What’s His Name?
Posted on 29. Sep, 2023 by Paul Sochaczewski in Alfred Russel Wallace and his assistant Ali
Why should we care about an illiterate 19th-century teenager from Borneo named Ali? More to the point, why should we spend time trying to learn his full name?
A lad simply named Ali, spent six years travelling with Alfred Russel Wallace throughout Southeast Asia.
The primary source for information about Ali comes from Wallace, who mentions Ali 42 times in his classic book The Malay Archipelago and again in his autobiography My Life. In addition, there are three elements of (convincing) second-hand evidence that add context to Ali’s life, but none of them mention Ali’s family name. Spenser St. John, a close friend of James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Borneo, employed a competent young cook named Ali, and it appears that Ali left St. John’s service to work with Wallace. Brothers Frederick and Arthur Boyle, young English adventurers who explored Sarawak, hired Ali as guide and camp manager. They called him Ali Kasut, Ali of the Shoes, in recognition of the black leather shoes he always wore. And in 1907, Thomas Barbour, a respected American naturalist, met a “wizened od Malay man” on Ternate island who called himself Ali Wallace. The idea that Ali described himself as son-of-Wallace is poignant, but doesn’t help with genealogical research.
Read MoreGo For the Goals
Posted on 11. Aug, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in Articles, Personal essays
GENEVA, Switzerland
While watching my team lose (again), and half-heartedly wishing for divine intervention, I recalled a statement by Luis Suarez of Uruguay, who proudly declared that his blatant handball, with which he deflected a certain last-second Ghana goal in the 2010 World Cup, exceeded Diego Maradona’s famous ‘Hand of God’ goal which helped eliminate England from the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. “The ‘Hand of God’ now belongs to me,” Suarez said, 10 years after the event. “Mine is the real ‘Hand Of God.’ I made the best save of the tournament.”
Perhaps to prove there is cosmic justice, Uruguay lost their next game, in the semi-finals, to the Netherlands.
But, I don’t believe there is karma in sports.
However, I do believe that football, or soccer as it is called in the United States, is in need of an overhaul.
My suggestions cover two themes — increase scoring, and improve on-field behavior.
Read MoreThe Toughest Sport?
Posted on 14. Jul, 2023 by Paul Sochaczewski in Articles, Personal essays
The debate rages, finally, an answer.
Is an Ironman triathlete tougher than an ultramarathoner? Is American football wimpy compared to rugby? What takes more courage and agility, a free solo up El Capitan or a dive off a cliff into a tidal pool?
If your pub conversation slows down you might ask these questions: What is the most dangerous, toughest, hardest-to-master sport? And, by extension, who are the “best” athletes?
At the end of this article I offer my conclusions.
Read MoreWhat I learned by writing an “enhanced biography” of a little-known 19th-century teenager from Borneo
Posted on 07. Jul, 2023 by Paul Sochaczewski in Alfred Russel Wallace and his assistant Ali
“Look Here, Sir, What a Curious Bird” What I learned by writing an “enhanced biography” of a little-known 19th-century teenager from Borneo Consider the lives of great men and women who explored the curious corners of the world, who made momentous discoveries in science and technology, who created important works of art. We can safely […]
Read More“Look Here, Sir, What a Curious Bird”
Posted on 07. Jul, 2023 by Paul Sochaczewski in Books
“Look Here, Sir, What a Curious Bird” Searching for Ali, Alfred Russel Wallace’s Faithful Companion Publishing details Publication: July 4, 2023 ISBN: Trade Paperback: 978-2-940573-41-7 ISBN: eBook: 978-2-94-573-42-4 310 pages Prices: Paperback: $18.95 eBook: $8.95 Note: The book is also available on order from independent booksellers Description For some 50 years, I […]
Read MoreWatch Paul’s presentation, February 23, 2023, on “Are You Optimistic?” about the importance of marketing, positioning, and story-telling in addressing conservation challenges, given to Ecologues, Paris. Based on his book “A Conservation Notebook. “
Posted on 09. Mar, 2023 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
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Watch Paul’s presentation, February 22, 2023, on “Alfred Russel Wallace – The Hero’s Journey in Southeast Asia” given to the Royal Geographical Society of Hong Kong
Posted on 09. Mar, 2023 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
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Watch Paul’s presentation, October 18, 2022, on “A Conservation Notebook” given to the Royal Geographical Society of Hong Kong
Posted on 22. Oct, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
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A Conservation Notebook
Posted on 22. Jun, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
This new memoir, based on Paul Sochaczewski’s 50+ years working on the environment front lines, wanders from UN-bureaucracies to the wild regions of Indonesian New Guinea, from a mythical sacred mountain in India to a holy grove in Myanmar, from bioprospecting on the coral reefs of Micronesia to a “war of the trees” regreening program in Zimbabwe, from brave people with good intentions to powerful folks with greed tarnishing their hearts.
Read MoreSearching for Ganesha earns bestseller status and BookLife accolades
Posted on 22. Jun, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
Paul’s book on collecting images of Ganesha, the Hindu elephant-headed god that is among the most treasured of all deities, quickly reached #1 international bestseller status on Amazon.
BookLife Prize judges rated the book 9.5 out of 10, noting it is: “Filled with countless gorgeous photos and interesting stories regarding Sochaczewski’s travels, Searching for Ganesha is a charming, unusual, read.”
Read MoreA Conservation Notebook
Posted on 17. Jul, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in Books
A Conservation Notebook Ego-Greed, and Oh-So-Cute Orangutans — Tales From a Half-Century on the Environmental Front Lines Publishing details Publication: June 28, 2022 ISBN: Trade Paperback: 978-2-940573-39-4 ISBN: eBook: 978-2-940573-40-0 310 pages Prices: Paperback: $18.95 eBook: $8.95 Note: The book is also available on order from independent booksellers Description Are you optimistic about […]
Read MoreWatch Paul’s Zoom presentation, February 22, 2022, on “Why Do We Collect” given to the Indonesian Heritage Society in Jakarta
Posted on 17. Mar, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
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Watch Paul’s Zoom presentation, January 4, 2022, on “Why Do We Collect” given to the Royal Geographical Society Hong Kong
Posted on 13. Jan, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
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Watch Paul’s Zoom presentation, March 03, 2022, on “Why Do We Collect” given to the National Museum Volunteers Bangkok (first two slides/first two minutes of presentation not recorded)
Posted on 11. Jan, 2022 by Paul Sochaczewski in News and Events
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Why Do We Collect?
Posted on 12. Dec, 2021 by Paul Sochaczewski in Ganesha and Collecting
Barbie dolls. Porcelain chickens. Medieval armor. Stamps. Toothpaste tubes. Fossils. Butterflies.
What is behind this widespread need to collect? Does quantity matter? What do the psychoanalysts say – harmless pastime or dangerous obsession?
I was a semi-nerdy kid growing up in northern New Jersey. Like many youngsters, I suppose, I collected stuff – baseball cards, rocks, and North American arrowheads. (As an adult I run across many men of my Baby Boom generation who collected these artefacts. Were there really so many arrowheads floating around in 1950’s suburbia?)
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