Under a Lucky Star - A Lifetime of Adventure

There were unexplored regions, not-so-rigid boundaries and less red tape, marvels never before seen or even thought of, a time of wonder.

Mr Chapman was the guy who actually found and brought home the specimens that we all gape at in the museum. The first to photograph and study the habits of whales in their habits not just how much oil they produce but how they give birth etc, transporting huge skeletons I thoroughly enjoyed this. The first to photograph and study the habits of whales in their habits not just how much oil they produce but how they give birth etc, transporting huge skeletons of the various species. The first to discover certain species of dinosaurs and find out that dinosaurs actually laid EGGS and bring home the proof.

He let the life that most boys could only dream of and how he even got in that position is a story itself. Highly recommended to all lovers of adventure. Mar 13, Leah K rated it liked it. In his adventures he would discover new dinosaur species and was one of the first to discover fossilized dinosaur eggs.

Stanford Libraries

Many believe he is the inspiration for Indiana Jones and I can see that being the case. He wrote many books about his adventures through China and the Gobi desert. This book, Under a Lucky Star is his autobiography on his life and explorations. Published in and out of print for many decades, it was recently put back into circulation with the blessing of Mr.

There is no doubt that this man lived an interesting life. He traveled and discovered many things — one of the last to be able to travel through the unknown and even he knew it. There is a lot of fascinating parts in this book. Nov 16, Janessa rated it liked it. I'm torn about this book. I found an old copy of this book in a used book store in Vermont, and while I was reading it, I felt like I was reading an old journal of sorts, a rather stream of thought remembrance of adventures around Asia.

That was wonderful, and although Chapman himself admits he is not a great writer, his travels are fascinating in themselves. That said, the first half of the book i I'm torn about this book. That said, the first half of the book is spent describing killing whales and frequent racist remarks about the people he meets on his trips. I can put some of this off to being a man of his times and ignorance, but I definitely found myself shaking my head at some passages, mainly about Japan.

And though I know his work brought about a major influx of knowledge of the world, it wasn't easy reading about how many whales where killed in that time, before people realized they were wiping them out. All in all, it was an easy read, and extremely interesting to look at a world gone by, when the world was mostly unknown and one man was determined to explore it to allow us a glimpse into our past and future.

Feb 19, Emg rated it really liked it. Since it was written seventy years ago, the science and attitudes have changed significantly but the joy and excitement that Chapman brought to his work is evident and engaging. Jan 25, Laura rated it really liked it Shelves: You can read my full review here! Overall I really enjoyed this book. Then it was onto whaling ships in the Arctic and Japan, surviving like Robinson Crusoe on an uninhabited island, exploring untouched jungles and mountains of Korea, tiger hunts, hobnobbing with Wall Street elites, his world You can read my full review here!

Then it was onto whaling ships in the Arctic and Japan, surviving like Robinson Crusoe on an uninhabited island, exploring untouched jungles and mountains of Korea, tiger hunts, hobnobbing with Wall Street elites, his world-famous Central Asiatic Expeditions in the Gobi where the first dinosaur eggs were found , brushes with political turmoil in China, and finally his retirement at Pondwood Farm. All I could do was set down whatever story I had to tell as simply as possible.

That is all I have tried to do ever since. I never felt like he had exaggerated anything in the story—not that he needed too, he had quite an exciting life! The time period and some of the people that he associated with during his life were really interesting too. A few of his descriptions of Asian people especially the Japanese are a bit off-putting, but it was somewhat understandable as he was writing this memoir in the midst of World War II.

One thing that surprised me a bit about this book was how bittersweet reading it was, and the fact that it made me a bit sad. What were the ends of the earth years ago appear suddenly in the headlines of every newspaper. The jungles of New Guinea, Borneo, and the Salween valley were mysterious and unknown. Today, they are the battlefronts of the world. Truly the romance and adventure of exploration are gone forever!

As I said, reading passages like that made me feel sad and maybe even a bit jealous — that the world when he knew it was a more exciting place than it is now.

1. Under a lucky star : a lifetime of adventure in SearchWorks catalog.
2. Under a Lucky Star by Roy Chapman Andrews.
3. Tout le monde veut gagner de largent! (French Edition).

