Last Place on Earth (National Geographic) (v. 1&2) (Hardcover)

by Mike Fay (Author), Michael Nichols (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
This two-volume boxed set is worth every penny for the travel and ecology-minded reader. Together, the set lends graphic and poignant documentation to a spectacularly successful conservation drive by nature photographer Nichols and ecologist Fay. They spent 12 years enjoying and recording the pristine (and easily destructible) flora and fauna system in West Africa (their efforts resulted in the establishment of 13 national parks in the nation of Gabon). Volume 1 of this set showcases their wildlife photography, and the images are simply breathtaking on both subject matter and aesthetic levels. Volume 2 presents excerpts from Fay's handwritten journal during a specific 456-day, 2,000-mile trek he and Nichols took in the region, and his descriptions are every bit as thrilling as the photos. Give this to jaded armchair travelers tired of reading about rehabbing that Tuscan villa. Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792238818
• ISBN-13: 978-0792238812
• Product Dimensions: 15.9 x 11.6 x 2.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #503,884 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Extraordinary Treasure, September 13, 2005

By	S. Wilson "tradersww" (NYC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This "boxed set", consisting of a large case containing two extraordinary books, is one of the most satisfying purchases I have ever made.

In case you don't know, here is the background on the "Last Place on Earth":

Mike Fay is a scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society who, outraged at destruction Congo Basin forests, decided to walk across the heart of Africa in order to document the undisturbed wild before it was lost. Over a year later, after innumerable hardships, wonders and adventures, Fay finally emerged from the forest to the waters of the Atlantic, ready to report back to the world what he had learned. Fay's stories and Nichols' photographs of this "megatransect" were so affecting that Gabon's president, in an unprecedented boon to world conservation, decided that his country's forests had value beyond their timber and designated vast tracts of Gabon as new national parks.

The first and much larger of the two books in this set, contains at least 100 full-color, full-page photographs of the landscapes, animals and peoples of the African forests. The photographs are amazing: gritty and beautiful. They are the closest thing to being there.

The second book contains black and white photos of Fay and his troop as they make their way across the Congo, and text by Fay himself. We learn how Fay came to be infatuated with saving the wilds as a teenager at a Maine summer camp, and how he came up with the idea of the megatransect, how he endured it, and how he was able to use such a "stunt" to create enormous changes in Gabon.

In the end, Fay seems to be the environmental version of Gandhi: gaunt, with a line in his eyes, an unbreakable will, and a singular focus on protecting what is most precious to him: wild nature.

If the nearly, $100 price tag for this set seems a little steep, know that a portion of your money is going towards preserving the forests and wildlife of central Africa. It is among the best $100 you will ever spend.

Highest Recommendation.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Outstanding Record of an Incredible Expedition, September 6, 2005

By	Edward Cotton (San Rafael, CA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These books are a remarkable record of Mike Nichols and Mike Fay's trip across Congo and Gabon. A trip that took them to the deepest reaches of Africa's jungle and in-touch with wildlife and people never previosly recorded by a western expedition.

Nicholas photographs offer a candid glimpse at human and animal life inside these incredible countries. Thanks to the efforts of Fay and Nichols, these countries now have national parks that can protect at least some of this land.

You can also do your bit, as some of the proceeds of the book's sale go to conservation efforts in Africa.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the money, September 19, 2006

By	A. Chang (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book contains some of the most spectacular photographs I have ever seen. There are amazing close-ups of reptiles, amphibians, and insects, aerial views of Africa, and stirring photos of mammals. A few photos are disturbing to see, such as the look of a terrified baby monkey clinging on to its mother shot dead by a hunter. Each photo is printed FULL size on thick quality semi-glossy paper on a single side, so if you wanted to, you could cut out certain photos and put it in a frame. Best of all, the author mentions that "The proceeds from the sales of this book go to fund conservation efforts in Africa".