An award-winning nature writer takes us on a thrilling journey deep into the domains of strange―and often dangerous―animals. Field journalist Richard Conniff examines the lives of two-, four-, six-, and eight-legged creatures from around the globe, providing adventure-packed accounts of his many ill advised forays into the animal kingdom. He pulls a 90-pound snapping turtle out of a Louisiana bayou, tracks leopards with !Kung San hunters in the Namibian desert, and travels through the Himalayas in pursuit of tigers and the mythical migur. All in a day’s work, he flings chicken carcasses into piranha-infested waters to clock how quickly they disappear before diving in himself, and then encounters a man stung by 120 different species of insects, ranking their pain the way Robert Parker ranks wine. Again and again, Conniff courts the most dangerous animals and lives to tell the tale. This collection offers a rare chance to accompany him on death defying treks and see life through the lens of a bona-fide field naturalist. Nature writer Conniff has traveled all over the world to climb mountains, follow African wild dogs, watch hummingbirds in an Arizona backyard, and, yes—swim with piranhas. While following the African wild dogs, which have a reputation as predators unafraid to attack humans, Conniff gets out of his Land Rover and sits near three dogs. Two yearlings approach, but an adult walks right up to the author—and sniffs him. A visit to an entomologist reveals the self-named Justin O. Schmidt Pain Index, a guide to just how painful insect stings really are (as sampled by Mr. Schmidt, who’s been stung by at least 150 different species). New Orleans gets battered not only by hurricanes but by a much more insidious enemy, termites, and Conniff learns that there are two different kinds of houses—those that have termites and those that will have termites. And, finally, that swimming with the piranhas part: with red swim trunks in a public aquarium tank and amid chummed beef liver in the Amazon, Conniff survived this watery visit. Delightfully addictive, read this one for natural-history fun. --Nancy Bent "Conniff’s poetic accounts of giraffes drifting past like sail boats, and his feeble attempts to educate Vervet monkeys on the wonders of tissue paper will leave your heart and sides aching. An excellent read." ― BBC Focus Magazine "Bright entertainment from a great explainer of the lives of animals." ― Kirkus Reviews "Hilariously informative…This book will remind you why you always wanted to be a naturalist." ― Outside Magazine "Richard Conniff writes with vibrancy and verve. His prose crackles with the leaves on an African savannah and shimmers with the sun on a Louisiana bayou." ― Sacramento Book Review "Field naturalist Conniff’s animal adventures ... are so amusing and full color that they burst right off the page ... a quick and intensely pleasurable read." ― Seed Magazine "Animal lovers will enjoy these true tales of adventure that make you laugh aloud or gasp in fear." ― The Daily Star (Oneonta, NY) "... frequently hysterical and always compelling essays ..." ― The Day (New London, CT) Richard Conniff , a Guggenheim Fellow and winner of the National Magazine Award, writes for Smithsonian and National Geographic and is a frequent commentator on NPR's All Things Considered and a guest columnist for the New York Times . His books include The Natural History of the Rich , Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time , and The Species Seekers . He lives in Old Lyme, Connecticut.