Australia Books

Beautifully written. Almost as much fun to read as my favorite vampire and werewolf novels.

Great reading. A wonderful man. I would love to know him but enjoyed spending the time with the book.

Here is advice from an expert: "If you ever see a fresh kangaroo carcass lying beside the road it is well worth stopping to take a closer look." The expert is Tim Flannery, a professor, explorer, and paleontologist, and he dispenses his advice, and much other eccentric and informative matter, in _Chasing Kangaroos: A Continent, a Scientist, and a Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Creature_ (Grove Press). Flannery has written plenty of books of anecdotes of travel and exploration, and also academic works about the strange mammals of his region. His current book is a combination memoir, travelogue, and appreciation of the fauna (including the humans) of the land down under, and it is delightful in all departments.

Flannery takes his own advice more than once, like the time he was driving in the Northern Territory and a wallaby dashed in front of him before he could swerve. It was a "nailtail" because its whip-like tail has a sort of fingernail at the end, and no one knows why it has such a thing because no one has ever seen it put to use. Flannery took the deceased nailtail back to his camp to anatomize its leg and feet; it is not surprising that these regions give the most clues about kangaroos' evolutionary descent. He also took steaks from the haunches, and reports that the resultant stew produced a meat that tasted like steak and mushrooms and was far superior to the meat of the red kangaroo (that's the kangaroo we non-Australians think of as "the" kangaroo, although there are plenty of others in different sizes, shapes, and colors). Unfortunately, the carcass was also tasty enough for some birds of prey to steal from him overnight, so his museum never got the specimen. Flannery does not deal in just recent kills, but some that have been extinct for millions of years, like _Propleopus oscillans_, the killer kangaroo. Don't worry; the huge carnivorous beast is long extinct, but it has been the subject of some of Flannery's own research, and he goes into some detail about how he did research and came to understand its environmental role, its teeth giving clues about it's carnivorous nature. Flannery describes his scientific jubilation: "Then there were a delicious couple of days when, as I worked on my theory without telling anyone else, I was the only person on Earth who knew that great, carnivorous kangaroos once stalked Australia." Subsequent finds of skulls confirm the theory, but beyond that there is a mystery, for a single arm bone is the only other fossil remnant of the creature ever found.

Another extraordinary thing about these creatures is that although they evolved in isolated islands with no hope of swimming to other lands, humans have arranged for them to populate new worlds, and kangaroos have flourished in unusual places. It is perhaps not too surprising to learn that brush-tailed rock-wallabies have done well on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. They are descendants of two who escaped from a menagerie in 1916. It is surprising, however, that there is a colony of grey kangaroos living happily in the forests west of Paris, France. Thirty years ago, a bungled theft of animals resulted in freedom for the greys who have prospered, much to the delight of the locals. And another extraordinary thing is that the male kangaroo has a scrotum hanging in front of his penis. And another extraordinary thing is that the female has two vaginas, and gives birth through neither of them (a special canal forms around birth time). And another extraordinary thing... Well, Flannery's book is full of them, and his enthusiasm in presenting them to the reader is a delight throughout.

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"Australia was once dominated by people who loved the mother country--a land of lush greens and as alien to my [present-day] country as any could be. Today, Australians are more likely to proclaim a love of things native, yet because they often lack a true understanding of their environment, theirs is a love that can kill. Such well-meaning but uncomprehending enthusiasm is one reason why many Aboriginal communities continue to struggle under insupportable burdens, why native species [like species of kangaroos] keep vanishing, and why our future is being cut short by an insatiable addiction to fossil fuels. It is why I wrote this book. We have now embarked on a new phase of our national existence, and just where it will lead I do not know. But I have a sinking feeling that unless every Australian searches profoundly for ways to help our land survive, things are likely to end badly for ourselves and this great island continent."

The above is the last paragraph of this fascinating book by Australian paleontologist (and concerned environmentalist) Tim Flannery, who received his PhD from the Department of Earth Sciences, University of New South Whales.

Generally, this book is a blend of three things:

(1) His early years as a paleontologist and his continuing exciting work as a "fossil hunter"
(2) A natural history of the unique Australian landscape
(3) A study of the evolution of the equally unique kangaroo. This early evolution of kangaroos was virtually unknown until Flannery came along. (The search for this evolutionary past is what drives this book's main narrative.)

