Sloths: A Celebration of the World's Most Misunderstood Mammal

Description

In public estimation and scientific investigations, sloths have undergone an astonishing transformation in the course of the past few years. Thanks largely to YouTube clips posted by the sloth orphanage in Costa Rica, sloths have attracted a vast audience of admirers. Instead of seeing them as ridiculous anachronisms of which we know little, they have turned into creatures considered by many to be the most endearing on earth. Over much the same period, scientific investigations have also changed our view of sloths. No longer are they seen as total misfits in the modern world but, in the words of one specialist sloth investigator, they are 'masters of the alternative lifestyle'. While giving plenty of opportunity with its illustrations for the sloth-lovers among us to enjoy their smiles and apparent vulnerability, this book will also cover the fascinating history of the sloths, from the prehistoric Ground Sloth to modern pygmy sloths in Panama, the current state of the science of sloths and will reveal the truth behind sloth behaviour.

William Hartston is a Cambridge-educated mathematician and industrial psychologist. Between 1962 and 1987 he played chess competitively, becoming an international master and winning the English chess championship in 1973 and 1975. He runs competitions in creative thinking for the Independent newspaper and the Mind Sports Olympiad, writes the off-beat Beachcomber column for the Daily Express and is the author of a number of books on chess, mathematics, humour and trivia. Hartston is also one of the viewers on Channel 4's Gogglebox.

Fascinating... Hartston writes all this with his customary wit and an obvious joy in discovery. -- Marcus Berkmann * Daily Mail * Riveting... Sloths! is as comprehensive a look at the instincts, lifestyle and capacities of this curious creature as you are ever likely to need... [A] beautifully written gem * Daily Express *