Throwim Way Leg: Tree-Kangaroos, Possums, and Penis Gourds [9780802136657]

Overview

From the bestselling author of The Weather Makers: "An enthralling introduction to the mountain people of New Guinea . . . and to their magnificent land" (The New York Times Book Review).

A world expert on the fauna of New Guinea with twenty new species and over seven books to his credit, Tim Flannery takes us into the field and on an unforgettable journey into the heart of this mysterious and uncharted country.

Flannery's scientific voyage leads him to places he never dreamed of: he camps among cannibals and befriends Femsep, a legendary warrior who led the slaughter of colonial whites decades before. He enters caves full of skeletons of long-extinct, giant marsupials, scales mountains previously untouched by Europeans, and is nearly killed when tribes people decide to take revenge for their prior mistreatment by his "clan" (wildlife scientists). And Flannery writes movingly of the fate of indigenous people in collision with the high-tech world of late-twentieth-century industry.

In New Guinea Pidgin, "throwim way leg" means to thrust out your leg on the first step of a long journey. Full of adventure, wit, and natural wonders, Flannery's narrative is just such a spectacular trip. Like Redmond O'Hanlon's classics Into the Heart of Borneo and No Mercy, Throwim Way Leg is a tour de force of travel, anthropology, and natural history.

"Flannery combines diligent science, heart-pounding adventure, and a respect for ancient cultures to create a compelling tale." —Sierra, The National Magazine of the Sierra Club