Many people might think that these are three reasons not to read it. Well, not for me! What this book did was made me understand why Flannery was named 2007 "Australian of the Year" and why he a scientist, explorer, and conservationist of "international acclaim" and "interdisciplinary brilliance."

What I found apparent as I read this book is that Flannery knows his science and presents it well when doing actual fieldwork (some of it hazardous) and research to trace the evolution of kangaroos. But there is much more to this book than just scientific precision.

Flannery embellishes his main narrative with humor and gives us his impressions. He fills each chapter with actual Australian characters he meets along the way. However, for me, it was his enthusiasm for his subject that made this book such a joy to read. The result is that this book is like a "love letter" to Flannery's native Australia and its most strikingly remarkable inhabitant: the kangaroo.

My favorite chapters have the following titles:

(1) Captain Cook's kangaroo
(2) Kangaroo essence
(3) The mystery of hopping
(4) The oldest kangaroo
(5) Where the great roos came from
(6) The age of kangaroos
(7) Grass for the kangaroos
(8) A dingo-driven revolution

Throughout are black and white illustrations (drawings, maps, pictures, etc.) that highlight aspects of the main narrative. As well, there are a dozen color pictures near the middle of the book. (By the way, the book's cover {displayed above by Amazon} shows a picture of a red kangaroo--the symbol of Australia.)

Finally, just before the introduction to the book is a black and white map of Australia. On it, Flannery has placed the locations of key places that he visits and explores in his main narrative. I recommend photocopying this map and using it to follow his travels.

In conclusion, this is a captivating book that's a blend of memoir, travel, natural history, and evolutionary science. After I finished reading it, I realized that Dr. Tim Flannery should have a nickname similar to his fictional Australian counterpart "Crocodile Dundee." How about:

"Kangaroo Flannery."

(first published 2007; map; introduction; 26 chapters; postscript; main narrative 250 pages; kangaroo family tree; acknowledgements; bibliography; index)

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Tim Flannery's "Chasing Kangaroos" is a terrific, informative read regarding what surely is one of the oddest animals in all of nature. To say the author is obsessed with his subject may not quite be true but his love for kangaroos in unabashed. Flannery's book teems with knowledge as one would guess, as he is one of the leading experts on these fascinating creatures.

Anyone who has ever seen a kangaroo "hop"...and I do mean they HOP....will marvel at their overall structure and Flannery, rightly so, gives a detailed account about how they get around, beginning with the physical diversity of the feet of the many different kangaroos. Not all of the dispensed information is cute and cuddly....a description of their digestive systems is downright unappealing...but Flannery covers it all in a narrative style that is mostly well-paced.

His opening recounting of a trip around Australia when he was in his teens can be a bit of a drudge and by that measure it takes a while to get into things. However, I highly recommend "Chasing Kangaroos"...it's simply a fun and educational book.

Wow! This book by Jean-Michel Cousteau & Mose Richards is amazing! The 120 full color photographs in here are some of the best i have ever seen. Truly breathtaking pictures of this awesome predator. This book chronicles the Cousteau team's extensive two-and-a-half years study of the great white shark at Dangerous Reef, Australia. After attracting the sharks, the research team would observe the sharks behavior underwater in specially built stainless steel cages and one made of Luxon(a clear, bulletproof plastic). They would then tag them and attach transmitters to follow their movements and patterns. A new understanding emerges of the great white and it's lonely, lifelong hunt for food.

Cousteau has truly captured my mind and allowed it to wander through the amazing pages of his book, COUSTEAU'S GREAT WHITE SHARK. I started adoring sharks at age 3, and have always dreamed of becoming a marine biologist. Cousteau has wonderfully made it possible for me to go after my dream without any worries. His book is truly inspirational and gracious. Thank you Jean-Michel!

This book is fascinating. What most do not know is that Mose Richards wrote this entire book, while Cousteau supplied the inspiration and pictures. This book has excellent writing and fabulous photography. An excellent read. Props to the author, Mose Richards!

