Roy Chapman AndrewsBesprekingen

"Across Mongolian Plains: A Naturalist's Account" is a captivating travelogue written by Roy Chapman Andrews, first published in 1921. The book recounts Andrews' extraordinary journey through the vast and untamed landscapes of Mongolia, providing a unique glimpse into its wildlife, indigenous cultures, and the thrilling adventures he experienced.

As an acclaimed naturalist and explorer, Andrews embarked on an ambitious expedition across the Mongolian plains, venturing into uncharted territory and documenting his observations along the way. The narrative takes readers on a remarkable adventure as Andrews encounters a diverse array of wildlife, including snow leopards, wild horses, and numerous bird species, providing detailed descriptions of their behavior and habitats.

Moreover, Andrews provides vivid portrayals of the nomadic tribes and their way of life, immersing readers in the rich tapestry of Mongolian culture. He shares his encounters with nomadic herders, Buddhist monks, and local leaders, offering insights into their traditions, customs, and the challenges they face in the remote Mongolian wilderness.

As the expedition unfolds, Andrews faces numerous obstacles and dangers, from treacherous weather conditions to encounters with bandits and predatory animals. The narrative is filled with suspense and excitement as he navigates through rugged terrains, explores ancient ruins, and unearths fossil discoveries.

"Across Mongolian Plains" stands as a testament to Andrews' passion for exploration and his commitment to advancing scientific knowledge. Through his detailed observations and engaging storytelling, he not only offers a captivating account of his own adventures but also contributes valuable insights into the natural history and cultural heritage of Mongolia.

"Ends of the Earth" is an enthralling memoir written by Roy Chapman Andrews, a renowned American explorer, naturalist, and paleontologist. Published in 1929, the book details Andrews' groundbreaking expeditions and scientific discoveries during his time as the director of the American Museum of Natural History's Department of Asiatic Exploration and Research.

The narrative takes readers on a thrilling adventure across remote and unexplored regions of Asia, from the vast expanses of Mongolia to the treacherous Gobi Desert. Andrews shares his firsthand experiences of traversing rugged landscapes, battling harsh weather conditions, and encountering diverse cultures and wildlife.

One of the highlights of the book is Andrews' pursuit of dinosaur fossils in the Gobi Desert. He vividly describes the challenges and triumphs of excavating and discovering previously unknown species of dinosaurs, including the remarkable finds of the first dinosaur eggs ever unearthed.

In addition to paleontology, Andrews delves into his observations of the local communities, their customs, and their unique ways of life. He explores the cultural diversity of Asia, highlighting the interactions between nomadic tribes, the struggles for survival in harsh environments, and the ancient traditions that have endured for centuries.

"Ends of the Earth" not only provides readers with a gripping adventure narrative but also sheds light on the scientific process and the importance of exploration in expanding human knowledge. Andrews offers insights into the methods and challenges of conducting field research, the thrill of discovery, and the dedication required to push the boundaries of scientific understanding.

The book's enduring appeal lies in Andrews' engaging storytelling, his passion for exploration, and his ability to convey the awe-inspiring beauty and vastness of the Asian landscapes he encountered. Through his words, readers are transported to the ends of the earth, experiencing the excitement and wonder of discovery alongside one of the most influential explorers of the early 20th century.

"Ends of the Earth" is a captivating memoir that not only celebrates the achievements of Roy Chapman Andrews but also offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of exploration, paleontology, and the richness of Asia's cultural and natural heritage. It continues to inspire and captivate readers who share a sense of curiosity and wonder for the unknown corners of our planet.

Primera edición en español del clásico de Chapman Andrews ""This amazing planet"

From my childhood library

Another career-inspiring account for preteens of the 1950s and 60s. Still worth a read.

I remember this as an inspirational children's book that fed my curiosity and encouraged years of further reading of Andrews' publications, palaeontology, scientific discovery, and related subjects.½

This work is based upon the records of the author's 1922-1929 expeditions to the Gobi Desert in Mongolia which lead to the discovery of the ancestor of the ceratops group of Dinosaurs , and the first Dinosaur eggs ever found; prior to that they had much speculation, but no proof, as to how Dinosaurs reproduced.

It's a first person narrative written 31 years after the expedition for a juvenile audience by the organizer and leader of the expedition. Other than the year the expeditions began being given, specific dates are not identified; the sequence of events, to the best of my knowledge, is correctly recounted. Reading it, you have no idea that it covers the events of several years of exploration, rather than just one expedition; it wasn't until just now, as I checked Wikipedia that I became aware of this, which drops it down the scale as a source for information. It's not a source you would cite in a research paper, but it is useful in regard to giving you a launching place for further research. It's good for popularizing the activity, which was it's purpose, after all.

