The Lizard Man Speaks (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) [Hardcover]

Eric R. Pianka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1994 | Series: Corrie Herring Hooks Series (Book 26)

Alone on the endless red-sand desert in the Australian outback, tracking Varanus giganteus, the perentie lizard that grows to be more than six feet long. . . for desert rat Eric Pianka, such adventures have led to a satisfying, if unusual, way of life, as well as a distinguished career as a field biologist. In The Lizard Man Speaks, Pianka recounts more than thirty years of adventures in reptile studies, beginning with a boyhood passion for collecting snakes and lizards. He tells of "lizarding" in the North American deserts, the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa, and the Great Victoria Desert in Western Australia. His vivid imagery draws the reader into a world where lions lurk in the darkness beyond a gecko hunter's lights, where being stranded by car trouble miles from the last outpost is a constant danger, and where the wilderness still deserves to be called wild. Along the way, Pianka provides much general information about lizard ecology, the fire succession cycle, and the interaction of humans with the landscape. And he reveals the springs of his own determined spirit and love of solitude, describing a near-fatal boyhood accident and its shaping and character-building effect on the life that followed.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a strange and interesting book by the well-known ecologist, Eric Pianka. As an episodic treatment of Pianka's early life and extensive fieldwork in Australia and Africa, it combines childhood experiences, travelogue, lizard biology, field anecdote, social commentary and the occasional rant.... As it turns out, Eric Pianka is the interesting story here, not the lizards he studies.... We are given tantalizing glimpses into what makes this field ecologist tick, and it is this that keeps us reading. (Quarterly Review of Biology )

This book, with its mix of adventure, natural history, human interest, and social commentary, is likely to be enjoyed by a wide audience. Pianka's talents as a scientist and writer are so evident that I can only hope that in the near future he extends his interests to the eastern tropical rain forest regions of the fascinating Australian continent, perhaps providing a sequel to The Lizard Man Speaks. (Bioscience ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1 edition (1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0292765525
• ISBN-13: 978-0292765528
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,917,837 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone interested in lizards or ecology., August 2, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Lizard Man Speaks (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) (Hardcover)

Erik Pianka is one of the worlds finest ecologists. His
passion for lizard ecology is infective. By the end of
book you will feel like you know and have worked with
Pianka. His story shows what field biologists are all about.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a student from Connecticut, February 24, 2000

By 

Kevin (Ct., USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Lizard Man Speaks (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) (Hardcover)

Eric pianka is one of the finest ecologists in the world. His excitement and passion for these animals is evident throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who i interested in ecology an field biology.

4.0 out of 5 stars Be ready to take a trip, February 12, 2008

By 

T. Jarrell (Alpine, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Lizard Man Speaks (Corrie Herring Hooks Series) (Hardcover)

Beware, if you have been suppressing a wanderlust be prepared to take a trip. Your office, school, or home will seem like a cage as you read about Dr. Pianka's adventures in the expansive Australian Outback.

Although the book is very readable, I only gave it four stars because at times there is a break down in continuity and he strings into random thoughts with multiple repeats. Maybe it is due to all that solitude.