For surviving for 400 million years. For refusing to submit yourself to mankind's aquariums and corporate SeaWorlds. For never allowing your secrets of mating or birth to become known to the prying eyes of man. For not even leaving a skeleton for science to attempt to examine. For being the Master of the Seas, without even using mechanical aids to assist you, like we, the Humans, the Wimps, the Know-Nothings, the Arrogant Pestilence of the World must resort to to even attempt to conquer you. Keep fighting, Terrible, Beautiful Lordly Ones. We offer you humble, unworthy obeisance in the form of this book, under the aegis of your most dutiful admirer, Jacques Cousteau, Poseidon rest his soul. Never has your grace nor your fearful symmetry appeared to such great advantage. Keep cruising. May your fins glide through the oceans long after the peasants have ceased to crawl upon the earth--or dared to trawl upon the waters!

A very informative book about the great white. The photos are amazing. This Shark is one of the most interesting animals alive. A real predator.

Author of the wonderful Power of One, Four Fires is about a family in a small town who consider themselves (as does the town) the bottom of their social world and yet as the novel develops turn out actually to be the best in every sense: adventurous, courageous, indomitable, imaginative and most of all -- unfettered and unbound by narrow social convention.

I'm writing this in the midst of California wild fire season (and, seriously, I only have to walk outside to smell the smoke) to recommend the most AMAZING novel I've read in months.

I can't say enough about how wonderful this book is. It's the story of a family in Australia who are at the very bottom of the social ladder (they are garbage collectors, and the dad is usually in jail) struggling to find a place in the world. The narrator is the youngest son (Mole Maloney), who, like his father and grandfather, becomes one of the most gifted bush firefighters in his region. He accompanies a slew of wonderful family members and close friends as he tells the story of his familly's adventures through the years between WWII and the Viet Nam war.

Each member of the Maloney family is a fabulous, admirable character. By the end of the book you just want to erect a monument to all of them. It's wonderfully moving, and quintessentially Australian. I can't rave about it enough. I cried multiple times when reading this book. It's just fantastic.

Bryce Courtenay's other novels are equally great, if you haven't read them.

This has become one of my favourite books. It is more than just the story of a poor family. It shows us the prejudices that live inside even the most honourable of people. It shows that strength of character and doing what is right can be the biggest challenge of all. These characters face incredible obstacles and get help from where they least expect it and turned away by people who should help them. It allows you a glimpse of the complex inner workings of a society as experienced by the characters. Ranks right up there with Bryce Courtneay's "Power of One". Excellent read! I couldn't put it down and I was sad when it was over.

Bryce Courtenay is such a great writer! I love the Australian history and the power of love Bryce often writes about. I wish he could write faster!

This book is a narration by Mole, an Irish Catholic kid whose mother is of such loose moral character that she has had 4 different children from 4 different men. BUT she does go to Church on Sunday which I guess is Mr. Courtenay's way of telling the reader that she is not a slut after all. Mole's father (or his stepfather I think) is what Australians refer to as a "Bludger Piss Artist' which means he doesn't work and spends most of his time in Prison or drinking.However every time there is a bush fire Tommy becomes the local Fire Fighting Hero and then EVERYBODY wants to buy him a drink at the Pub so he does have his 15 minutes of fame. Mole's sister has inherited her Mother's loose moral character and wants to go to University when she is pregnant. Maybe she wanted to study hard and discover JUST WHO the father of her unborn child was. This is a very disappointing effort from a writer who has produced better works than this which is why I give this book 5 stars.

Travelling with Michael is to say the least exhilarating, fun, adventurous and a journey of discovery. While many can only dream of actually making the trip, Michael Palins' books are the next best thing. It's not just where he goes, but how he does it and perhaps most importantly: seeing it through his mind's eye, which needless to say can make humor out of nothingness. All you need is to relax and have the urge to increase your imagination. A wild but educative ride!

