All posts by skyebjenner

Summer Scavenger Challenge – Music Styles

Duration: 21st June – 20th September
Number of books: 23
Hosted by: Crazy Challenge Connection

I’ve always loved music and enjoy that there’s a genre/style of music for every occasion or mood. This could have turned into a “history of music” lesson, but instead, I’ve included very basic definitions of some of the most popular music styles. Even if you don’t find yourself tapping your toes when you hear a favorite song, we hope you’ll enjoy this challenge 🙂

1. A CAPPELLA : any singing performed without any background music/instruments
♪ Read a book where the first letter of every word in the title can be found in ACAPPELLA (ALL words count; 2-word minimum; to use a letter more than once, it must appear more than once in the phrase) OR a book whose title begins with a vowel (disregard A, An and The) – Armor of Roses by Marjorie Liu

2. BLUEGRASS : American country music mixed with Irish and Scottish influences
♪ Read a book set in either Ireland or Scotland; tell us where OR a book with a compound word in the title (two or more words are joined together to form a new word with an entirely different meaning; see this list for examples, if necessary) – Must Love Hellhounds by Charlaine Harris, Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews & Meljean Brook

3. BLUES : African-American music from the Mississippi Delta area
♪ Read a book by an author whose name contains a color word (will accept BLACKwell, GREENberg, etc.); post a link to the author’s GR page OR a book set in a rural area – Magic in the Wind by Christine Feehan

4. BOSSA NOVA : a well-known style of Brazilian music, a lyrical fusion of samba and jazz
♪ Read a book that features a dancer; tell us who OR a book whose title or author’s name (first or last) ENDS with A or Z; if using the author option, post a link to the author’s GR page – Shadows of the Master by Emily Rodda

5. BRASS/MILITARY: music performed with brass instruments, prior to the advent of jazz
♪ Read a book with a character who is or was in the military (any era, any country, any service branch); tell us who OR a book whose title contains a word that rhymes with BRASS – The Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan (Matt in the Rangers, USA)

6. CLASSICAL : umbrella term for Western art music known for its use of large orchestras and staff notation
♪ Read a book with an unusually large cast of characters OR a book that you gave a higher rating to than the GR average rating; tell us both ratings – Green-Eyed Envy by Kasey MacKenzie

7. COUNTRY : American roots music played with acoustic guitars, banjos, fiddles, and harmonicas
♪ Read a book featuring a character who earns his/her living as a musician; tell us who OR a book by an author whose first and last initials can be found in COUNTRY (to use a letter more than once, it must appear more than once in the phrase); post a link to the author’s GR page – Jodie’s Journey by Colin Thiele

8. DIXIELAND : an early form of jazz developed in New Orleans, USA
♪ Read a book set in New Orleans OR a book with an X in the title or author’s name; if using the author option, post a link to the author’s GR page – Hot August Moon by Katherine Sutcliffe

9. FOLK : broad term used to refer to the traditional music of an ethnic group, usually that performed by the working class
♪ Read a book featuring a person who works in a blue-collar career; tell us who and the career OR a book whose title begins with F (ALL words count!) – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

10. HIP HOP : combination of funk, poetry and innovative DJ techniques, particularly sampling of pre-recorded material
♪ Read a book whose title contains at least two significant words that begin with the same letter OR a book that has been released at least once more since its original publication; tell us both years (you may read the original release or a newer release) – Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan

11. JAZZ : a type of music that originated in the late 19th and early 20th century in the Southern United States
♪ Read a book set between 1850 and 1925; tell us when OR a book set in the southern USA (North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi or Florida); tell us the state – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865)

12. LATIN : music of Latin American countries, influenced by American popular music, jazz, and rhythm and blues
♪ Read a book with a main character whose FIRST name begins with a letter in LATIN; tell us the character OR a book set in a Latin American country; tell us the country this site might help – Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brook (Anthony Ramsdell)

13. METAL : generally a very fast, aggressive, loud and technical sounding music with a strong beat
♪ Read a book that you could not put down OR a book with an “in your face” character; tell us who – Red Hot Fury by Kasey MacKenzie

14. OPERA : an extended dramatic composition, in which all parts are sung to instrumental accompaniment, that usually includes arias, choruses, and recitatives
♪ Read a book with DRAMA on its main GR page OR read a book with a diva-type character who could be labeled a “drama queen;” tell us who – Safe Harbor by Christine Feehan

15. POP : music of general appeal to teenagers; a watered-down version of rock ‘n’ roll with more rhythm and harmony and an emphasis on romantic love
♪ Read a book whose main character is a teenager; tell us how old OR a book with ROMANCE on its main GR page – The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan (16 years old)

