Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #306844 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 256 pages

Journal of the American Medical Association, February 2007
"Valuable reading, both for specialists and for interested general
readers."

Olivia Judson, author of 'Dr Titania's Sex Advice to all Creation'
'Not simply the story of a tortoise but the tale of that icon of evolution...highly recommended'

Tim Birkhead FRS, author of 'Promiscuity and The Red Canary'
'Rich in historical detail George's story is one of pathos, despair and hope …Essential reading'

Customer Reviews

Lonesome George
Lonesome George is a giant tortoise. Not just any giant tortoise but possibly the last of his kind. He was discovered in 1971 on one of the Galapagos Islands, Pinta, where tortoises had been thought to be extinct. This is his story.

Henry Nicholls' account of the George and the plight of giant tortoises in the Galapagos is rich in detail but at the same time light-hearted and compelling. The book not only chronicles George's capture, the efforts to find him a mate and the difficulty of obtaining sperm samples from a reluctant tortoise but also includes a fascinating introduction to the many issues that surround the science of conservation. It also provides insight into how scientists try to solve puzzles such as how tortoises got to the Galapagos islands in the first place and how to assess the potential risks of releasing cross-breed offspring into the wild.

The way that the author can put forward many different theories without disrupting the flow is impressive. As a reader you will gladly follow a diversion to a discussion about a different species or how specimens are catalogued in the Natural History Museum and as such this book is much more than just a story about a tortoise. It manages to weave many major concepts of biology into the tale without feeling like a textbook: from Darwin, to DNA analysis, to cloning.

George is not just a tortoise but also a conservation icon and this message is loud and clear throughout the book. He is an ambassador to remind us to think about what we are doing to the world, and does a very good job.

The case of a vanishing tortoise
Lonesome George is a somewhat sad figure, spending his days in a research station, the last of his kind left on earth. Henry Nicholls tells us his story and his rise to 'poster boy' for the conservation movement. Written in such a way as to draw you in to the history behind the current events, Nicholls uses George to address the more general problems that conservationists face all over the planet. Never judgemental and never preaching, Nicholls tells us how it is, the problems we face and the possibilities available for the continuation of animals such as Lonesome George. Written in a highly readable style and often amusing, I found this book extremly informative and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone with an interest in history, conservation or just those that like a jolly good read.

A bittersweet delight
I bought this after being recommeded it by a friend who'd been to the Galapagos and seen the subject of this book with his own eyes.

It's a story which will interest anyone interested in conservation, the animal kingdom, our species' increasingly complex relationship with animals (and very importantly the 'idea' of animals). Oh, and of course tortoises.

If you've ever enjoyed the essays of Stephen J Gould, the technique of taking a small detail and using it to expound a far bigger story with anecdotes and diversions along the way, this is for you.

Nicholls takes us on a steady journey, never losing sight of his protagonist, but not shying from illuminating some of the more obscure (even obscene) corners of naturalism and conservation. all one can say is that there are some VERY passionate people out there protecting Earth's species!

Never overly worthy, but thought-provoking, 'Lonesome George' leaves a slightly wistful, sad feeling of impending loss. Nicholls never resorts to easy solutions or black and white arguments about the future of this particular area of conservation.

The style is supremely readable, and the all important science never over complicated, but equally never patronising.

I had stopped reading books like this just when 'popular science' became ubiquitous. Works like this restore my faith in the genre, and I shall be looking for this author again.

One suggestion: Make a TV series!