The first 33 pages of 138 pages of actual text are a background on the history of Paleontology up to the time of the expedition, to provide proper context. It's a very good introduction to the history of Paleontology up to the time of publication; the interesting thing is that while there may have been some changes in the technology of recording the discovery and preservation of fossil remains prior to transport, the specifics of excavation haven't really changed that much. So while not a current work, it really won't steer you wrong in regard to what paleontology is like for those actively seeking new fossil finds, and it presents a very realistic account of what such an expedition is like, including the amount of sheer luck involved; yes, one can determine if an area had the proper circumstances for the creation of fossils, but actually locating them is very much a matter of dogged perseverance combined with luck, given the limited time for such exploration each year; it isn't something you do outside of the dry season, the actual excavation.

While it is pointed out that the purpose of the expedition included collecting specimens of current flora and fauna, and recording their distribution, and mapping the area covered, the primary focus of the text is the search for and discovery of fossil remains. And it is made very clear just how much chance was involved in their actual discoveries, how only the slightest deviation in the course and timing of their actions would have been needed to result in their not having made the discoveries that they made. Such an expedition is made only on the understanding that you may not have any useful results from it other than expanded knowledge of the current geographic environment.

The raising of funds for expeditions such as this has always been problematic, as there are few upfront economic incentives; those seeking more than the expansion of knowledge have to recognize that there is no guarantee that the results will be of economic advantage to them; those involved in petitioning for and organizing and leading such activities do so because they are driven to do so by their personal interests/obsessions, not from the perspective of economic benefit, although those who are successful in the long term do develop means of monetizing the results of their research out of sheer necessity; popularizations such as this being a case in point. In this particular case, while not mentioned in the book itself, one source of funding was a group that believed that Central Asia was where Homo Sapiens developed, and was hoping that evidence supporting this theory would be found; such evidence was not found, not surprising in the light of future research establishing Africa as the region of origin for our species; but, in order to find evidence to support their beliefs, someone had to actually go there and examine the fossil record, which made them a source of funding for those interested in exploring that region; apparently, at the time the author had been a perty to their belief, so he was aware of them as a funding source. Since by the time he wrote this book that belief had been disproven, he had personal reasons to not mention it in a work popularizing the expeditions. Which is another point against this as a non-biased account, although quite understandable; no one wants to portray themselves as a fool. However, not including in your published thesis things that you set out to prove which you instead disproved, or at least didn't prove, is a form of scientific dishonesty, that if found out, can come back to bite you; it makes all of your reports suspect.

I first read it ~1969 as a nine year old. I still have that copy, which cannot be said of very much that I'd read up until then. Despite all the things I've learned while researching it as I wrote this review, it's still very good for what it is, namely, a positive presentation of paleontology historically and in practice. Just recognize that it's a popularization aimed at a juvenile audience in the early 1950s, and not a scientific report. There are undoubtedly better works popularizing paleontology currently available, but not concerning this series of expeditions in specific.

Ends of the Earth
by Roy Chapman Andrews
4.1 · Rating details · 20 Ratings · 5 Reviews
Illustrated with actual photographs from the author's collection in the American Museum of Natural History.
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Ivory Adventure Classics, 293 pages
Published 1988 by Wolfe (first published February 1st 1972)
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Bob
Dec 23, 2013 Bob rated it really liked it
Although not divided as such, I saw this as three books in one. The first part--focusing primarily on Andrews' world-wide adventures--is the five-star section in my mind.It was definitely well worth the read.

The second part dealt primarily with Andrews' experiences while living in China. Having just finished a book about Hudson Taylor--the famous missionary to China--I couldn't help but notice the difference in attitudes toward the Chinese people and the value of life. This section of the book was interesting but left a rather unpleasant taste in my mouth.

The third part shows the typical progression of a person who begins with adventurous dreams but is then drawn into the world of raising funds and justifying projects. Most of this section highlights the importance of the museum and the quality of its people. I couldn't help but get the sense that it was written to help form public opinion and generate additional funds.

All in all, Ends of the Earth is definitely worth the read--in spite of the let-down at the end. (less)
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Clare
Feb 14, 2010 Clare rated it liked it
Shelves: non-fiction, adventure
Another fascinating read about those intrepid souls who venture to places most of us would not even consider.
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Philip
Jul 14, 2012 Philip rated it really liked it
Shelves: exploration, china, southeast-asia, heroes-andrews, japan, korea, autobiography-memoir, 1920s, natural-history, less-than-100-ratings, 4-stars
Along with Francis Younghusband, Teddy Roosevelt and Peter Fleming, Roy Chapman Andrews is one of my all-time writer/adventurer heroes, so this was a lot of fun. I've read a lot about Andrews (often sited as the role model for Indiana Jones), but this is my first book by him. It's a charming, highly eccentric work - very stream-of-consciousness and most definitely written in "a simpler time." It's not a true autobiography per se - it's more like listening to a fascinating uncle go on and on, jumping around from one great story to the next, but without any real point or unifying theme. He has fascinating chapters on whaling and exploring Southeast Asia and Korea (which I'd known little about), as well as an unnecessarily long final section on life in 20's China. However, while he goes on at length about planning and funding his epic trips into the Gobi and to the Red Cliifs, he actually only mentions those journeys and his world-famous discoveries in brief passing at the very end of the book.