Michael Palin does it again with Full Circle. Starting in Alaska Michael travels anti-clockwise around the rim of the Pacific Ocean visiting countries as diverse as Russia, Korea, Viet Nam, New Zealand, Colombia and the west coast of North American. He tells of his adventures getting to and exploring some fantastic natural wonders, visiting a Russian gulag with a former inmate, the relief of Japan, the Vietnamese reactions to a westerner, the biggness of Australia and the hardworking people of South America. The section on the United States is short and not always sweet. Palin is taken aback by the physical bigness of Americans, and rush, and loudness. By the time he reaches Canada and attends a "lumberjack" fair (no singing Mounties included!) he really "wants to go home". We also learn a bit about how the series and book were produced, his wife Helen and their children, and that being on a job for the BBC doesn't always mean smooth sailing! Michael's friend Basil Pao took the photographs - he also joined Michael on "Around the World in Eighty Days". I can highly recommend this book and not only to fans of Monty Python - it doesn't end how you might expect!

As always Palin has produced a great travel book and series... this I found better than his "80 Days". The other thing people might find interesting about this travel book is that it takes us to some places which are hard to reach even in this day and age, so this is the only way we can know them.

Also suggested- "Hemingway Adventure"

Full Circle is just as good, if not better then his othertravel/comedy books. It is simply magnificent.

I've seen the 10-part Full Circle tv series, and I had a serious addiction from the start. When it ended, I went through a withdrawl period. I silently rocked myself in a chair in my room repeating "I must get the book,... must find book...must read book." I've got it now and I'm back on a Full Circle high. The book goes into details that they never had time for on the series. It tells you everything that you would have noticed had you been in Japan or Australia or Chile.

Ahh... I can imagine myself right now on the streets of China getting a massage from a blind man.

Which book was Dr. Heller & wife promoting on Oprah's show? (so I'll know which one to order) I didn't see entire show , but what I did see was informative & INTERESTING.

I picked up this book while browsing in a bookstore and it changed my life. I started at 153 pounds and my goal weight was 118. I weighed 116 this morning. And I have more energy, am more mentally alert and upbeat than I ever have been. The book is very motivational. The rules and guidelines for the diet are spread throughout the book so you must read all before starting. Only criticisms are that it's wordy and most of the recipes are bland, but I believe it's the best of all the books the Heller's have written.

I picked up this book while browsing in a bookstore and it changed my life. I started at 153 pounds and my goal weight was 118. I weighed 116 this morning. And I have more energy, am more mentally alert and upbeat than I ever have been. The book is very motivational. The rules and guidelines for the diet are spread throughout the book so you must read all before starting. Only criticisms are that it's wordy and most of the recipes are bland, but I believe it's the best of all the books the Hellers have written.

When I began driving a truck I gained 30 pounds in the 1st month. Fortunately I found this book and re-learned how to eat. Doing this diet right is not the easiest thing, breaking food addiction is seldom easy, but if you read this book it will be easier to make happen. I've lost those 30 pounds and more, landing at an ideal wieght that I've never imagined being at again. Good luck, use this book - it's a great resource. Follow where it leads.

This is an excellent, simply written, but well researched, book on the dangers of bad carbs. I found it extremely enlightening and wondered if it was more than coincidental that Dr. Barry Sears, writes in an amazingly similar vein, in his book "Enter The Zone". It seems that more and more scientists, and doctors, are discovering that we suffer from an overabundance of bad carbs in our eating, and it's also imbalanced versus protein and fat intake.I would heartily recommend this book, and for more scientific corroborative data read "Enter the Zone". Combine this with the sensible exercise program outlined in "Body for Life" by Bill Phillips of EAS Inc., and you will do yourself a very large favour.

A wonderfully crafted autobiography. Honest and personal, Geldof puts the first half of his life under the microscope and you grow to love him for his warts and scars.
A riveting book especially for those who recall the music of his era. You will laugh and you may cry even if it is only because the book ends years short of the present day.

This book is one of those books that will renew your faith in the ability of normal people to change the world for the better. It is also hilarious and a great read!

I don't usually read biographies books but this one is a very good one

It's severly dated by today's standards, but what an excellent read, all the same. I look at it as the music industry version of Julia Phillips "You'll Never Eat Lunch In This Town Again". Biting with sardonic wit, lots of muck-raking (most of it spot-on), and just a wee bit 'o' honesty.

How much of it is true, we'll never know. But the essential bits (the inception of the Boomtown Rats, their immersion into the music scene, other bands, Live Aid, etc.) are required reading for anybody who gives a damn about the music industry. There's loads of comedy as well as pathos, as well as some of the greatest quotes I've ever read in an autobiography.

