Accompanying the major "BBC2" series, "Galapagos" is a fascinating, beautifully illustrated account of the islands' journey through time, and their geological, biological and human stories.

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Product Description

One thousand kilometres due west of Ecuador, where four major ocean currents meet, a series of vast undersea volcanoes break the surface of the Pacific. The summits of these volcanoes form 13 main islands and more than 100 other islets and rocks, scattered over 400 kilometres of open ocean. Splendidly isolated and otherworldly in their strangeness, early explorers called them 'Las Encantadas' - the Enchanted Isles. Charles Darwin would eventually call them 'a world within itself', a near-perfect evolutionary laboratory. But they are now better known by the name of the giant tortoises discovered there. These are, of course, the remarkable islands of the Galapagos. Accompanying the major "BBC2" series, "Galapagos" is a fascinating, beautifully illustrated account of the islands' journey through time, and their geological, biological and human stories. Discover why the islands have just the right balance of conditions needed to create one of the most varied ecosystems on the planet - a paradise for scientists and nature-lovers. Take a close, detailed look at the stunning variety of animal and plant life, from blue-footed boobies and magnificent frigatebirds to lava lizards and giant tortoises, in the islands' many distinct habitats - an embarrassment of riches for such a small area. And for anyone planning - or even just dreaming of - a visit to the Galapagos, a comprehensive gazetteer section is included, with essential wildlife, geology and visitor information. A living museum of natural history, born from fire and ultimately destined to die beneath the waves, the islands of the Galapagos exist on an endless geological conveyor belt. They are a harsh home, resisting man's attempts to exploit them, and they have much to teach us about our natural world - its origins and how we can best conserve it. Both fragile and furious, the Galapagos is unlike any other place on Earth.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #85249 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Margaret Lowman, author of Life in the Treetops and co- author of It's a Jungle Up There: More Tales from the Treetops
"The definitive single volume on the Galapagos that
ecotourists and readers from all walks of life have been
awaiting."

About the Author
Paul D. Stewart has a Doctorate from Oxford Universities
department of Zoology and Wildlife Conservation Research Unit. He has
worked as a Wildlife filmmaker for the BBC's prestigious Natural History
Unit for the last ten years. Paul's own association with the Galapagos goes
back twenty years, and in 2005/6 he spent a year and a half filming and
researching the book in the most remote parts of the Galapagos islands. He
is a writer and Emmy award winning cinematographer whose work includes
such series as "The Blue Planet", Attenborough's "Life of Mammals" and the
recently acclaimed "Planet Earth".

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Customer Reviews

I wish I'd bought this BEFORE the trip!

I've recently returned from the Galapagos, the islands & animals were amazing, but since buying and reading this book I realise there is SO much more I could have seen and should have been aware of! As well as being an up to date guidebook in its own right, this beautifully illustrated book also gives wonderfully written accounts of the islands' history, (mad murder mysteries), geology and nature (friendly sharks & the penguins' story is fascinating) as well as the main-man, Mr Darwin's star-turn on the islands! Excellent value - a book that delivers much more than just a spotter's guide. I would recommend it as both a reference and companion on a Galapagos trip - just buy yours before you go! (I'm as sick as a Galapagos finch...)

Essential reading
A really useful and interesting book to get you up and running before a trip to the Galapagos. Well written and illustrated but I would recommend linking it with watching the linked BBC double DVD. The DVD is worth watching before and after the trip

A Basic Review of the Islands
This book was designed to accompany the brilliant TV series Galapagos [2006] and is structured in the same way. It begins with chapters on the geology of the area, the discovery of the islands, and Charles Darwin. Three chapters follow on the flora and fauna, and a final two on the conservation and future of the archipelago.

Very few plants are covered in any detail and only the more famous animal inhabitants get any real coverage. The rest are covered in a basic description of the habitat. You just don't get a feel for the vibrancy and the struggle for life that you do from the TV series.

The photography is good, with some impressive full-page spreads. But it is not spectacular and they could have done better with such fascinating and apparantly 'tame' subject matter.

The book concludes with a 45-page `gazetteer', which includes species profiles, all the information you could need for a great trip to the Galapagos, and extensive further reading. This is an excellent resource if you're planning a trip, but is a shame for those who aren't as it takes up a 20% chunk of the book.

Overall this book is a decent representation of the Galapagos Islands, and will be an inspiration for many to go and visit. However if you've seen the series this will add nothing new, and if you haven't it's cheaper to buy the DVD than this book.