16. R&B : music characterized by its use of blues chords played over a strong and consistent backbeat and by its emphasis on composition rather than the improvisation common in traditional blues
♪ Read a book from a series that has a consistent character; tell us how OR a book by an author who uses an initial instead of a first name; post a link to the author’s GR page – Dark and Stormy Knights edited by P.N. Elrod

17. REGGAE : combines elements of calypso and rhythm and blues with a strongly accentuated offbeat
♪ Read a book with at least two distinctly different genres on its main GR page; tell us the genres OR a book with consecutive double letters in the author’s FIRST name; post a link to the author’s GR page – Lover Beware by Christine Feehan, Katherine Sutcliffe, Fiona Brand & Eileen Wilks

18. RELIGIOUS/SACRED: music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence
♪ Read a book in which religion/faith is important OR a book whose title contains an adjective (a word that describes something/someone; this list might help) – Turbulent Sea by Christine Feehan

19. ROCK : music based around amplified instruments, especially the electric guitar and electric bass; characterized by a strong bass line and driving rhythms
♪ Read a book with a rock or stone object show prominently on the cover; post the cover OR a book whose title contains the letters R-O-C-K (not necessarily in order) – Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Other Stories by Robert Louis Stevenson

20. ROCKABILLY: a style of popular music combining the features of rock ‘n’ roll and hillbilly music
♪ Read a book by an author whose first or last name is Billy (all forms of William – Will, Willie, Bill, Billy acceptable; also, last name Williams or Williamson will work); post a link to the author’s GR page OR read a book whose title contains consecutive double consonants. – Cress by Marissa Meyer

21. SOUL : combines elements of African-American gospel music, doo-wop, rhythm & blues and jazz
♪ Read a book by an African-American author; post a link to the author’s GR page OR a book whose title contains only words that are no more than four letters long (2-word minimum) – Wild Rain by Christine Feehan

22. SWING / BIG BAND : a style of jazz, popular especially in the 1930s and often arranged for a large dance band, marked by a smoother beat and more flowing phrasing than Dixieland and having less complex harmonies and rhythms than modern jazz
♪ Read a book whose title contains a word that starts with “SW” OR read a book that takes place during the 1930’s; tell us when – Bloodlist by P.N. Elrod

23. TECHNO : characterized by very fast synthesizer rhythms, heavy use of samples, and a lack of melody
♪ Read a book with a character who uses new technology in his/her career; tell us how and the character OR a book whose plot seems to be missing something; without giving away spoilers, explain why you feel that way – Fairest by Marissa Meyer (the plague to take over Earth, and I felt that Levanna still didn’t have an excuse for her actions…)

Summer Challenge 2018

Duration: 20th June – 22nd September
Number of books: 15
Hosted by: Bookworm Bitches

June 21- National Selfie Day
Read a book with a character that reminds you of yourself or makes you reflect on yourself – The Twilight Before Christmas by Christine Feehan

June 27- PTSD Day
Read a book about a difficult topic or has a stressful situation – Green-Eyed Envy by Kasey MacKenzie

July 4- Independence Day
Read a book with a Red, White, or Blue Cover – Dark & Stormy Knights edited by P.N. Elrod

July 7- Hop-a-Park Day
Read a book set outdoors or with nature on the cover – Wild Rain by Christine Feehan

July 24- Amelia Earhart Day
Read a book with a strong female character – Red Hot Fury by Kasey MacKenzie

August 5- Sisters Day
Read a book featuring sisters or close female friends – Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan

August 15- Relaxation Day
Read a book in a relaxing place or a book that puts you at ease – Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan

August 22- Tooth Fairy Day
Read a book about a mythical character or a book about a childhood belief. – Grave Witch by Kalayna Price

September 1- Tailgating Day
Read a book about sports or a book involving a party/BBQ. – Burning Wild by Christine Feehan

September 6- Read a Book Day
Finish a book you are reading or a book that has been on your TBR since 2017 – Mortal Sins by Eileen Wilks

Summer
Read a book that takes place during the summer or has summer in the title – The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan

Read the Word Heat (Using the titles to spell Heat)
H – Hidden Currents by Christine Feehan
E – The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony
A – Air Bound by Christine Feehan
T – Two Moons by Emily Rodda

The Too-Clever Fox by Leigh Bardugo

Overview
The Too-Clever Fox

Title: The Too-Clever Fox
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: Grishaverse Companion
In: The Language of Thorns (Leigh Bardugo) & Kisses & Curses (Lauren Burniac)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: What would he want with me?

Synopsis

In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn’t mean you’ll escape the next. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s novel, Siege and Storm, the second book in the Grisha Trilogy.

