I’m not an outdoors type person. I think I can be, but then I listen to an audio book like this one I wonder if I could do this. David Quammen travels the world for National Geographic. In the first essays of this collection, he’s traveling across Africa to help create a national park system through multiple countries, not all of which get along. The threats on the walk through the jungle is as small as a cut to as large as an elephant. I travel vicariously with them, knowing that I won’t do this myself. This collection of essays is a great. I’ve learned more about the world with this collection.

Lions, hippos and giraffes... oh my. And Bonobos and elephants and every other animal you can think of (and many you cannot) in Africa. This novel chronicles the adventures of the author as he writes his way across Africa on many occasions in conjunctions with various scientists, photographers and conservationists. This story was riddled with animals, insects, nature and adventures. I felt like I learned so much about history, conservation efforts and the impact on nature by humanity from this novel.

I think I defaulted into college mode as I read this one: my hand itched to take notes, I reread sections and I went down a few fact checking rabbit holes.

I loved hearing the stories about all the people and animals who crossed Qummen's path in these essays. I would never be able to live the life he depicts on these pages (1. I hate bugs 2. Burning off leeches is not on my bucket list 3. I don't like snakes 4. I don't like being muddy and dirty 5. I REALLY don't like bugs). Quammen goes into details about all these and more: homicidal lions, murderous chimps, rampaging elephants and more.

The overall message of this novel: humanity has messed up the natural order of the world... and humanity is also the only one who can fix this mistake.

This story is almost exclusively focused on Africa. If you're looking for more information on this continent, its nature, and its wildlife - this is the fact filled novel for you!

Twenty of Quammen’s narratives originally written for National Geographic are brought to life in this audiobook. His travels to the far corners of the map to explore the natural world, the animals in jeopardy because of human interference, and the humans who are trying to save them is simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful