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Last Chance to See

By: Douglas Adams, Mark Carwardine
Narrated by: Mathew Baynton, Stephen Fry
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Join Douglas Adams, best-selling and beloved author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and zoologist Mark Carwardine on an adventure in search of the world’s most endangered and exotic creatures.

In this book, Adams’ self-proclaimed favourite of his own works, the pair encounter animals in imminent peril: the giant Komodo dragon of Indonesia, the lovable kakapo of New Zealand, the blind river dolphins of China, the white rhinos of Zaire, the rare birds of Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean and the alien-like aye-aye of Madagascar. Inimitably witty and poignant, Last Chance to See is both a celebration of our most extraordinary creatures and a warning about what we have to lose if we do not act soon.

Featuring a fantastic new foreword by the authors' longtime friend Stephen Fry and an afterword from Mark Carwardine that considers what has changed since the book was first published, Last Chance to See feels more urgent than ever before.

©1990 Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine (P)2020 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

"Douglas Adams’ genius was in using comedy to make serious points about the world." (Independent)

What listeners say about Last Chance to See

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Enlightening

I have always wanted to read/listen to this book ever since I watched Douglas Adams' speech University of California speech and the documentary series Last Chance to See with Stephen Fry and Mark Cawardine. It is a stark realization of the impact we have on the existence of endangered species and the well being of the world itself. It is frustrating to acknowledge that human intervention and invention that is void of moral compass is aimlessly damaging the world. And yet it also human intervention and invention of dedicated individuals that are saving some of the dying species, restoring their numbers from extinction.

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  • Overall
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a must read for all primates

I wish douglas adams was still with us. I am sure he would be doing great things now for the plight of "other" animals.
Mark is clearly very passionate about this and I desperately hope he succeeds in stopping the needless death of our endangered species. unfortunately I think the human primates that have the power to make changes are far more concerned with their own financial gain in the short term, rather than the planets and other animals gain in the future.

it appears to me that human race is the very definition of vermin and a virus, I suspect the only way for the planet to recover will be to make us extinct so the rest of nature can get on with it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Outstanding

I loved this book, the authors sense of humor was just lovely 🎵 beautifully narrated by Stephen Fry and Matthew Baynton

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderful book, bad narration

Thought provoking, funny and beautifully written. Part travel diary, part nature documentary, anyone interested in wildlife and a fan of Douglas Adams' writing style will cherish this.
Only thing dragging it down was the disinterested, monotonous narration, somehow managing to weaken even the lively, intelligent writing of such a genius as Adams. Wish Stephen Fry had narrated the whole thing and not just the foreword. Still worth my credit though.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Amazing book but let down by the narrator

You can almost hear Douglas Adams writing the words but they sound wrong with it being read by someone else. I feel Mark Carwardine would have been a better choice
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Brilliant

Really enjoyed this book, well written and easy to listen to, a travel book as much as it is a book about the endangered species the authors went to visit. The preface and afterword are also nice additions, bringing the book up to date.

I was bit concerned given some of the reviews about the narration, but I really enjoyed it and thought it was perfect for this story. The voice is not that of Douglas Adams (for obvious reasons) and it may therefore be a little disconcerting if you are familiar with the original radio series, but if you are prepared to accept that I see no issue with the narration at all.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hate it because of the narrator.

No clue who starts it off but i could not bare it.
He sounds so whiny...
Listened in the past to the version read by that author and I loved it!
Great story, a log of humor.
But this version i cannot stand.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

one of my favorite works of D. Adams

Interesting, funny, deep and with an important message. the narrator is perfectly fine, dunno why ppl keep complaining in the reviews. Enjoy it :)

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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To read is to see

A good experience, the subtle humor keeps us going, amongst the beast that nature is when the filters gets removed.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

WOW!!

I can now see why Douglas Adams says this was his most favourite book to write. This is now my most favourite book to listen too!!

Well done lads!!

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