Among the Islands

August 13, 2012
Close to 30 years ago, at the beginning of his career, Australian scientist Flannery (Throwim Way Leg) set sail to explore several remote islands in the southwest Pacific: Kiriwinia in the Trobriand Islands, Woodlark, and Alcester (all part of Papua New Guinea); Fiji; and New Caledonia. Flannery wanted to investigate how the mammal inhabitants on the islands had fared in the face of European colonization and the introduction of non-native species. Flannery regales us with tales of his traveling companions, such as Greg, the former Olympic wrestler and snake expert, who engaged in an evening of wizardry and derring-do before an audience of islanders. Among other discoveries, Flannery and his colleagues turn up two bat species distinct to New Ireland in the Bismarck Archipelago, enhancing the scientists’ understanding of the zoogeography of the island. Flannery recalls his earliest expedition with wonder and excitement at having investigated the influence of island biogeography on the mammals that had evolved there, discovering several new mammal species—such as Ennis’s flying fox, a bat whose males lactate to feed their young—and finding that some species documented by previous explorers had become extinct. Flannery is a crackerjack storyteller as well as a scientist. Map. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, Inkwell Management.

September 15, 2012
From the tides of the South Pacific to the impossible peaks of jungle islands, one zoologist sets out to find the living riches of the planet. Flannery (Here on Earth, 2011, etc.) is not just an internationally acclaimed zoologist; he's also an adventurer and storyteller who has discovered creatures no other human has seen. His latest record of exploration traces the beginnings of his career during the 1980s and takes him through more than a decade of study in remote islands of the South Pacific. There, he encountered untouched environments and their native inhabitants, and he renders these lost worlds in full color. Often humorous, he provides anecdotes of crocodiles waiting for their prey, mountains of bat feces and islands crawling with giant rats. Flannery's writing is generous and exuberant. His enthusiasm for the subject is contagious enough to infect even the least science-minded of readers, but you can be sure his aim is not simply to entertain. "To some," he writes, "our adventures might seem to be nothing more than a romantic frolic. After all, why should anyone care about an obscure creature found only on a distant island? Would the world lose anything with its extinction?" The answer is most emphatically yes, and the author situates obscure animals in a worldwide perspective that entwines all living things, including humans, together. Flannery's research efforts contribute significantly to continuing conservation efforts, and he is clearly grateful and appreciative to be a part of it. A breathtaking, informative tour of faraway lands.

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September 15, 2012

Australian scientist and conservationist Flannery (Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet) offers a behind-the-scenes account of his research on remote islands of the South Pacific. A masterful prose writer, Flannery weaves the tale of his search for rare marsupials with histories of the South Pacific and stories about quirky colleagues (including a taxidermist who re-created a complete baroque orchestra using stuffed cane toads), little-known animals (such as monkey-faced bats and giant crocodile skinks), and close calls (including snakes, leprosy, and bat droppings). Though packed with tales of adventure, ranging from the light-hearted to the terrifying, this book also touches on important scientific questions about the evolution of island-bound species and the ecological policies necessary for the preservation of diverse animal life. VERDICT This colorful narrative will appeal to a variety of readers--scientist and laypeople alike--conveying Flannery's passion for conserving rare and beautiful wildlife throughout the world.--Talea Anderson, Ellensburg, WA

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from September 15, 2012
Australian field zoologist and conservationist Flannery (Here on Earth, 2011) cements his reputation as a true descendant of the great nineteenth-century naturalists and explorers with this look back at his expeditions to southwest Pacific islands. Over a 10-year period, with a varying group of intrepid companions, he traveled in the footsteps of earlier adventurers, grasping for modern-day evidence of their long-ago recorded discoveries while searching for rare mammals. Bats, rats, and many other interesting species are caught and studied as Flannery and his cohorts steadfastly work their way from one island to another, in and out of hysterical and worrying escapades as they create an updated file on the animals in the region. Flannery's prose is electric, aptly combining history, politics, and wide-eyed excitement as he recalls these experiences. He offers plenty of discussion about cannibalism, colonialism, and the ongoing struggles to balance tradition and modernization as he describes places few readers will have heard of, let alone visited. Among the Islands exemplifies the sort of writing that once was commonplace, when adventure meant contributing to our knowledge of the world. Absolutely fantastic in every sense of the word.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)