Throwim Way Leg: An Adventure

Tim Flannery

ISBN 10: 1876485191 / ISBN 13: 9781876485191

Published by Text Publishing Company (edition ), 1999

The item might be beaten up but readable. May contain markings or highlighting, as well as stains, bent corners, or any other major defect, but the text is not obscured in any way. Seller Inventory # 1876485191-7-1

Synopsis:

'An enthralling introduction to the mountain people of New Guinea - unimaginably remote, charming, cunning, cruel, subtle and appealing - and to their magnificent land.' New York Times Book Review 'This book combines an irresistible author with an irresistible subject: Tim Flannery, a great zoologist and writer about science, relating his explorations of New Guinea, a vivid tropical universe...The result is a dangerous book that you pick up at your peril, because it is so hard to put down.' Jared M. Diamond 'Throwim Way Leg is New Guinea pidgin for "go on a journey". It is a book as fantastic as the wildest science fiction novel, as gripping as the darkest thriller and as moving as a love story...Not even Rider Haggard would have dared to tell a story so surprising.' Matt Ridley, Daily Telegraph

Review: Mammologist Tim Flannery assumed the age of exploration had died with Darwin. Upon arrival in New Guinea, though, he realises just how wrong he's been. Hilarious and riveting, Thowim Way Leg chronicles Flannery's adventures among the mountain people of New Guinea while in hot pursuit of giant rats, tree-kangaroos, bats, possums and bandicoots. In the local pidgin, "throwim way leg" describes the first decisive step in a journey. Flannery takes that step--and soon he's clambering up steep peaks; braving jungle critters like sweat bees, hairy spiders, pythons and the occasional crocodile; and perilously close to ending up in hot water more than once. Cannibalism, he assures us, is a thing of the past, but when he comes into contact with the Miyanmin--a people who refer to a neighbouring tribe as "bokis es bilong mipela" (literally, "our refrigerator")--we're left wondering how he got out alive.

Flannery's exuberance over the wildlife he encounters is interesting enough, but it's his ability to capture the indigenous perspective that makes this book worth reading. When his new-found friends learn, for instance, of the widespread custom of circumcision, they fall about in paroxysms of laughter. Equally perplexing (to an elderly gentlemen who has never seen rice) is how Flannery and his cronies could chance upon so many delectable ant-eggs. With 14 pages of colourful, enticing, "wish-I-could-go-there-right-now" photos. --Martha Silano

Bibliographic Details

Title: Throwim Way Leg: An Adventure
Publisher: Text Publishing Company (edition )
Publication Date: 1999
Binding: Paperback
Condition: Fair