Oct 17, Ivan rated it really liked it. Not only a lucky star, but a flexible mind, a well-oiled tongue and a reasonably egoistic mindset. Alone, it's a biobraphy of an adventure of the time of the Great Game, a real-life Indiana Jones, together with other biographical notes and the literature on life in the colonies it's an invaluable insight into the functioning of the financial and research world of yesteryear colonialism and a precious image of the practicality of cognitive dissonance in a person, who by his functions and passion Not only a lucky star, but a flexible mind, a well-oiled tongue and a reasonably egoistic mindset.

Alone, it's a biobraphy of an adventure of the time of the Great Game, a real-life Indiana Jones, together with other biographical notes and the literature on life in the colonies it's an invaluable insight into the functioning of the financial and research world of yesteryear colonialism and a precious image of the practicality of cognitive dissonance in a person, who by his functions and passion must continue his mission regardless of his volatile, and I may say explosive environment.

Under a Lucky Star

One must first become proficient in destroying something to be able to understand it - that's what happened to several populations of whales, and that's what comes away as a general human moral. Thus "The industrious, gentle and curious Japanese", "People with a lively mind who would stop me and ask me about my work and everything", "insatiable minds" would turn into "bloodthirsty and concealed Japanese, a nation which, unlike all Asian nations was showing their conceitedness since the beginning" - a phrase regarding the Japanese response to the American and international help during the Great Kanto Earthquake of - response to a convoy of military ships coming from the Colonized Philippines and other European Colonies of the Far East.

No wonder the Japanese expected a knife in the back, because all the nations of the South East Asia and the Far East got a knife in the back from the Great Powers of the day. So - the "Poor Manchu aristocracy That is a reaction of a scholar. It's not hard to understand why the media or society didn't much care about the ongoing genocide of the Chinese by the Japanese, until Pearl Harbor.

Under A Lucky Star - A Lifetime Of Adventure : Roy Chapman Andrews :

Same in Mongolia - 'the free-riding days of the past were over for Mongol' once the "evil" competing Russians came, turning them "into puppets behind whom stood Russian advisors". The same Mongols who were described as "robbers, and soldiers; which in those times were indistingushable, The second biggest moral lesson here is the lesson is absence of morality - just do what you like doing best and be on the lookout for yourself. Apr 08, Pop Bop rated it really liked it Shelves: But while that's all terribly romantic and gripping, you wonder how well he does as a writer, especially when telling his own life story.

Well that's one of the best parts. The book is a complete hoot. Andrews is humble, except when he isn't. He's restrained, except when he's not. He is modest about his actual life details, his youth, his connection to the Museum , but he delivers on the matter of his grand adventures. There's a bit of stiff upper lip and a certain manly sang froid, but the things he did were too cool to be tamped down and turned into just a bland travelogue. Blue Ribbon Books, Brown lettering on the spine and front cover.

• How To Pass That Job Interview 5th Edition;
• Bestselling Series;
• Under A Lucky Star - A Lifetime Of Adventure!
• CHOCOLAT, BEAUCOUP CHOCOLAT (French Edition).
• Escape from Smoking: Look Younger, Feel Younger, Make Money and Love Your Life!!

Cover is soiled with worn edges. Christmas gift sticker on the first white page. Endpapers are a map charting the lifetime of adventure of Roy Chapman Andrews. Dust jacket is protected in Brodart, is soiled, chipped along the edges, numerous closed tears and missing up to 1" at the tail of the spine.

The inside of the dust jacket has a list of 'Check-list of Basic Books". A good copy of this relatively scarce autobiography of the discoverer of the dinosaur eggs.. Under A Lucky Star: Autobiography of Roy Chapman Andrews , the celebrated American naturalist who led four expeditions to Mongolia's Gobi Desert where he became the first in the world to discover dinosaur eggs. A shameless self-promoter, he is allegedly the real person that the movie character Indiana Jones was patterned after. Original brown buckram binding, with black stamping.

Minor crease to the top corner of p. The dust jacket is somewhat edgeworn, with a triangular chip to the top corner of the front panel; otherwise very good. Second Story Books Published: The Invasion of Canada: McClelland and Stewart, J A Johnson Books Published: Under a Lucky Star: Clean text, solid binding.