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

Customer Reviews

• An Extraordinary Treasure  Sep 13, 2005 (54 of 54 found this helpful)

  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.
  

• An Outstanding Record of an Incredible Expedition  Sep 7, 2005 (19 of 20 found this helpful)

  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.

• Worth the money  Sep 20, 2006 (4 of 4 found this helpful)

  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".

• Unique Book  Aug 31, 2006 (3 of 3 found this helpful)

  This book is amazing, in its presentation and its content. The photography is first rate for an expedition of which pictures were not their main objective. The journal entries in the second book of the set will make you feel as if you are part of the trip especially if you have been to Africa before. I highly recommend this book as a coffee table piece or as a fascinating read.

• Beyond words  Apr 29, 2006 (2 of 2 found this helpful)

  This book is an absolute masterpiece. One of the best of our times. Dr. Faye's journey itself was incredible. His mission or obsession to save the central African is relentless. This book is a tribute to him, Nick Nicols, whose photography surpasses anyone's both in quality and purpose, and to the deepest, darkest Africa.
  Also recommended - Traces of Eden: The Last of the American Wilderness