madagascar

ASIN: 0380975777
Release Date: 2000-05-30

Amazon.com

Lying some 250 miles off the east coast of Africa, Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island. It is quite unlike the neighboring continent, and, for that matter, quite unlike any other landmass on the planet. Its plant life is almost wholly endemic: eight out of 10 plants there grow naturally only on Madagascar, and it has an entire ecosystem, the spiny desert, that is found nowhere else on earth. Many of its animal species, too, seem to have emerged from some evolutionary track that runs parallel to the rest of the world's; here can be found lemurs that will fit into a human palm, dwarf hippos, giant chameleons, and other rarities.

These plants and animals constitute an extraordinary diversity, writes science journalist Peter Tyson in this engaging book, and the island's richness of life has long intrigued scientists, who have proposed several theories to explain it. Those scientists, some of whom Tyson profiles at work in the field, are racing against time to catalog island life before it disappears, for Madagascar's human population is rapidly growing, and with that growth, the island's forests and other habitats are falling. The urgency may abate, Tyson writes, with guarded optimism, now that the island's current president has proposed that all of Madagascar be considered as a United Nations World Heritage Site, which would help provide funds to prevent further loss of habitat and diversity. Though this proposal is controversial, Tyson makes a good case for why it should be taken up--and he shows just how high the stakes are.

Throughout his narrative, Tyson mixes scientific reportage with a nicely rendered travelogue that guides readers across the island while outlining key concepts of island biogeography and conservation biology. His book is a worthy companion to David Quammen's Song of the Dodo, and valuable reading for anyone concerned with the world environment. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

Since the age of dinosaurs, Madagascar has thrived in isolation off the east coast of Africa. In this real-life "lost world," hundreds of animal and plant species, most famously the lemurs, have evolved here and only here, while other creatures extinct elsewhere for tens of millions of years now vie with modern man for survival. It's a land of striking geography, from soaring mountains to vast canyon lands, from tropical rain forests to spiny desert. And its people are a conundrum unto themselves, their origins obscure, their language complex and distinct, and their beliefs fascinating. In The Eighth Continent, Peter Tyson will guide you into this, the planet's most exotic frontier, so you can see for yourself why it's been called "the naturalist's promised land."

Part scientific exploration, part adventure saga, part cultural and historical narrative, The Eighth Continent follows Tyson's journeys with four scientific experts as they explore the fourth-largest island in the world:

A herpetologist with a pied piper call to reptiles who has discovered and collected more Malagasy species than any other biologist-and continues to discover more every year

A paleoecologist searching an enormous cavern complex for clues as to why the island's megafauna-Galipagos-sized tortoises, lemurs as big as apes, ten-foot-tall birds, and pygmy hippos, among others-all died out less than two millennia ago

An archeologist trying to answer the most basic and puzzling question about the Malagasy people: Where did they come from?

A primatologist who studies elusive jungle lemurs even as she strives to prevent the island's total ecological destruction

For if Madagascar is one of the most fascinating environments on the planet, it is also one of the most endangered. As the Malagasy hack a subsistence from the island's dwindling forests, they also threaten its diverse habitats and its rich biological diversity. It is not an easy situation to resolve, nor is it easy to answer the burning question at its heart: Can Madagascar be saved? In The Eighth Continent, Peter Tyson navigates this tortuous path as he delves into the island's storied interior as well as its misty past.

Customer Reviews:

It's okay but I wanted more.......2005-06-29

I hate to disagree with the majority of the reviews, but I only found this book "okay." It's worth reading but it's not to rave about. The best parts deal with the Malagsy people, culture and history. The descriptions of the animals, plants, and ecosystems are weak. There are few photos and those are not highly informative or high quality. I recommend sections of David Quamman's book, Song of the Dodo, which has a much stronger biological bent to it.

