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This book was surprisingly interesting. I enjoyed the way the chapters were broken down and the inclusion of personal accounts with different disordered, I think that helped to make the book more interesting and relatable. The advice on how to influence your psychology was very Interesting. This book is likely to appeal to a range of people, from scientists to anyone interested in dieting or nutrition.
I was not sure what to expect with this book. It was similar to other new Scientist books, like ‘why don't penguins feet freeze’ which is probably the best known, so lots of little stories and anecdotes. I preferred ‘why don't penguins feet freeze’ more than this book, partly because I have a greater interest in biology than physics. I think another factor what that other books have explained biological processes, but this book is all theoretical. I do understand that this is the premise of the book, to look at alternative worlds, and theories are backed by science and research, but it just feels like educated guesses and when on a timescale of millions of years it does feel like a waste of time, because there are just too many variables. I think this book would be ideal for teenagers interested in physics, science fiction or alternative reality.
I could not have been more wrong about this book! I thought it was going to be a run-of-the-mill, save the animals type of book, just a group of people dealing with conservation of a group of rhinos (and maybe a breeding program), the same story we hear a million times in this era of extinction. Well, I’m so glad I was wrong, as this is an amazing book! It quickly becomes an adrenalin fuelled race across Africa, dealing the governments, bureaucracy and terrorist. You quickly becoming caught up in the dramatic story, gaining respect and admiration for the author and all the challenges he faced while try to help protect the last remaining rhinos. It was a deeply moving story, and it was incredible how a love of animals made the author the ideal intermediary in a war, putting him in a privileged position to not just help rhinos but to help victims of war. It was a much bigger story than I ever expected. Coming away from this book, I feel I have lost a friend, and the world has lost an incredibly kind person. I was deeply touched by this story, and was glad I did not know anything about the author before reading, so I could be objective and judge the book on its own merits. This was a wonderful find and I would recommend this for anyone interested in conservation, wildlife, nature, unusual biographies or even global conflict.
