The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Chasing Giants
Zeb Hogan, author
Stefan Lovgren, author
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9781647790578, $29.95, HC, 250pp

https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Giants-Search-Largest-Freshwater/dp/16477905=
73

Synopsis: On May 1, 2005, a Thai fisherman caught a truly monstrous Mekong = giant catfish. At 646 pounds, it captured the world's attention, and with a=
we and wonder, it was deemed the largest freshwater fish on record. There w=
as no denying its size, but when biologist and research associate professor=
Hogan saw a photo of the fish, he wondered if it really was the biggest in=
the world. To his surprise, no one had systematically sought to answer the=
question: Which of the giant freshwater species really was the largest?

Seeking to answer that question has brought Hogan face to face with massive=
arapaima and piranha in the Amazon, alligator gar in Texas, pigeon-eating = wels catfish in France, stingrays in Cambodia, and the gnarled-toothed sawf= ish in Australia. Part of his scientific adventure has been captured on Mon= ster Fish, and Hogan now tells the full story of his 25-year quest to under= stand the mysteries of some of the oldest, largest, most bizarre creatures =
on Earth.

The fate of these giant fish motivates Hogan to understand the various spec= ies he studies. The megafish's numbers are dwindling, and the majority of t= hem face extinction. With the publication of "Chasing Giants: In Search of = the World's Largest Freshwater Fish", Hogan teams up with award-winning jou= rnalist Stefan Lovgren to tell, for the first time, the remarkable and trou= bling story of the world's largest freshwater fish. This is a story that st= retches across the globe, chronicling a race against the clock to find and = protect these ancient leviathans before they disappear forever.

"Chasing Giants: In Search of the World's Largest Freshwater Fish" deftly c= ombines science, adventure, and wonder to provide insights into the key rol=
e the massive fish of our lakes and rivers play in our past, present, and f= uture.

Critique: An impressive and seminal study, "Chasing Giants: In Search of th=
e World's Largest Freshwater Fish" is exceptionally informative, extraordin= arily well organized and throughly 'reader friendly' in presentation, makin=
g it an ideal and unreservedly recommended pick for personal, professional,=
community, college, and university library Marine Biology collections and = supplemental curriculum studies lists. It should be noted by students, acad= emia, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject th=
at "Chasing Giants" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $22= ..49).

Editorial Note #1: Zeb Hogan (https://explorer-directory.nationalgeographic= ..org/zeb-s-hogan) is a research biologist at the University of Nevada, Reno=
and the United Nations Convention on Migratory Species Scientific Councilo=
r for Fish. Hogan hosts National Geographic's television series Monster Fis=
h and his research focuses on migratory fish ecology, fisheries management,=
and endangered species issues.

Editorial Note #2: Stefan Lovgren (https://theconversation.com/profiles/ste= fan-lovgren-1406170) is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker with more=
than 25 years of worldwide reporting experience. He has been a regular con= tributor to National Geographic's numerous media platforms since 2003 and w= rites about a wide variety of environmental issues with a focus on fish and=
freshwater subjects.

The Elephants of Thula Thula
Francoise Malby-Anthony
St. Martin's Press
https://us.macmillan.com/smp
9781250284259, $29.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Elephants-Thula-Elephant-Whisperer/dp/1250284252

Synopsis: Francoise Malby-Anthony is the owner of a game reserve in South A= frica with a remarkable family of elephants whose adventures have touched h= earts around the world. The herd's feisty matriarch Frankie knows who's in = charge at Thula Thula, and it's not Francoise. But when Frankie becomes ill=
, and the authorities threaten to remove or cull some of the herd if the re= serve doesn't expand, Francoise is in a race against time to save her belov=
ed elephants.

With the publication of "The Elephants of Thula Thula" by Francoise describ=
es joys and challenges of a life dedicated to conservation. The search is o=
n to get a girlfriend for orphaned rhino Thabo -- and then, as his behavior=
becomes increasingly boisterous, a big brother to teach him manners.

Francoise also realizes a dream with the arrival of Savannah the cheetah (a=
n endangered species not seen in the area since the 1940s) and finds hersel=
f rescuing meerkats kept as pets. But will Thula Thula survive the pandemic=
, an invasion from poachers and the threat from a mining company wanting ac= cess to its land?

As Francoise faces her toughest years yet, she realizes once again that wit=
h their wisdom, resilience and communal bonds, the elephants have much to t= each us.

Critique: A fascinating, informative, and deftly written account that will = have a very special attraction for readers with an interest in wildlife bio= logy and naturalist biographies, "The Elephants of Thula Thula" is strongly=
recommended for both community/academic library Wildlife collections. It s= hould be noted for personal reading lists that "The Elephants of Thula Thul=
a" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Francoise Malby-Anthony was born in the south of France, br= ought up in Paris, and has lived in South Africa since 1987. She founded th=
e Thula Thula game reserve in 1998 with her late husband, the renowned cons= ervationist and author Lawrence Anthony. When Lawrence died in 2012, Franco= ise took over the running of the reserve and is equally passionate about co= nservation. She was the driving force behind setting up a wildlife rehabili= tation centre at the reserve to care for orphaned animals. Her first book, = "An Elephant in My Kitchen", was an international bestseller. (https://us.m= acmillan.com/author/francoisemalbyanthony)

EDITOR'S NOTE:

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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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