Chasing Kangaroos: A Continent, a
Scientist, and a Search for the
Worlds Most Extraordinary Creature
by Tim Flannery
Kangaroos Galore!
In his most personal book yet, Tim Flannery, the internationally acclaimed
author of The Weather Makers, draws on three decades of travel,
research, and field work to craft a love letter to his native land and one of
its most unique and beloved inhabitants: the kangaroo. Crisscrossing the
continent, Flannery shows us how the destiny of this extraordinary creature
is inseparable from the environment that created it. Along the way he uses
encounters with ancient aboriginal cultures and eccentric fossil hunters,
farmers and scientists, kangaroo advocates and kangaroo hunters, to
explore how Australia’s deserts and rain forests have shaped human
responses to the continent--and how kangaroos have evolved to handle
the resulting challenges. Ultimately, Chasing Kangaroos is a captivating

blend of memoir, travel, natural history, and evolutionary science--and
further proof of Flannery’s “offhand interdisciplinary brilliance”
(Entertainment Weekly).
Personal Review: Chasing Kangaroos: A Continent, a Scientist,
and a Search for the Worlds Most Extraordinary Creature by Tim
Flannery
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"Australia was once dominated by people who loved the mother country--a
land of lush greens and as alien to my [present-day] country as any could
be. Today, Australians are more likely to proclaim a love of things native,
yet because they often lack a true understanding of their environment,
theirs is a love that can kill. Such well-meaning but uncomprehending
enthusiasm is one reason why many Aboriginal communities continue to
struggle under insupportable burdens, why native species [like species of
kangaroos] keep vanishing, and why our future is being cut short by an
insatiable addiction to fossil fuels. It is why I wrote this book. We have
now embarked on a new phase of our national existence, and just where it
will lead I do not know. But I have a sinking feeling that unless every
Australian searches profoundly for ways to help our land survive, things
are likely to end badly for ourselves and this great island continent."
The above is the last paragraph of this fascinating book by Australian
paleontologist (and concerned environmentalist) Tim Flannery, who
received his PhD from the Department of Earth Sciences, University of
New South Whales.
Generally, this book is a blend of three things:
(1) His early years as a paleontologist and his continuing exciting work as
a "fossil hunter"
(2) A natural history of the unique Australian landscape
(3) A study of the evolution of the equally unique kangaroo. This early
evolution of kangaroos was virtually unknown until Flannery came along.
(The search for this evolutionary past is what drives this book's main
narrative.)
Many people might think that these are three reasons not to read it. Well,
not for me! What this book did was made me understand why Flannery
was named 2007 "Australian of the Year" and why he a scientist, explorer,
and conservationist of "international acclaim" and "interdisciplinary
brilliance."
What I found apparent as I read this book is that Flannery knows his
science and presents it well when doing actual fieldwork (some of it
hazardous) and research to trace the evolution of kangaroos. But there is
much more to this book than just scientific precision.

Flannery embellishes his main narrative with humor and gives us his
impressions. He fills each chapter with actual Australian characters he
meets along the way. However, for me, it was his enthusiasm for his
subject that made this book such a joy to read. The result is that this book
is like a "love letter" to Flannery's native Australia and its most strikingly
remarkable inhabitant: the kangaroo.
My favorite chapters have the following titles:
(1) Captain Cook's kangaroo
(2) Kangaroo essence
(3) The mystery of hopping
(4) The oldest kangaroo
(5) Where the great roos came from
(6) The age of kangaroos
(7) Grass for the kangaroos
(8) A dingo-driven revolution
Throughout are black and white illustrations (drawings, maps, pictures,
etc.) that highlight aspects of the main narrative. As well, there are a
dozen color pictures near the middle of the book. (By the way, the book's
cover {displayed above by Amazon} shows a picture of a red kangaroo--
the symbol of Australia.)
Finally, just before the introduction to the book is a black and white map of
Australia. On it, Flannery has placed the locations of key places that he
visits and explores in his main narrative. I recommend photocopying this
map and using it to follow his travels.
In conclusion, this is a captivating book that's a blend of memoir, travel,
natural history, and evolutionary science. After I finished reading it, I
realized that Dr. Tim Flannery should have a nickname similar to his
fictional Australian counterpart "Crocodile Dundee." How about:
"Kangaroo Flannery."
(first published 2007; map; introduction; 26 chapters; postscript; main
narrative 250 pages; kangaroo family tree; acknowledgements;
bibliography; index)
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