Incredible Introduction to Madagascar.......2001-12-27

I have come away from this book with a strong desire to visit Madagascar and a good understanding of the country's wonders and challenges. In a very entertaining style recounting his travels and sharing tales of the island's lore, Peter Tyson gives us an overview of both the Malagasy people and fauna ( and somtimes flora ) and how they relate in light of its conservation issues. He also outlines the limited knowledge that exists as to how this unique island has come to be so different from anywhere else on Earth, opening the scope for unlimited wonder and whetting a thirst to find out more. A great starting point for an interest in Madagascar and a thoroughly enjoyable read.
I would recommend reading Mike Eveleigh's, Maverick in Madagascar, after this.

You feel like you're there with the author!.......2001-11-14

This book makes you feel like your on the trip through Madagascar with the author. Very detailed and explanatory.
Very fun to read!

An excellent book about the natural history of Madagscar.......2001-08-11

Madagascar in my mind has always been one those wild exotic places. This book does a very good job of introducing the place and providing insights into wildlife, culture, orgins, and a possible plan for the future of conservation in Madagascar. It reads well and doesn't bog down very often. The chapters about the herps of Madagascar were my favorite, but I am biased towards herps. The conservation issues are presented in a balanced way, and the opposing opinions about the success or failure of the Community development/national park conservation plans are pretty well explained. I recommend this book to anybody wanting to learn more about Madagascar, it is a great introduction would be a worthwhile read if you wanted to travel to Madagascar and be more than just a bumbling tourist.

I love this book.......2001-07-07

I'm a huge Madagascar fan and finiding books on one of my favorite places is a rare treat for me - this book is no exception. It's written wonderfully and has useful factual information. Before travelling here, I would suggest that you find all the information you can and this book is one of about 3 that I could say are appropriate for this.

Lords and Lemurs: Mad Scientists, Kings With Spears, and the Survival of Diversity in Madagascar

Average customer rating:

Rich, eclectic, and readable
Not What I Expected
History and Natural History of a Neglected Island
Stories about a special place.
A testimony to Madagascar's past and future in the modern wo

Lords and Lemurs: Mad Scientists, Kings With Spears, and the Survival of Diversity in Madagascar
Alison Jolly
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618367519

Book Description

In the extreme south of Madagascar is a place called Berenty, where Tandroy tribesmen, French lords, mad scientists, and two or three species of lemurs may be found gathered peacefully under a tamarind tree. Forty years ago Alison Jolly went to Berenty to study lemurs, and she has been enthralled by it ever since. In Lords and Lemurs she tells the story of the place, its people, and its other animals. The owner of Berenty, Jean de Heaulme, arrived there in 1928 as a six-month-old baby, riding with his mother in the sidecar of his father's Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The de Heaulme family has lived at Berenty ever since, supporting Madagascar's fight for independence from France, serving in the government, and enduring economic turmoil, civil war, and even imprisonment. Although they are relics of a colonial system that seized land and tortured dissidents, the de Heaulmes also epitomize noblesse oblige in the best sense of the phrase, showing a remarkable sense of responsibility for both the people and the ecosystem of Berenty. Early on they set aside a large portion of their estate as a nature preserve, where lemurs and other animals have thrived over the years. Jean de Heaulme became a blood brother to one of the local Tandroy nobles -- the kings with spears. Traditionally the Tandroy were warriors who raided for women, cattle, and slaves. Now those who live at Berenty can take what they need from the modern world -- medical care, education, and a cash income -- without giving up their own customs and way of life. Many Tandroy still live in traditional villages surrounded by walls of thorn, and even the men who hold salaried jobs work hard so they can return to their clan with enough cattle to buy a bride or two. When a clan elder dies, the family offers a grandiose funeral where, amid gunfire and dancing and merrymaking and sex, a whole herd of zebu cattle is sacrificed to honor the new Ancestor -- even if he happens to be a Christian. Alison Jolly and her husband were honored to be invited to attend a Tandroy funeral. Poignant and colorful, tragic and funny, Lords and Lemurs is a remarkable tale of one of the last great places on earth and the extraordinary people who live there, a tale of marriage, birth, and death, of spear fights and stink fights and dancing. It shows how human warmth and dignity can reach out beyond any social system.

