Esteemed for its speed and athleticism; admired for its grace and beauty; coveted for its hunting prowess; the cheetah has nonetheless been harrassed and hounded to the point of extinction. Author Luke Hunter; a specialist on African carnivores; looks into the history; evolution; behaviour and day-to-day survival of one of the most fascinating of the big cats. He discusses the ancestry of the cheetah; its hunting strategies; reproduction; social behaviour and status throughout African and Iran - the last remaining pocket of the species in Asia. Hunter also focuses on the tenuous future of the cheetah; its decreasing habitat and declining numbers; and deals with the immediate and long-term conservation issues facing the species. His authoritative text highlights the latest research on cheetahs; dispelling the myths and providing a comprehensive overview of the cheetah in the wild. Throughout the book; his first-hand field observations supplement data on the latest ecological discoveries from cheetah researchers across Africa. Powerful; full-colour photographs by Dave Hamman make this book a visual feast and reveal a world that is both intensely private and highly dramatic. Hammans portrayal of the many modes and activities of this elusive animal presents a sumptuous gallery of photographs; while at the same time serving to broaden our knowledge - and help ensure the survival - of this remarkable and beautiful cat.
#1527346 in eBooks 1998-12-01 1998-12-01File Name: B00FF9VUXC
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. China is damnably fractal ndash; it sometimes seem like every aspect of its modern incarnation is a microcosmBy CustomerChina is damnably fractal ndash; it sometimes seem like every aspect of its modern incarnation is a microcosm. Case in point: What to make of the modern art scene in China? Vibrant and booming; or built on shaky; distinctly corrupt foundations and heading for a crash?The wider world woke up to the scene in spring 2006; when a Sothebys auction in New York sold over $13 million worth of contemporary Asian art; much of it Chinese ndash; "rising from nothing to become a multi-million dollar industry in less than 30 years;" as Claire van den Heever puts it in her careful but pointed summary of the growth of contemporary art in China thus far. Big money was made for a while; and then when the global economy crashed; the party stopped. Now prices are rising again.In the Mao era; art was about serving the Party rather than individual expression. When the universities opened again after the Cultural Revolution; it was year zero for the arts; and the foreign books about art and philosophy trickling into the country were eagerly sought-after. "Students at one art academy lined up to examine the academys only book in Impressionism; it was stored behind glass casing; with a single page turned each day."While previously suppressed artistic voices began to be heard; the art academies lagged behind; in early years still focusing on rote copying and Soviet Realism. This was fertile ground for the avant-garde; and artists played prominent roles in calls for liberalization; until the "trampled optimism" of the late eighties set the scene back. She provides an excellent step by step account of the rise of modern art since then; as controls were loosened; exposure to foreign art increased and artists found their voices.This is a serious; enquiring book; with plenty of enthusiasm for individual artists and the power of art to move and awaken. Yet disillusionment wafts off its pages. Theres no shortage of talent or ideas in Chinese art; of course; but van den Heever clearly thinks it has gone off track. The Chinese art bubble (if thats what it was) distorted the market; and may have been manufactured in the first place ndash; with auction sales arranged in advance by interested parties. Paying for exhibition space in the larger galleries is rife. Some top artists pretty openly pay assistants to do the actual work; and the authors exasperation is clear when she points out that every apologist cites Jeff Koons as justification. Communities like Yuanmingyuan in Beijing that coalesced unplanned around a committed group of poor artists no longer exist; modern analogues like the 798 art district are neutered zones aimed at boosting cultural credibility; for tourists and commerce rather than creation.Its worth quoting her at length: "Contemporary Chinese art [has] become synonymous with large paintings of peoples faces: Yue Mingjuns smiley men; Fang Lijuns yawning men; Zhang Xiaogangs somber families and Wang Guangyis revolutionary men. This big face art; as it is sometimes called; is easy on several levels. It is easy to copy; so it dominates Chinese fake markets... It is easily recognized; and becomes a reference point for the general public when they visit Chinas commercial art zones."These images also fit easily within the view of China portrayed in Western media; particularly Wang Guangyis politicized paintings and the pained expressions of Zhang Xiaogangs Cultural Revolution-era families. These paintings and prints are easy to sell too; not least because they can be simply transported and displayed. As [artist] Qiu Zhijie said to me; [These buyers] need to get something from China - they dont really need art."But theres still fun to be had (one chapter begins: "I walked into Shanghais Duolun Museum and was confronted by a large; pink penis"); and its fascinating to learn about the work of individual artists. In particular; the commitment of the more full-on artists like Sheng Qi and Zhang Huan back in the early days is still arresting (and arrest was often the result). Think cutting off a finger; think an artist sitting completely still in a filthy outhouse while flies cover his body.The verve and creativity of the artists behind the famous China/Avant-Garde exhibition in February 1989 impresses; we wish wed been there to see Wu Shanzhuan (an unauthorized contributor) selling live shrimp just inside the door of the venue; naming this installation Big Business. (People complained about the smell interfering with their enjoyment of the art; until he was shut down for not having a business license; he surely couldnt have been more pleased with how it played out; and his confrontational point about the commodification of art seems visionary now.)There are plenty of puff pieces about the Chinese modern art scene out there; read Paint by Numbers for the straight dope.