If you can still find a copy, it's well worth owning.

Bob Geldof's book is a stunning odyssey into the mind of a rock star. he also happens to be a philanthropist who can teach a thing or two to the best of them. the man behind `live aid' not only collected hundreds of millions out of a telethon for africa's famine victims, but made sure they reached the right hands. his forthright language and no-holds-barred style are refreshing. if you must read an autobiography of a rock star, read this one.

My two-year-old loves many of the "Mr Men" books, and Mr Happy is one of his two favorites (Mr Quiet being the other). I love reading this to him as well. In this book, Mr Happy in Happyland stumbles upon Mr Miserable and teaches him to be happy.

Roger Hargreaves' story is short, simple, and easy for kids to follow, with just enough alliteration to make it fun. His pictures are bright and bring the story to life.

My son so loves this book that every time he sees a "smiley face" he exclaims "Mr Happy in Happyland!"

I read this book and all the other Mr. Men books to my children 30 years ago. My children loved them and now so do the grandchildren.

this is the best piece of literature i have ever read!!! simply marvolous

His jubilant expression welcomes you into the world of Mr. Men, and no one -- NOT EVEN MR. MEAN -- can occlude Mr. Happy from enjoying his day, nay, HIS LIFE.

Perhaps you are low on happiness? Perhaps you seek meaning in a world of war and sadness? Mr. Happy is for you. Will he make you happy? Perhaps not. Yet he will teach you the ways of the happy man, and that is all you can ask of a Mr. Men book. They are small books that tell a small story, yet somehow, they are more vast than the ocean.

call me heathen, or anything. But you don't need the Bible. This book makes me tear, it makes my cry of joy because I feel proud to be human. Proud to be Happy. I am glad that we as a race made a piece with so much hope and jo. This, in my humble opinion, is the single best piece of literature ever made.

It really is just Life. Joy, just plain, simple, happy joy. I will always keep this book with me. Im confident that it is the single best way to live a nice, drawn out and good life. So simple of a lesson, such a primordial concept is woven into this book, it really is the one true good book.

And really, to everyone under our bright star, I wish a sunny trees and rolling grassy fields under kind yellow sunlight.

My life is attributed to the Sun, Joy, Life and Mr. Happy

These books are great! I can remember 20 years ago when I was sitting on the floor of my 2nd grade class in Illinios, my teacher would read these books to us!!! They are really cute and I recommend them highly!!

Back in college I got a job as a summer janitor at the local elementary school. One of the things I had to do was clean up in the library. I took this time as an opportunity to catch up on some reading... in the form of the Mr. Men series. Mr. Tickle is a great book about a man who likes to tickle. If you like to laugh, this book is for you. If you like to tickle, this book is for you. If you are a mean spirited and grumpy person, perhaps you should try another book

Mr. Tickle makes you laugh WILLINGLY.

I know, I know. You are saying, "But I don't like to be tickled. And I don't want my children to feel that tickling is socially appropriate."

I had similar reservations before approaching Mr. Tickle, but I ordered it anyway. Mr. Tickle gets his just rewards, let me assure you, but in the meantime, he seduces readers into the world of Mr. Men. He does not just Tickle the people in his town. No, that is more...Sesame Street (The Tickler, The Man Who Starts with the Letter T, Volume 13, I think, of The Sesame Street Library).

Mr. Tickle helps the people of his town BOND TOGETHER. He is that slippery sort of antagonist who acts as a protagonist. Britain called for a hero, and Mr. Tickle answered the phone.

But BARELY #2.... (Mr. Strong being #1). For a while this was #1 though. Mr. Tickle is the hilarious story of a tickle (you didn't know that there was such a thing as a tickle did you?) on an adventure though town causing mayhem by tickling everyone! This is also a trip though memory lane for daddy as I grew up in England reading Mr. Men books. My copy of Mr. Tickle looks like in went through a war zone, lol.
The best part of the book is the game my son invented by asking me to tickle him every time someone in the book gets tickled. And by the last page he's ran of the bed hiding and giggling. You'll understand if you've got the book, it's got a GREAT ending!
If your kids like Mr. Men books and you don't have Mr. Tickle, what are you waiting for????