Customer Reviews:

Rich, eclectic, and readable.......2007-04-20

This rich, unusual book is hard to categorize -- It is a fascinating combination of history and memoir by renowned naturalist Alison Jolly, who has been working in Madagascar since 1963. She uses her own experiences in primate research and environmental protection in Madagascar, as well as the reminiscences of her friends the de Heaulme family, proprietors of the Berenty Reserve and numerous holdings in and around Fort Dauphin in extreme southeast Madagascar, to comment on a wide range of issues such as colonization, Malagasy politics, ethnic groups of southern Madagascar, donor environment, food security, and so on. While this very readable volume focuses on the southern zone from Fort Dauphin to Berenty Reserve and Amboasary, it provides a wealth of contextual information about Madagascar in general.

Not What I Expected.......2006-01-01

As a biologist, I was hoping for more Lemur biology than what I got. This book is an excellent history of Madagasacar, without a doubt, and includes detail I am sure is found nowhere else. If one were planning a trip to Madagascar, this would be a perfect primer.

However, I was hoping for more of a biological approach regarding the Lemurs, their society, behavior, etc. While I did get a taste, it wasn't enough.

Sorry to admit, I got just over half way through the book before I lost interest.

History and Natural History of a Neglected Island.......2005-02-14

It never ceases to amaze me that people often think that history only happens to their cultures and possibly related ones. We, with good reason, teach American history in schools (although sometimes not well enough when you see polls showing that a unusually high number of our citizens cannot tell the Constitution well enough to distinguish it from the Communist Manifesto!) and to a lesser extent European and sometimes Asian histories. However when we were dealing with the two World Wars, others on the so-called fringes of the civilized world were doing the same. We tend to often ignore parts of the world that do not immediately impinge on us, but we may do so at our peril (as was graphically shown on September 11, 2001!)

It is one of the far-flung parts of the once huge French empire that is the subject of a very unusual book by the well-known primatologist Alison Jolly. "Lords and Lemurs" is mostly set in southern Madagascar in an area dominated by mimosa thorn scrub and populated by the native Tandroy, the French settlers and by several species of Madagascar's unique lemurs. Jolly writes a somewhat eccentric book about a very eccentric (from our view!) land. You find it difficult to dislike most of the people, even though some had to fight for the puppet government of Vichy during World War II and you find the fauna and flora fascinating.

Jolly does not spoon feed us. We are shown the horrors as well as the joys. Lemurs, we find, are not quite the cuddly creatures of Disney cartoons (they fight and sometimes kill even their own species), but they are for all that enchanting creatures (and who are we to throw stones anyway?) The people have not always had admirable intentions and are sometimes quite flawed. The French colonial government included some sadistic types who used their power to torture and rape and some natives staged somewhat brutal (if often also somewhat muted by today's standards) uprisings and sometimes threw their best friends in jail. On the other hand you see people go to extremes to help others in times of need in ways that make you admire their moral strength. You even understand the French fighting the British on Madagascar, despite the fact that the British forces are acting against Hitler and Tojo. Local conditions alter realities and "friends" may become bitter enemies. You are also to some extent shown the environmental successes as well as the stupidities. However, the book is mostly about very different peoples facing the often grim realities of life and often surviving.

If you would like to broaden your understanding of our world, both human and "natural" (a false dichotomy in any case!) read this book!

Stories about a special place........2004-11-25

Alison Jolly is a wonderful story-teller and makes Malagasy Madagascar and old French Madagascar come to life. The reader learns about a particular corner in southern Madagascar and the lives of its native tribes and French colonialists.