Thoughts

This short story had such a great, traditional fairy tale feel to it. I’ve been reading a bit of Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen lately, and it would sit right in amongst all of their tales. The twisting, convoluted tale. And the ways in which this teaches a lesson, of some kind at the very end. The final twist is also exactly what I would expect from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale.

I like that the too-clever fox runs about outsmarting everyone. Until he meets his nemesis. Which isn’t quite what you expect, and shows you not to just trust the look of things. I love the twist, and if this is what a short story in this series is like, I can’t wait to find out what the greater novels within the series will be like…

<- Ayama and the Thorn WoodThe Witch of Duva ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Cypress Project by Gennifer Albin

Overview

The Cypress ProjectTitle: The Cypress Project
Author: Gennifer Albin
Series: Crewel World #0.1
In: Kisses and Curses (Lauren Burniac)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dystopia, Easy reading, Fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: It would stretch on until there was no one left, until it wiped out the entire world.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

Lucy Price spends her day much like other 16 year-old girls in wartime America: praying that her brother comes back from the front and hoping the war ends quickly. But as violence ravages the world, the end never seems in sight. All Lucy can do is wait and tend to her victory garden while her mother does her part at the ammunition factory in town. That is until the Department of Defense appears on her doorstep telling her she could end the fighting if she’ll join The Cypress Project.

When Joshua O’Donnell’s father packs him off to Yale, forbidding him to enlist, he hopes his son’s brains will keep him off the battlefield. But Joshua’s knack for quantum mechanics draws attentions from his professor, a genius in the field of experimental science, who is working on technology that could end World War Two. Promised a nonviolent end to the war effort, Joshua can hardly say no to helping The Cypress Project.

The war has made Howard Patton an even richer man. Son of railroad tycoon Randolph Patton, Howard was a millionaire before he was born, but with a war on, trains are more important than ever. It’s good business and Howard isn’t eager to see it end until the government approaches him with a proposal: fund the technology that could end the war and receive power beyond his imagination. But when Howard discovers the true nature of The Cypress Project, he realizes his real remuneration is the one thing that his money can’t buy.

Completing The Cypress Project will force them all to make choices between love, destiny and freedom, but as the secrets of the experiment are revealed, each must decide between the bloody war being waged on the world’s soil and a deception that could change the course of humanity.

Thoughts

I’m fascinated by alternate histories. And although this is a fantasy spin on an alternate history, it’s still a really fun read. And fits that little niche that fascinates me nicely. This is based in World War II and provides a point at which the Crewel World splits off from our reality. As someone who hasn’t read Crewel yet, I don’t quite understand how yet. But the introduction to this divergence was brilliant.

I liked the innocence of Lucy and her desire to just do something to help the boys fighting in the war. Her unwillingness to care about men, until she finds one that is worth her time, is kind of cute. And I’m wondering if she shows up again in the greater series. Because the ending to that aspect of the story felt very open and incomplete.

 <- Blue Moon Review The Too-Clever Fox Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Shutter by Courtney Alameda

Overview

ShutterTitle: Shutter
Author: Courtney Alameda
Series: Shutter #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Easy reading, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Square Fish
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: I eyed my bedroom door hinges.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

LOCK, STOCK, AND LENS, SHE’S IN FOR ONE HELL OF A WEEK.

As one of the last descendants of the Van Helsing lineage, Micheline Helsing has trained since childhood to destroy monsters both corporeal and spiritual. The corporeal undead go down by the bullet, the spiritual undead by the lens. With an analog SLR camera as her best weapon, Micheline exorcises ghosts by capturing their spiritual energy on film. She’s aided by her crew: Oliver, a techno-whiz who developed the camera’s technology; Jude, who sees death before it occurs; and Ryder, the boy Micheline has known and loved forever. When a routine ghost hunt goes awry, Micheline and the boys are infected with a curse known as a soulchain. As the ghostly sickness spread through their bodies, Micheline learns that if she doesn’t exorcise their entities in seven days, she and her friends are dead. Can she track down and destory a nightmare more powerful than anything she’s ever faced before the week is up?

Thoughts

I really liked this story. I loved the incorporation of Van Helsing and Bram Stoker into a modern day horror tale. The fast pace and Micheline’s terrifying past all help to create a slightly terrifying world and a hunt where the stakes are as high as they can possibly be. Actually, this really inspired me to buy and read Dracula, since it features so heavily within the storyline and construction of Micheline’s world.