I loved reading this book to my grandchildren. Even my husband was listening and enjoyed hearing this cute story. I shared it with my neighbor and her grandchildren wanted her to reread it over and over. Little Miss Mischief mentions Mr. Tickle also in the story and a great follow-up book to go along with it. All of the Mr. Men books are great fun to read, and I will keep them on hand for any little one who will sit still to listen to me read it to them. I enjoy the stories as much as the children do.

Very interesting facts that actually help you to be a winner with this game!

I had to read through this book a few times, as it is quite complicated - I never really knew there was so much to RPS. I always assumed rock beats everything, but after my second or third reading I started to understand the intricacies of the game. I now choose paper everytime, and my winning rate has increased almost 1%

I bought this as a gift for my wife. Whenever it's time to clean the cat boxes or change a dirty diaper or do anything else unpleasant, She always wants to RPS for it. Now, we at least play by the rules and the decision is made fairly.

You think Rock Paper Scissors is a game of chance? think again! This book offersgood information on the game, its history, strategies, and much more.

this guide has really helped my game!

This is a superb look at the nitty-gritty world of selling. Although the author does fill it with case studies, they are all useful and thought-provoking. My favorite bit of advice concerns what happens to all top salespeople: they get their territory cut. Why? To keep them from getting complacent, of course.

Joe has gone out of his way to cut to the chase. There is no self esteem building and you can do it rah rah rather Joe's frank honest and what it takes to stay on top, remain on top and what to do when you are caught in a no win situation. As an MBA this type of book should be a mandatory read but the reality of tenured professors that are effectively running a union job do not understand how duplicitous and unethically the real business world can be. I finish this book in a few hours and the insight will last me a career. It is also refreshing from the standpoint that Joe has a soul and is interested in seeing the world and some great sales jobs he has had launched that opportunity. If you surf this book is especially cool(which I do and I can relate to the author on many levels.) Another reviewer was turned off by some profanity of which I do not remember so don't focus on issues of crass.

Anybody. I repeat anybody who sells, or wants to become a sales person, has to read this book. This book will keep you in the "game" longer, by playing corporate business model to your advantage. All successful companies value their sales force. But most Sales Managers make you feel like a zero. By reading this book you can change that number and pave a brighter future. Read and Prosper.

This book is a "must have" for the new graduate or anyone who is considering a career or taking on an adventure in sales.

Finally, a fun-to-read book on sales with valuable and positive insights on getting-in, finding the right company, and getting-out when your company becomes the "wrong company."

Joe T has real-life examples and experiences that show you how to work for yourself and enjoy the adventure. He teaches you what to expect in sales and get the most out of your job and keep your sanity. Rather than providing, rehashed "supposedly new", methods of achieving one time sales success, this book provides a "big picture guide" that helps a salesperson's lifelong career. HIGHLY ENTERTAINING AND RECOMMENDED!!!

I went to B-School, got my MBA, and gained valuable education on the theory and practice of managing a successful business. What I was disappointed by, were the unexamined assumptions around the "corporate dream", which I found pervasive at all levels of the curriculum. Too complex to go into here, but essentially...

Most business schools are in the business of selling the corporate dream and training future managers in the arts of profit maximization, organizational efficiency, competitive advantage, and market penetration. Rarely do they ever address the human reality of corporate downsizing, except as economic data points relevent to the afore mentioned topics.

The Sales Adventure Guide is a practical manual on how to cut through the corporate BS, understand the true meaning behind management-speak, and know how to cover your butt when your job is on the line, through no fault of your own. It uncovers the tactics, often unethical and sometimes illegal, that HR and upper management will use to make you go away, meekly, without costing the company a penny.

The Sales Adventure Guide will help you probe underneath the company's glossy exterior and public face, by showing you how you can ask the right questions and find out important information about the organization you will be contracting your time to.

This book will teach you how to protect yourself, play the corporate game with finesse, and enjoy your life, rather than feel browbeaten at the company's ingratitude towards the days, months, years of your life you gave them - which you will never, ever get back.

Corporate loyalty is a myth, most companies will lay you off without a second thought. Read this book, understand that we are all contractors now.