All Categories
Product Description Packing an off-kilter sense of humor and keen scientific minds, Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson, along with renowned artist Alexis Rockman, take off on a postmodern safari. Their mission? Tracking down the elusive Tasmanian tiger. Tragically, this mysterious, striped predator was hunted into extinction in the early part of the twentieth century. Or was it? Journeying first to the Australian mainland and then south to the wild island of Tasmania, these young naturalists brave a series of bizarre misadventures and uproarious wildlife encounters in their obsessive search for the long-lost beast. Filled with Rockman’s stunning drawings of flora and fauna originally crafted from river mud, wombat scat, and even the artist’s own blood, Carnivorous Nights is a hip and hilarious account of an unhinged safari, as well as a fascinating portrayal of a wildly unique part of the world. Carniverous Nights is: One of the New York Public Library's "25 Books to Remember from 2005" A New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, 2006 selection Review “A transfusion of youthful energy is delivered in this winning book by a pair of zany New York wildlife journalists.” –The New York Times Book Review “Informed, colorful, often comical . . . hugely readable.” –San Francisco Chronicle “A rollicking safari . . . informative and entertaining.” –The Oregonian (Portland) “An adventure in extreme sleuthing . . . The true beauty of this volume is its depiction of the Tasmanian landscape in the raw. . . . Kudos are due the authors for the generous pace of their gaze [and] hilarious introspection.” –Los Angeles Times “A thrilling adventure . . . an irresistible work of armchair travel, not to be missed. Highly recommended.” –Library Journal (starred review) “A wonderful romp, part science and part Bill Bryson.” –Booklist From the Back Cover Packing an off-kilter sense of humor and keen scientific minds, authors Margaret Mittelbach and Michael Crewdson take off with renowned artist Alexis Rockman on a postmodern safari. Their mission? Tracking down the elusive Tasmanian tiger. This mysterious, striped predator was once the world's largest carnivorous marsupial. It had a pouch like a kangaroo and a jaw that opened impossibly wide to reveal terrifying choppers. Tragically, this rare and powerful animal was hunted into extinction in the early part of the twentieth century. Or was it? Journeying first to the Australian mainland and then south to the wild island of Tasmania, these young naturalists brave a series of bizarre misadventures and uproarious wildlife encounters in their obsessive search for the long-lost beast. From an ancient cave featuring an aboriginal painting of the tiger to a lab in Sydney where maverick scientists are trying to resurrect the animal through cloning, this intrepid trio comes face-to-face with blood-sucking land leeches and venomous bull ants, a misbehaving wallaby who invades their motel room, and a crew of flesh-eating, bone-crunching Tasmanian devils gorging on roadkill. They bond with trappers, bushwackers, and wildlife experts who refuse to abandon the tiger hunt, despite the paucity of evidence. Sifting through local myths, bar-room banter, and historical accounts, these environmental detectives sweep readers into a world where platypus' swim, kangaroos roam, and a large predator with a pouch was-or perhaps still is-queen of the jungle. Filled with Alexis Rockman's stunning drawings of flora and fauna--made from soil, wombat scat, and the artist's own blood-Carnivorous Nightsis a hip and hilarious account of an unhinged safari, as well as a fascinating portrayal of a wildly unique part of the world. "From the Hardcover edition. About the Author MARGARET MITTELBACH and MICHAEL CREWDSON regularly join forces for The New York Times and other publications, employing their dry wit to reveal nature in the strangest of places. Their previous book, Wild New York, uncovered the unsung