Brimming with typical zest and inspiration, this memoir takes readers on the trail of Attenborough’s first adventure, Zoo Quest, and the journey that launched a national institution.
'A great educator as well as a great naturalist.' - Barack Obama
In 1954, a young David Attenborough was offered the opportunity of a lifetime - to travel the world finding rare and elusive animals for London Zoo's collection, and to film the expeditions for the BBC for a new show called Zoo Quest. This is the story of those voyages.
Staying with local tribes while trekking in search of giant anteaters in Guyana, Komodo dragons in Indonesia and armadillos in Paraguay, he and the rest of the team battled with cannibal fish, aggressive tree porcupines and escape-artist wild pigs, as well as treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather, to record the incredible beauty and biodiversity of these regions.
The methods may be outdated now, but the fascination and respect for the wildlife, the people and the environment - and the importance of protecting these wild places - is not.
Written with Attenborough's trademark wit and charm, Adventures of a Young Naturalist is not just the story of a remarkable adventure, but of the man who made us fall in love with the natural world, and who is still doing so today.
Publisher: John Murray Press
ISBN: 9781473664968
Number of pages: 416
Weight: 315 g
Dimensions: 216 x 200 x 27 mm
A marvellous book ... unputdownable ... utterly engaging. - Telegraph
An elegant and gently funny writer. - Damian Whitworth, The Times
This is a great book for anyone who wants to vicariously travel like an old-fashioned adventurer and seeks to understand how far we have come in developing a protective attitude to wildlife - New York Times
Utterly engaging . . . immensely colourful and dramatic - Roger Lewis, Daily Mail
A beautiful new edition ... of our favourite naturalist's account of his travels for the BBC - Mail on Sunday
Full of Attenborough's trademark enthusiasm, wit and intelligence, it's a natural history fan's treat. - Sunday Express
His writing is as impressive and as enjoyable as his TV programmes and there can be no higher praise. - Daily Express
A great educator as well as a great naturalist. - Barack Obama
Sir David is a wizard of television, and, like Gandalf or Dumbledore, he has a near-magical gift for combining warmth and gravitas . . . the man who, for me, exemplifies the best in British broadcasting. - Louis Theroux
A charming period piece - Damian Whitworth, Times
The young Attenborough was writing as beautifully at that age as he does today. The challenges facing the very small team come to life to the point where I could not put the book down.
This exceptional book invokes a wholesome sense of adventure and curiosity as the crew traverse a variety of landscapes and peoples on their hunt for unusual and unique creatures to add to the growing menagerie that... More
Loved it! incredibly interesting
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