Lemurs brought Alison Joly to Madagascar but the fascination for this reader was her evocative portraits of people. Zebus and sisal rather than lemurs seem more relevant to her tale, until Prince Philip arrives and appears to shock an uncaring government that the country is committing ecological suicide. There is now a new government and it may be taking the environment more seriously. That would be a change in Madagascar!

As a former resident of Madagascar, I loved the book and the way Alison Jolly brings the place to life.

A testimony to Madagascar's past and future in the modern wo.......2004-08-07

It's hard to neatly peg primate behavioralist Alison Jolly's wonderful Lords & Lemurs: somewhere between a autobiography, travelogue, geography exploration and social issue examination still doesn't aptly describe the magic of Jolly's encounter. Her focus on Madagascar's people, animals, and society brings to life the rugged individuals and colorful personalities - and issues - of the island, making Lords & Lemurs a testimony to Madagascar's past and future in the modern world.

Average customer rating:

Without any doubt the best guide to Madagascar on the market!
Best English-language guide we've seen

Madagascar, 8th: The Bradt Travel Guide
Hilary Bradt
Manufacturer: Bradt Travel Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1841621048

Book Description

An ideal sourcebook for practical information for travelers and an in-depth background to island culture and wildlife in Africa's Madagascar.

Customer Reviews:

Without any doubt the best guide to Madagascar on the market!.......2007-01-08

We love the Bradt guides because they are personal, innovative and in-depth. We used this guide along with 2 other well-known guides, but the Bradt guide was without any doubt the best of the three. If you like to get off the beaten track (without necessarily missing out on the highlights), this is the guide you're looking for! It also includes reader reports and funny anecdotes. One negative point: the maps are far from perfect. If you only take one guide with you, we would definitely recommend to buy some additional maps.

Best English-language guide we've seen.......2006-01-22

My wife is Malagasy. After over 20 years away, then one exploratory trip, she took me on the next trip. Of the 5 guide books we had, this is the one that she likes best. It is also the book with the most detailed descriptions, from numerous readers who have contributed to Ms. Bradt's editions. It probably also has the best all-around advice. As a traveler, probably from a rich land, to one of the world's poorest places, you will need this advice.

No guide book is perfect. Some of the details, such as the cost of the entry visa at the airport (only 13 Euros) were a little off. Also the maps could both be better and arranged more handily. However, if we had to keep just one of the 5 books, this would be the one.

For travelers to Madagascar I also strongly recommend to get one of the French travel books, like the "petit fute" guide. This is good for maps and addresses and is updated every two years or so.

Also recommended is to get a Malagasy-English translator/ word book. Do not assume that you can buy it there!

Madagascar Wildlife, 2nd: A Visitor's Guide

Average customer rating:

Beautiful but Basic Overview
Very helpful
Terrific!
I'm sorry to see this book is out of print!

Madagascar Wildlife, 2nd: A Visitor's Guide
Hilary Bradt , Derek Schuurman , and Nick Garbutt
Manufacturer: Bradt Travel Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide
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ASIN: 1841620297

Book Description

A celebration in full colour of Madagascar's wildlife. Key parks and reserves, features on evolution, camouflage, wildlife at night, conservation, wildlife watching and photography.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful but Basic Overview.......2007-06-01

This book is certainly very pretty, with excellent photographs.
It is also thin and light-weight, and does cover a little bit of everything: habitats, recommended sites to visit, mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.
As such, it is an inspiring read, and probably the best single-volume book to carry for those who only have a superficial interest in Madagadcar's unique wildlife.

However, for more serious naturalists the information it offers is far too limited. Even mammals, the best detailed group, are only discussed down to genus level, neither mentioning nor illustrating all or even most species. Birds receive a token coverage of 10 pages, and reptiles fare little better.
Even the descriptions of nature reserves can be found in the more recent, excellent and complete field guides like the Mammals of Madagascar: A Complete Guide which actually tells you where to spot every single species separately, and the similarly brilliant Birds of the Indian Ocean Islands which not only covers all the birds of Madagascar, but those of neighbouring islands too, along with recommended birdwatching sites. Fans of herpetofauna should try and get hold of A Field Guide to the Amphibians & Reptiles of Madagascar.
If you buy any of the above field guides, you will find this book a waste of money - I did.

Very helpful.......2005-09-24

I am planning a trip to Madagascar and found this book a very helpful review of the various parks in the country. The photos are excellent and the discussion of the various mammals are readable but provide enough information to be interesting. This is not a technical book on either mammals or ecosystems, but is a good review of both. Perhaps I was looking for too much from this book, but I would have liked more maps and a bit more guidance on how to combine trips to different ecosystems in one trip. I combine it with the Lonely Planet and can cobble together the information, but it requires quite a bit of work. I also liked the sections on reptiles and insects - many books neglect the little creatures, which can be far more interesting than mammals in some ecosystems. Overall highly recommended.

Terrific!.......2004-08-02

Took this book along with me to Madagascar & was very glad I did. I was able to identify many lemur species I came upon throughout the country from the beautiful, close-up photographs in this book. The descriptive of each species is written in layman's terminology along with scientific names for the more biologically erudite. This really is a terrific book.

I'm sorry to see this book is out of print!.......2000-12-09

I have had this book for about 4 years now, and I can't believe it's out of print! I have a deep interest and love for the wildlife of Madagascar, and have not been able to find many books that show the diverse life of this endangered island. To no longer have this book is a shame - if you are looking for a beautifully photographed book that chronicles Madagascars wildlife, don't give up on trying to find this book - it's a true gem.

A Field Guide to the Amphibians & Reptiles of Madagascar

Average customer rating:

an informative, but flawed guide
Malagasy Endemism

A Field Guide to the Amphibians & Reptiles of Madagascar
Frank Glaw , and Miguel Vences
Manufacturer: Serpents Tale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Madagascar Wildlife, 2nd: A Visitor's Guide
Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar, the Mascarene, the Seychelles, and the Comoro Islands
Birds of Madagascar: A Photographic Guide

ASIN: 3929449013

Customer Reviews:

an informative, but flawed guide.......2007-05-08

This book is still the most complete and authoritative guide to Madagascan herpetofauna I'm aware of. Unfortunately, its wealth of good information is badly organized and rather hard to use. For a paperback book it's quite pricey. I wasn't particularly insulted by the cost until the binding disintegrated after just a few openings. Despite its shortcomings, I wouldn't part with it.

Malagasy Endemism.......2002-02-21

This is the only English, mostly-complete field guide to the frogs and reptiles of Madagascar you can get. Not only that, but you get the bonus of some lemurs and fish as well! The pictures are adequate, descriptions are fairly complete, and user-friendliness is superb. If I would've gone to Madagascar without this guide, I would have been lost! Knowing what I was seeing in terms of frogs, lizards, snakes, and lemurs made the trip MUCH more enjoyable.
It is worth the cost just to be amazed by all the unique creatures of this island.

Average customer rating:

Beyond Madagascar
Conrad, S. Braaten
Manufacturer: Lulu.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Madagascar | Africa | History | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1847284906

Book Description

Beyond Madagascar is the true story of the remarkable life journey of a missionary's son born and raised in Madagascar in the late 1920s. Alone, at age 15, he sailed on a freighter to America to continue his studies. The foundation of the world he knew as a child, carried him beyond Madagascar and into a world of adventure. His story is the stuff dreams are woven from: international travel, jungle experiences, safaris with his father, boarding school antics, military service, Counter Intelligence Corps and eventually global mission outreach. He was in the Army for ten years and after becoming a pastor, was involved in various aspects of Christian ministry for over 30 years. His book is filled with humor and compassion, colorful antics and deep pain, all the while conveying a message of hope as he was guided by God's constant presence. His story reminds us that God is always there, waiting,listening and ready to be a part of our life's journey.

