Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine

Yes, you read that right: Douglas Adams, author of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. 'Last Chance to See' lives in the non-fiction section, rather than science fiction.

Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine travel all over our planet trying to find the last few individuals of endangered species. If you've read 'The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul' (I think it is), you know that Douglas Adams has a special place in his heart for the dodo, which made this transition from spaceships to endangered species a little easier to swallow.

In 'Last Chance to See' not only do you find stories of the search for each species, but photos of them when they could be found and insights into the local cultures and politics, as well as the obstructions in the path of those who are fighting to save the last precious few. Sometimes it's money, or time, or genetics, or the creature's own self-destructive properties. If you didn't know that 'survival of the fittest' isn't always a good thing, you will by the end of this book. Douglas Adams gives insight into the natural beauties of this world and how much poorer we will be when they are gone from it.

I was surprised to find that I was left with a startling emotional attachment to a small elderly sweet potato on a clifftop in New Zealand. This is the beauty of Douglas Adams' writing.

The Guy Not Taken - Jennifer Weiner

This is a selection of short stories which don't really differ in any way from any of her other novels. The style and content are comparable and therefore predictable. I'm underwhelmed.

The Birth House - Ami McKay

I think this book was a little too built up for me. It was pretty good but not amazing. I enjoyed all of the herbal remedy and midwifing stuff, as well as the basic story line. I found the characters interesting and the events of their lives pulled me in and kept me reading. While it didn't make my Top 10 list, I would still recommend it.