Although this story is heavily based on the premise of Dracula, I loved the originality and uniqueness of the tale. I’ve read a lot of paranormal and vampire stories, but the creatures in this are far more terrifying. Actually I had to stop myself from reading this before I went to bed… mostly because it gave me some amazingly vivid (and weird) dreams. I love when the descriptions and writing are so realistic that it seeps into my psyche. And, luckily this one did so.

There is always a bit of romantic entanglement in a good story. It helps to heighten the risks and stakes of the battle. Sometimes it’s a little too predictable and boring. Which, honestly, I was half expecting this story to have that kind of love story. It is about two teenagers, one who is effectively royalty, after all. But that certainly wasn’t the case. Although it might come as no surprise to see who ends up with who, but the angst and the journey is far more enjoyable than I thought it would be. And it’s a big part of what has made me hope that there might be another journey on the horizon for these four amazing characters.

 <- Fixer Review Trigger Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

Social Commentary

I have been watching a bit of Grey’s Anatomy this week. It’s good fluff while I’m studying. And something struck me with Season 10… where I’m up to at the moment.

The way the writers dealt with a gay couple with a child breaking up. Although there is plenty of room for nasty drama… and there are a few moments… the way custody is dealt with is fantastic.

Instead of just taking her child, the biological mother treats her estranged wife with respect (at least in regards to motherhood). Neither tries to take away time spent with their daughter. And there was so much potential to turn this into a story where the child isn’t allowed to spend time with Mum #2. After all, it does happen in real life… especially when gay marriage wasn’t legally recognised.

Yes, Grey’s Anatomy is fun, dramatic, mindless fluff. But the way it has dealt with some very big issues throughout is ridiculously good. It doesn’t cheapen serious moments. And I personally love how it creates this social commentary throughout the ridiculous drama.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed

Overview
Wild

Title: Wild: A Journey from Lost to Found
Author: Cheryl Strayed
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Easy reading, Memoirs, Strong women
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Atlantic Books London
Year: 2012
5th sentence, 74th page: He unscrewed the cap and handed it to me.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

At twenty-six, Cheryl Strayed thorught she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s rapid death from cancer, her family grew apart and her marriage soon crumbled. With seemingly nothing to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to walk eleven hundred miles of the west coast of America and to do it alone. She had no experience of long-distance hiking and the journey was nothing more than a line on a map. But it held a promise, a promise of piecing together a life that lay shattered at her feet…

Thoughts

This book was a really good journey. I had no idea what to expect from it, since I haven’t seen the movie. But it was a great tale, and I can see why it was made into a movie in the first place. It kind of had everything. Including a happy, hope for the future ending.

Cheryl’s journey to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) was just as much of the tale as her actual journey along it. Instead of breaking the two important aspects of her life apart, Strayed’s tale is filled with flashbacks along the way. Each chapter almost tells two stories – what is happening to her along the trail, and the journey that made her start such an epic (and admittedly insane) journey in the first place. Although there are many moments when I cringe at the choices that made her feel so lost, it’s such a great look into someone who really hit rock bottom. And the ways in which the self-reflection and independence provided by the trail helped her to “find” herself again.

I found Wild a little slow to start with. And as aforementioned, a little bit cringe worthy. But about halfway through, I fell deeply into the tale. There was something about Cheryl’s gumption and strength that made me unable to put her words down. And the epilogue at the end highlighted how far she had come and that even when we hit rock bottom, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Something to look forward to and hope for, even when we feel like we can’t fall down any further.

 <- Hidden FiguresThe Southern Education of a Jersey Girl ->
Image source: College Fashion

Stardust by Neil Gaiman

Overview
Stardust

Title: Stardust
Author: Neil Gaiman
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fae, Fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Headline
Year: 1999
5th sentence, 74th page: Such a nice name.

Synopsis

THE SLEEPY ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE…

At the dawn of the Victorian era, life moves at a leisurely pace in the tiny town of Wall. Young Tristran Thorn has lost his heart to the beautiful Victoria Forester, but Victoria is as cold and distant as the star she and Tristran see fall from the sky one evening. For the prize of Victoria’s hand, Tristran vows to retrieve the star for his beloved. It is an oath that sends the lovelorn swain over the town’s ancient wall and into a world that is dangerous and strange beyond imagining…

Thoughts

I had to buy this because I have loved the movie Stardust since I was a kid. Actually, I didn’t even realise that this was a book until it showed up in my suggested buys list. And, honestly, I was not disappointed for one single moment. This story was phenomenal, and fun, and took me on a wild adventure that I really couldn’t put down. Which was a problem, because I am an adult with other responsibilities…

Having watched the movie before reading the book, I knew roughly what was going to happen. And the main storyline really didn’t differ much between the two. Normally this annoys me in a movie adaptation, but it worked so brilliantly well. Gaiman’s lyrical writing and vivid descriptions sweep you away all on their own. The beauty of his words and the joy of the storyline just take you away as your toes curl up with the joy (and slight absurdity) of the story.