Lonely Planet Madagascar & Comoros (Lonely Planet Madagascar)

Average customer rating:

A bit outdated
Stick with the Bradt guide
Madagascar & Comoros Lonely Planet Guide

Lonely Planet Madagascar & Comoros (Lonely Planet Madagascar)
Gemma Pitcher , and Patricia C. Wright
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books

Madagascar & Comoros | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Lonely Planet | Guidebook Series | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Madagascar, 8th: The Bradt Travel Guide
Madagascar Wildlife, 2nd: A Visitor's Guide
Malagasy-English/English-Malagasy: Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary & Phrasebook)
Lonely Planet Mauritius Reunion & Seychelles (Lonely Planet Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles)
ITMB Madagascar Map (Travel Reference Map)

ASIN: 1741041007

Book Description

Idyllic beaches, rain forests and parched deserts, lemurs and chameleons, the woodcarvers of Zafimaniry villages, the relaxed tropical ambience of Anjouan, the bustling flower market of Antananarivo, pirogues cruising the Tsiribihina River - Madagascar and the Comoros boast attractions as diverse as they are appealing. This guide is your essential companion - the only one to cover both destinations.

• GET UP CLOSE & PERSONAL with Madagascar's distinctive fauna using our full-color wildlife guide
• UNRAVEL THE PAST using our in-depth coverage of the islands' colorful and eventful history
• GO GREEN - expert discussion of Madagascar's diverse environments and unique flora
• DISCOVER THE OUTDOORS whether you prefer leisurely walks, boat trips, forest treks or soaking in the sun
• MAKE YOUR OWN WAY with our detailed maps and comprehensive transport information

Customer Reviews:

A bit outdated.......2007-01-08

We used this guide, along with 2 other guides of Madagascar and we found this guide to be the least valuable of the 3 (a bit outdated, not into depth)

Stick with the Bradt guide.......2006-11-14

I don't regret buying this because there aren't too many guides to Madagascar. But there is simply no personality to this book. If you are looking for some names/addresses, this would suffice. Otherwise, the Bradt guide blows this Lonely Planet guide away.

Madagascar & Comoros Lonely Planet Guide.......2006-03-08

Great book - detailed and very informative.

Recommend for anyone going to Madagascar as backpacker or on guided tour

Shadows in the Dawn: The Lemurs of Madagascar

Average customer rating:

A good book to introduce children to the joys of research.

Shadows in the Dawn: The Lemurs of Madagascar
Kathryn Lasky
Manufacturer: Gulliver Books Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

In Search of Lemurs
Lemurs (Pebble Books)
Madagascar Wildlife, 2nd: A Visitor's Guide
Lords and Lemurs: Mad Scientists, Kings With Spears, and the Survival of Diversity in Madagascar
Madagascar, 8th: The Bradt Travel Guide

ASIN: 0152002812

Book Description

Stunning photographs and evocative text take readers to far-off Madagascar. There, primatologist Alison Jolly dwells and works among lemurs. These fascinating primates live only on the island of Madagascar, where they socialize in troops--and where, like humans, they are often involved in power struggles and family disputes. Threats to the environment have endangered lemurs, but Dr. Jolly hopes that by studying these unusual animals she’ll discover ways for people to live in harmony with their distant primate cousins.

Customer Reviews:

A good book to introduce children to the joys of research........1998-03-20

I think the best part of the book is that it shows children the fun and excitement of doing primate research in the wild. It shows why Alison Jolly has returned to the same piece of forest for the last 30 years. It balances that by displaying some of the sorrow when you cannot help a dying animal.

And of course, it describes Lemur catta social organization at a level which should be entertaining to children, and mentions briefly some of the other lemurs found in Berenty reserve.

The book is nicely illustrated with photographs on every page.

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