Book
On the backs of tortoises : Darwin, the Galapagos, and the fate of an evolutionary Eden / Elizabeth Hennessy.
The Galápagos archipelago is often viewed as a last foothold of pristine nature. For sixty years, conservationists have worked to restore this evolutionary Eden after centuries of exploitation at the hands of pirates, whalers, and island settlers. This book tells the story of the islands' namesakes--the giant tortoises--as coveted food sources, objects of natural history, and famous icons of conservation and tourism. By doing so, it brings into stark relief the paradoxical, and impossible, goal of conserving species by trying to restore a past state of prehistoric evolution. The tortoises, Elizabeth Hennessy demonstrates, are not prehistoric, but rather microcosms whose stories show how deeply human and nonhuman life are entangled. In a world where evolution is thoroughly shaped by global history, Hennessy puts forward a vision for conservation based on reckoning with the past, rather than trying to erase it.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780300232745
- ISBN: 0300232748
- Physical Description: xix, 310 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm
- Publisher: New Haven : Yale University Press, [2019]
- Copyright: ©2019
Content descriptions
| Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references (pages 267-297) and index. |
| Formatted Contents Note: | What we stand on -- In Darwin's footsteps -- What's in a name? -- The many worlds at world's end -- Making a natural laboratory -- Restoring evolution -- Laboratory life -- All the way down. |
Search for related items by subject
| Subject: | Galapagos tortoise > Galapagos Islands. Galapagos tortoise > Conservation > Galapagos Islands. Rare reptiles > Galapagos Islands. Galapagos Islands > Environmental aspects. |
Available copies
- 2 of 2 copies available at Lehigh Valley Library System.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 2 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem Main Library | 508.866 (Text) | 33062009234486 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Easton Main Library | 508.866 H515o (Text) | 31901004386282 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