Andrews has a highly informal, chatty style, full of "by Jove"s and "Great Scott!"s. His joy throughout is infectious, if sometimes misplaced: "dynamiting fish on the coral reefs was always exciting;" "perhaps I could see a bit of looting and street fighting which would be interesting;" "personally, I loathe seeing a man beheaded." War itself, however, was apparently a real hoot: "the city is surroundede with soldiers - machine guns and artillery at the railway stations. Isn't it fun?"

Also, for a trained naturalist his science can be a bit spotty (although perhaps reflective of the times): falling overboard at one point, he is not attacked by sharks "because we were living creatures and a shark feeds largely on dead things;" he also opines that the spermaceti in a sperm whale's head is a form of nourishment for the whale, (it isn't, although scientists still aren't sure whether it's used for bouyancy or echolocation).

And finally, his observations can at times be a tad, well, politically incorrect (if not necessarily wrong). There are frequent references to "the indolent Malays," Chinese soldiers who "are the worst rifle shots in the world," and even comments on kimchi - "I have yet to find any native concoction which approaches it in general undesirableness."

Overall, a fast and pleasant read from one of the great explorer/scientists of all times. It's a shame he isn't more remembered these days - although with Benedict Cumberbatch working on a Percy Fawcett movie, perhaps Andrews (and maybe even Frank Younghusband!) will finally get his due. (less)
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Tom Oyster
Jan 11, 2016 Tom Oyster rated it it was amazing
A most excellent book. Andrews paints pictures with words that allows the common man to fall right into his scientific work.

Under a Lucky Star by Roy Chapman Andrews

★★★ ½

Roy Chapman Andrews was an early 20th century explorer and adventurer who would eventually become director of the American Museum of Natural History. In his adventures he would discover new dinosaur species and was one of the first to discover fossilized dinosaur eggs. Many believe he is the inspiration for Indiana Jones and I can see that being the case. He wrote many books about his adventures through China and the Gobi desert. This book, Under a Lucky Star is his autobiography on his life and explorations. Published in 1943 and out of print for many decades, it was recently put back into circulation with the blessing of Mr. Andrews’ family.

There is no doubt that this man lived an interesting life. He traveled and discovered many things – one of the last to be able to travel through the unknown and even he knew it. He traveled in a time of huge changes through WWI and WWII. There is a lot of fascinating parts in this book. The only reason this book didn’t get a higher rating from me is he sometimes went on tangents which made me go “what does that have to do with anything?!” and his political rants became a bit much for me (but remember, he was writing this right in the midst of WWII and shortly after Pearl Harbor – he wasn’t the only one with less than fond thoughts).

An excellent nature book in the mold of Edwin Way Teale (A Naturalist Buys an Old Farm) and Helen Hoover (A Place in the Woods). Andrews, a world renown explorer, bought a farm in Connecticut (1940's era) while director of the American Natural History Museum. The book chronicles some of his adventures on the farm. Andrews was an outdoorsman from a different era. The book have many stories of fishing and hunting (mostly birds). When reading the book, one must remember that Andrews was from a different era and some may question his views given today's standards. In any case, I found the book very enjoyable and interesting.

A travel book by Andrews and his wife detailing their travels in China in search of specimens and photos for the natural history museum right before and during America’s entry into World War I. Most interesting when they are discussing village life and customs (although a lot might be considered racist now) and describing the country and scenery. The part that bothered me most (and I am not opposed to hunting) is that much of the book is simply about their killing stuff. I know that this was the purpose of the trip but when you go through page after page after page of shooting and trapping everything that moves, it ceases to be entertaining or interesting to the (this) reader.½

This is a book that I had as a child, but I have only kept it because of the neat illustrations that Jean Zallinger did. However, Roy Andrews' teaching on evolution runs contrary to Biblical creation and overwhelming evidence of the world-wide flood ... the fossil record. The only thing wrong with Zallinger's artwork was a lack of humans in the dinosaur portrayals.

Great in it's time for a seven-year old kid!

Read it when I was in high school so long ago, but I really liked it at the time.