How to Walk a Puma
And Other Things I Learned While Stumbling Through South America
Published on 20. December 2011
Book
Paperback/Softback
224 pages
978-0-7627-7756-3 (ISBN)
Description
On his nineteenth birthday, Peter Allison flipped a coin. One side would take him to Africa and the other to South America, the two places he wanted to explore before he died. He recounted his time spent as a safari guide in Africa to much acclaim in Whatever You Do, Don't Run and Don't Look Behind You. Sixteen years later, he makes his way to Santiago, Chile, ready to seek out the continent's best, weirdest, and wildest adventures, and to chase the elusive jaguar. In just the first six months, Allison is bitten by a puma (several times), knocked on his head by a bad empanada, and surrounded by piranhas while rafting down a Bolivian river-all because of his unusual fear of refrigerators and of staying in any one place for too long. Ever the gifted storyteller and cultural observer, Allison makes many observations about life in humid climes, the nature of nomadism, and exactly what it is like to be nearly blasted off a mountain by the famous Patagonia wind. Allison's self-deprecating humor is as delightful as his crazy stunts, and his love for animals-even when they bite-is infectious.
Reviews / Votes
Praise for Whatever You Do, Don't Run: "Allison's infectious enthusiasm for both the African bush and his job showing its wonders to tourists is readily apparent." --Booklist "His misadventures make Whatever You Do, Don't Run an absorbing read. . . . The material is rich, and Allison is a gifted storyteller. And the only thing stranger than African fiction is African truth." --National Geographic Adventure "After reading this entrancing memoir, an African safari may move to No. 1 on your travel wish list. The only catch is you'll want the author as your guide." --Chicago Sun-Times Praise for Don't Look Behind You: "The best compliment you can pay a travel writer is to read his work and feel like you're right there with him. For more than two hundred pages, I felt like I was in Africa, up to my neck in danger. I don't even know this guy, but more than once I lay awake at night, worrying for his safety. Enough adventure, action, life lessons, and laughs to fill a movie and four sequels. The fact that Allison survived to write any of this down is a miracle in itself." --Cash Peters, author of Naked in Dangerous Places and Gullible's TravelsMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Old Saybrook
United States
Publishing group
Rowman & Littlefield
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
291 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-7627-7756-3 (9780762777563)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
12/2011
Simon + Schuster LLC
€14.83
Available for download
Person
Peter Allison was born in Sydney, Australia, but at the age of 19 moved to Africa because he wanted to see some of that continent's wildlife. He stayed almost ten years, working his way from barman to safari guide, finally becoming the head guide and guide trainer for Wilderness Safaris, the largest safari operator in Southern Africa. Peter has guided National Geographic photographers and his safaris have appeared in Conde Nast Traveler and Real Travel magazines. He has made appearances on Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures and Fox and Friends, and currently has a wildlife show of his own in development with Digital Ranch Media, and Emmy-award-winning company. Currently, Peter is not based in any one place, but can usually be found in a South American jungle or African savannah.