Adventures of a Young Naturalist: The Zoo Quest Expeditions

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER - The gripping adventures of a young David Attenborough, published in a beautiful gift hardback, with a new introduction and a new selection of 90 pictures, including colour 'A marvellous book ... unputdownable ... utterly engaging' Telegraph 'An elegant and gently funny writer' The Times 'His writing is as impressive and as enjoyable as his TV programmes and there can be no higher praise' Daily Express 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 book records those voyages, which mark the very beginning of a career that spans decades and stretches across continents, from Life on Earth to Blue Planet II, from the deepest oceans, the darkest jungles and everywhere in between'. 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 The methods may be outdated now, but the fascination and respect for the wildlife, the people and the environment - and the importance of protecting these wild places - is not.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. Praise for Sir David Attenborough '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 'When I was a young boy I used to love turning on the television and watching David's programmes and really feeling like I was either back out in Africa or I was learning about something magical and almost out of this planet' - Prince William