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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
10 stars WOW..... a book for all ages Leaves me speechless...., June 1, 2007
This review is from: Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents (Paperback)
First off I love the cover of the book. Makes me smile every time I pick the book up. For someone like me, who loves late night drives in summer to go see the tarantulas coming out and crossing the road , this book is a keeper. Have been spending time with younger family members reading it aloud and then commenting for long periods of time on the photographs which are awesome and a must see. And they seem to take off with the book, which speaks volumes, when young people love a book so much they don't want to set it down. Most people when they see the book may think of some television personality from the Animal Planets in some far off place down under, wrestling unsuspecting creatures into submission to be shown to the viewer. Not this author and not this book. This is the real thing. Down to earth, informative without all the grandstanding. Which is what those of us who love to travel, and who love wildlife appreciate. We grew up around rattle snakes, cougars, grizzlies, eagles, deer and other American creatures. To the point I admit I like animals more than I like most people. And this book make you feel the same way. The photographs are crisp and clear and the dialogue intelligent and informative, to the point I want another book from Marty Essen!!! How nice to see other parts of the world with dialogue that reminds us all that its a small world and we each have a role to play in protecting unseen places from destruction.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An International Sojourn!, June 9, 2007
This review is from: Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents (Paperback)
When Marty Essen was about to turn forty, he didn't get a tattoo or buy a Porsche, he grabbed his wife and toured the world. This wonderful book isn't just a tour guide. It is an extensive, informative, humorous and educational story about two people that passionately roamed the most remote parts of the globe in search of curious creatures. The story starts in the tropical country of Belize, where Marty and Deb find they discover more about the countries animals, creatures, flora and fauna than they anticipated. Marty is always looking for that `fer-de-lance' (large dangerous snake), while his wife Deb tags along, sometimes finding even more interesting things. Bitten by the bug of Belize, the Essen's travel by rustic boat on the Peruvian Amazon, discovering more than they anticipated, including swimming with dolphins and piranhas and hiking through thick muddy jungles where the plant life can be just as dangerous as that tiny ant, whose bite feels like being hit by a bullet. Australia's wet jungle and dry outback prove even more amazing as this brave couple seek out more of the world's endangered species and are not shy about their view on world politics. On the other side of the world, the drive through Canada proves not only beautiful but more curious that expected. From encounters with porcupines and endangered sheep to the wonderment about how the days grow longer the farther North they drove. This road trip is straight out of a Jack London story. From Canada, the intrepid travelers go far under to Antarctica, where, surprisingly, they discover vast differences rather than similarities. Needless to say, the less than tropical boat cruise, the blizzards, the glaciers and the animals proved once again that surprises are many and one is never bored. Once again, seeking the extremes, the duo finds themselves in hot Borneo where travel and hiking produces anything from elephants to leeches. Essen keeps the excitement going with every page just by telling the story, but he infuses enough humor and stunning educational material that you feel like you are experiencing a National Geographic special. Indeed, it is more than that! When the couple travels to Europe, you don't know what to expect at this point. Visiting the numerous National Parks is mixed with the historical buildings, culture and nature of Spain. The societal musings and experiences are surprising in a country that is both modern and antiquated. If you're still not excited, you'll find the Essen's hike up the Matterhorn a little more than exhilarating. These people have spunk! The book is saturated with humor, one of which is the last chapter, "Hippo Canoe and Zimbabwe Too", the story of their African adventure. Here we learn of Africa's extreme political nature as well as the wildlife. The national parks in Africa proved no less thrilling than any others. They include confrontations with baboons, zebras, cape buffalos, warthogs, leopards, crocodiles, elephants and Marty Essen's favorite animal, a snake - or to be more specific, an African Rock Python. Yes, he picks it up. This world-wide adventure is more than a journey through wildlife and its adventures. It is a tale of observation of other cultures and the manner in which they treat the environment and its stakeholders. It is obvious Marty Essen wants to save the planet, but he never pushes too hard. He doesn't need to. Just reading about the wonderful and amazing animals, countries and people the Essen's encounter will change your mind about life, nature, common sense politics and the world. That's saying a lot.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Real life Jungle Book !, June 18, 2007
This review is from: Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents (Paperback)
I wasn't sure what to expect upon my first encounter with this book since I'm used to watching nature shows on TV and rarely get to read about them. This book turned out to be a wild and fascinating adventure of a married couple traveling though the seven continents, commenting on many steps of their journey with sharp eye for the tiniest details that made for a marvelous book. Marty Essen shows his deep talent for writing, his witty comments and jokes; descriptions of the people, places, even their dogs that went with them to Canada were so entertaining that I never knew what was coming up next. This isn't some boring nature book but a delicious seven course meal of the highest caliber. The book is easy to read yet is chock full packed with incredible information that can only be witnessed by the person who actually went to those places and experiences the cold, the hot and dangerous spots that hold so much allure to all of us. First leg of the trip was Belize, located on the Caribbean Sea where they searched for deadly snakes and explored flora and fauna of the humid, tropical jungle followed by an amazing boat ride through the rivers of the Amazon. Next they visited Australia, savoring the red hot beauty and in search of cute marsupials followed by a 5,572mile drive to Canada and back with their adorable dogs where they slept in tents and discovered beauty that is closer to most Americans than they think. Up next was Antarctica, a magnificent place that so few of us get to experience, and with Marty and Deb it was a chilling and glorious landscape that wasn't as alien as it appears to be. Borneo, Europe and Africa were the last places that were covered, making me feel that the whole Earth was covered with footprints that belonged to the Essens. Their cheerful and sometimes scary encounters were so wonderfully written about, supplemented with marvelous photographs that I had to look at every time I cracked the book. They were also in perfect order with the book, giving the reader a transition into their trip from place to place, making it seem effortless even though it took them a few years to complete. It also helped that Marty took notes while traveling, making this book more authentic and adding little bits and pieces of conversation and jokes that could have been lost otherwise. I felt closer to some of my favorite animals after reading this gripping book, felt the warmth and hospitality of people from far away places and best of all I feel like I got the front row seat at a ride of my life, thinking that perhaps one day I will visit those places and give them the same respect as the author did. Marty placed great value upon respecting our planet, not littering and being careful with wild animals, not bringing them any harm when they are being observed. People should go and visit places to take the beauty in, not to take it away and diminish it in any way. This was a really exciting read, a wild life memoir filled with laughs and valuable information that will grip any reader and it made me feel like I went on an adventure of my own, reading about the close encounters with the most beautiful places and coolest animals. - Kasia S.
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