Madagascar: The Eighth Continent

Madagascar is a land where lizards scream and monkey-like lemurs sing songs of inexpressible beauty. Know as the Great Red Island, it is a place where fosse and tenures, van gas and aye ayes thrive in a true 'Lost World' along with bizarre plants like the octopus tree and the three-cornered palm. And where the ancestors of the Malagasy, as the island's 18 tribes are collectively known, come alive in rollicking ceremonies known as "turning the bones." This book is a natural and cultural history of Madagascar and is a fascinating exploration of what makes this island so extraordinary. Join Peter Tyson on a diverting odyssey with four scientists investigating the fascinating natural and cultural mysteries of this remarkable land. "The Eighth Continent" is the only book that covers cutting-edge science and conservation with adventure travel and historical narrative. It is a perfect primer for the literate reader who is about to travel to Madagascar or who just wants to learn more. It also has fascinating historical material that will be new to many readers familiar with Madagascar, even researchers who have worked there for years.