The Galapagos Islands: [Paperback]

Pierre Constant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2000

The wildlife paradise of the Galapagos Islands, long regarded as a mysterious and desolate spot, is a showcase of evolution in action. A spawning ground for Charles Darwin's famous theory, the islands have become a National Park dedicated to the conservation of many unique species threatened with extinction. Pierre Constant provides detailed descriptions of the geology and natural history of the archipelago, the visitors' sites, as well as the spectacular sea and land birds, peculiar reptiles, playful mammals and amazing marine life that make their homes there. His superb photographs complement the text excellently. * Written by a world-recognized expert * Fascinating scientific and historical background * Meticulous descriptions of the flora and fauna * Extensive coverage of the 19 largest islands in the archipelago * Detailed discussion and listing of 52 dive sites * Includes a glossary and bibliography * Fully updated

Editorial Reviews

Review

For cruisers or other package tourers, this is, by far, the best Galapagos guide on the market. Photos are tantalizing as well as truly informative; nature info is detailed enough for a botany text. -- New York Daily News

These handsome, well-edited books from a Hong Kong-based publisher cover places few other guidebooks go...The writers are particularly well-chosen: a French biologist for the Galapagos Islands.... Odyssey fans tend to be adventurous travelers with a literary bent. If you're lucky enough to find an Odyssey guide to where you're going, grab it. -- National Geographic Traveler, February 2000

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 302 pages
• Publisher: Odyssey Pubns; 4th edition (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9622176534
• ISBN-13: 978-9622176539
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,685,807 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A disappointing guide, July 27, 2000

By 

Steven J. Bissell (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Galapagos Islands: (Paperback)

I bought this book due to the somewhat glowing reviews. I usually don't complain about that, but in this case I feel compelled to post a warning: if you are thinking of buying this book as a travel guide, don't! It has very little information about how to travel in the Galapagos, in fact I don't think the author really wants you to go to the Islands because he complains throughout the book about the impact of tourism.

The book is poorly edited with numerous mistakes. For example, Constant attributes "survival of the fittest" to Charles Darwin in the very weak section on evolution. In fact that phrase belongs to Herbert Spencer writing about evolution. In another area the author states there are two species of snakes on the islands, then goes on to describe eight species. One pet peeve, he calls Gulls, "seagulls" throughout the book, a very common, but galling mistake. I believe that English is not the author's first language and this shows throughout. In one area there is a reference to "black men" which doesn't seem to relate to anything else in the paragraph. This should have been noticed by the editors.

I think the sections on geology and history are probably very good, but the section on evolution is rife with mistakes. I won't detail them here, but if you want to know about Darwin and the influence of the Galapagos on the development of the theory of evolution, go somewhere else; this book will seriously mislead you.

The strong point of the book, the the only reason I gave it three instead of two stars, is the photographs. This are by the author and are outstanding, especially the underwater photos. The species lists seem very good and this book, if used with a good travel guide, would probably enhance a trip to the Galapagos.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Galapagos Guide Out There!, February 14, 2005

By 

Catherine (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Galapagos Islands: A Natural History Guide, Sixth Edition (Odyssey Illustrated Guide) (Paperback)

If you are planning a trip to the Galapagos, this book is a must have. It covers everything. It begins with the historic and scientific background including Darwin, the ocean currents and arrival of various flora and fauna. Part Two describes all of the various wildlife on the islands. Part Three desribes in detail all of the islands. There are wonderful maps showing the details of anything you can think of looking for on each island. Part Four is dedicated to the Galapagos National Park. There are also sections on diving, practical information, chronology of the islands, appendices, etc.

This book is well written, the photos are great and as I said before, the maps are fantastic.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, December 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Galapagos Islands (Odyssey Illustrated Guides) (Paperback)

Pierre Constant has created an exceptional book for anyone with interest in the Galapagos Islands. He describes their origin and natural history, as well as details of the flora and fauna on land and in the sea. Lovely color photographs and many diagrams help make this book indispensable for anyone studying or visiting the Galapagos.