One of the things that I like about this story is that it leaves the world so open. Gaiman is a master of showing without telling, and there is so much that is left open to the readers’ imagination without getting bogged down in all of the details. I loved that even after I closed the final page of this book, I still continued to visit Faerie in my mind’s eye, imagining the many places that Tristan Thorn was able to visit throughout his life.

 <- Snow, Glass, ApplesStories: All New Tales ->

Image source: Amazon

Kangaroo Dundee by Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns

Overview
Kangaroo Dundee

Title: Kangaroo Dundee
Author: Chris ‘Brolga’ Barns
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves:
 Australian authors, Biographies, Conservation
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Back to working seven days a week, dealing with massive overheads, busting my back, sweating like a pig.

Synopsis

When Chris Barns, AKA Brolga, stopped at a roadside to tend to a kangaroo lying there, he found that she was already dead – another victim of speeding cars in the remote Australian outback. But as he gently moved her body, he discovered still tucked up within the pouch a tiny pink baby kangaroo, injured but alive. So began an extraordinary and life changing journey.

Brolga’s deep love and respect for animals went back to childhood, but for years he had led a nomadic life drifting from one job to the next never settling. This moment was a turning point. Brolga tenderly nursed the baby joey back to health and realised that if he could save one orphan then he could save another.

Over the years Brolga has watched how kangaroo mums care for their young. He now uses what he’s learned to give these helpless creatures a second chance; feeding them, bathing the, doing everything a mother would.

Living simply in a one-room tin shack in Alice Springs, this tough, 6’7″ Australian has dedicated his life to painstakingly caring for his kangaroo ‘mob’ before releasing them into the sanctuary he has created.

Here, Brolga describes life with the joeys and how through his care and love for them a lifelong bond is created. We meet Roger and Ella and the other kangaroos, and come to understand how this unique relationship between one man and these beloved animals not only saved their lives, but gave purpose to his.

Thoughts

I’ve had this book on my shelf for ages. I went looking for Australiana books while I had a friend over from overseas and just thought that this looked a little interesting. The other night I decided to pick it up. Which was great, but also a mistake. I didn’t put it back down again. Something about the familiarity of our beautiful country, Brolga’s passions and the great Aussie voice completely reeled me in and made it just impossible to put this down. Or sleep. Even though I was absolutely buggered…

My family has always rescued birds (and the occasional possum) found on the side of the road. So many of the things that Brolga goes through are kind of familiar. The heartbreak of losing something because of human stupidity, or just a simple accident. And the joy at nursing something back to health, just to return it to the wild and a life that they can now live. It’s all familiar, and incredibly heart-warming to read about in someone else’s words.

This story takes you all along the western coast of Australia, to the Top End, and back down to central Australia. Mostly throughout the outback and more intense parts of our country, but I loved the vividness and realism of Barns’ descriptions. This is definitely a book that I’m going to be recommended to others, and reading a few more times.

 <- Journeys to the Other Side of the WorldThe Emotional Lives of Animals (Revised) ->

Image source: Goodreads

Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough

Overview
Adventures of a Young Naturalist

Title: Adventures of a Young Naturalist: The Zoo Quest Expeditions
Author: David Attenborough
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Conservation, Non-fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Two Roads
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: We had constructed a large cage for the peccary from thin saplings bound together with strips of bark, and this was wedged in the bows of the boat.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

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.

Thoughts

I love David Attenborough. So it’s not really a surprise that I love this book. Although I’ve seen him live, and talking about the years in which he travelled around filming and catching for Zoo Quest, it was a lot more fun to read about it. Or at least, to read about three of his adventures. It was completely unexpected, quite funny in spots and just a fascinating journey to be swept away on.

This journey starts with an introduction – it tells you a little about the background of Zoo Quest and how it all came about. Then you begin in Guyana. Each chapter is its own little adventure, and the three completely different journeys are structured and separated in a way that you almost pause and take a break in between. Much like Attenborough would have as he travelled on such a crazy whirlwind.

One of the things that really stuck out at me throughout this novel is how dramatically everything has changed. I highly doubt you could go on such an adventure anymore. And it’s even less likely that many of the animals that were found, filmed, and in some cases, captured are roaming about the wilderness anymore. This might be where Attenborough’s career really took off, but it is also a poignant reminder of the myriad of ways in which conservation practices and wilderness has changed in the last sixty years.

 <- Life on Air ReviewJourneys to the Other Side of the World Review ->
Image source: Blackwell’s