Paul Chambers shows how modern genetics has been able to track down members of what were once believed to be extinct populations of these magnificent creatures.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #623585 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-05
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 306 pages

Review
'Paul Chambers tells the wonderful ... "unexpected history" of the giant tortoise for the general reader' -- New Scientist 20040703 'A book for reptile lovers that will also interest science historians' -- Good Book Guide 20040901 'It represents a challenge to write a book about them [giant tortoises] which is pacy, light-footed, graceful and diverting. In general, Paul Chambers meets the challenge, and those interested in this armoured colossus of a reptile will be grateful to Chambers for bringing so much information about it into one accessible place.' -- Tom Fort, Sunday Telegraph 20040627 'As Paul Chambers' mix of popular science and history aims to prove, there's a lot more to their story [the tortoises'] than you'd expect ... Chambers deftly draws together anecdotes and expert knowledge ... unlike the tortoises, [this story] never plods' -- Time Out 20040825 'Chambers' book is as strange and wonderful as the tortoise itself' -- Brentwood Recorder 20040709 'Chambers's account of these lumbering megafauna is a solidly researched and lovingly told epic of extinctions, survival, exploration, science, politics, colonial rivalry and unfeasibly hefty beasts. He combines a lightness of touch with an avalanche of mesmerising facts, anecdotes and details to deliver the first genuine natural history page-turner I've picked up in ages.' -- The Australian 20040901 'Fascinating ... a brisk historical narrative' -- The Field 20050601 'Excellent in its scope and writing ... For those with a fondness for giant tortoises it is excellent news to have someone reclaiming their important role in the history of science.' -- Times Literary Supplement 20041015 'Pacy, light-footed, graceful and diverting... be grateful to Chambers for bringing so much information about it into one accessible place.' -- Tom Fort, Sunday Telegraph 20040627 'A wonderful exploration of the history of this gentle giant ... Lovingly researched and engagingly narrated' -- P D Smith, The Guardian 20040731 'Chambers' volume is entertaining, elegiac and anything but plodding. With wonderfully arcane asides ... this is a surprisingly revelatory volume' -- Scotland on Sunday 20040704 'Hugely entertaining' -- Daily Telegraph 20040828 'Quirky ... an enjoyable account of an intriguing creature' -- The Scotsman 20040807 'This book is as entrancing as the creature it describes' -- Independent 20050408 'Very readable and full of engrossing anecdotes' -- New Scientist 20050402 'An entertaining volume with a fascinating look into the giant tortoise's history and evolution.' -- Sunday Telegraph 20050327 'A delightful tribute' -- Guardian 20050409

Tortoises hold a fascination for us. Their exotic physical features - a hard shell and scaly skin - and their longevity, along with the endearing characteristics that make them almost living cartoons, have won them a particular place in our affections, with gentle giant, the Giant Tortoise taking first place. Paul Chambers traces the history of humans' relationship with these peculiar creatures. Sixteenth century mariners discovered that tortoises were edible, and though they lived in remote locations on the Galapagos and Seychelles, they became a 'refuelling' stop for ships sailing long distances. As with many endangered species, their numbers were depleted by human greed. Perhaps the most heroic role of Giant Tortoises in the history of science was the part they played in Darwin's theory of natural selection, leading to his voyage to the Galapagos in 1835. Chambers recounts many more intriguing incidents from their history, including attempts at conservation in the twentieth century. Illustrated with black and white photographs and engravings throughout, this is a book for reptile lovers that will also interest readers interested in the history of science. (Kirkus UK)

P D Smith, The Guardian
'A wonderful exploration of the history of this gentle giant ... Lovingly researched and engagingly narrated'

The Scotsman
'Quirky ... an enjoyable account of an intriguing creature'

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Customer Reviews

...The Unexpected History of the Giant Tortoise
This was an absolutely superb read, fascinating, gripping and hard to put down. The author covers significant periods in the history of Giant Tortoises but digresses just enough to be able to include fascinating tales which will appeal to a wider audience - Darwin's struggle to prove evolution, the Victorian's version of conservation (kill it and pickle it!), their role on pirate ships, the suprisingly interesting history of some current day zoo tortoises (including one in Steve Irwin's zoo)and much more. If you've ever watched a tortoise with even the slightest degree of interest, you must read this book.

Re: The Definitive Book on the Giant Tortoise!
This book is readable, entertaining, informative and highly original.

The overall story concerns the decline of the giant tortoise at the hands of man and also the cultral significance of the giant tortoise, especially to the scientific community. It is largely told through the lives of a variety of people (from cut-throat pirates to billionaire bankers) who had become obsessed with these gentle giants.

The author handles the potentially depressing decline of the tortoises in such a manner that although the subject matter is clearly serious, I also found myself smiling at some of the bizarre and amazing stories that pepper the text. Equally well, the significance of the tortoises to the scientific community is handled in a similarly informative but entertaining way.

In here there are some priceless stories concerning giant tortoises and the various people that have come into contact with them over the years. Darwin is in there (of course; his early thoughts about evolution were promoted by his encounter with the tortoises) but so are a host of other characters including highly eccentric people such as Walter Rothschild (of the merchant banking family) who used his family fortune to stock-pile giant tortoises and Patrick Watkins, the Galapagos' drunkard who would trick sailors onto his desert island and then hold them to ransom.

I bought this book because I have been thinking of visiting the Galapagos and was looking for books that could give me a flavour of both their history and wildlife. In this regard this is by far the best book that I have come across; it is a goldmine of information.