Peter Allison (1) (1974–)
Author of Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide
For other authors named Peter Allison, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Peter Allison is the author of Whatever You Do, Don't Run: True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide (Lyons Press). His safaris have been featured in such magazines as Vogue and Cond Nast Traveller, and he has assisted National Geographic Photographers and appeared on television shows such as Jack show more Hanna's Animal Adventures. He currently lives in Sydney, Australia. show less
Works by Peter Allison
Don't Look Behind You!: A Safari Guide's Encounters with Ravenous Lions, Stampeding Elephants, and Lovesick Rhinos (2009) 152 copies, 5 reviews
How to Walk a Puma: And Other Things I Learned While Stumbling Through South America (2011) 51 copies, 4 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Allison, Peter
- Birthdate
- 1974
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- safari guide
- Short biography
- Peter Allison is a safari guide who has spent much of the last twelve years leading wildlife-viewing and ecotourism trips in Africa, mostly Botswana. His love of animals led him to train as a safari guide in the early 1990s and soon thereafter he was hired by southern Africa's largest operator to train all of their safari experts. Safaris he has led have been featured in magazines such as Vogue and Condé Nast Traveler. He has assisted National Geographic photographers and appeared on television shows such as Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures.
- Nationality
- Australia
- Places of residence
- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Okavango Delta, Botswana - Associated Place (for map)
- Australia
Members
Reviews
How to walk a puma : and other things I learned while stumbling through South America by Peter Allison
Peter Allison was a former long-time African safari guide who despised his desk job. So he decided he needed to travel and admire wildlife in South America. First stop was to spend a month volunteering on an animal reserve. He chose to help tend Roy the puma. Sold as a cub, Roy’d never be rewilded so to help keep him as wild as possible, a volunteer ropes himself to Roy and gives him the run of the jungle. It’s absolutely brutal and he became Roy’s chew toy. Then he spends months on show more many adventures in different countries. The last was living with an Amazon tribe thick in the jungle for 3 weeks. The author is continuously self-deprecating describing his personal misadventures, making this an often laugh-out-loud experience. I enjoyed it very much. show less
This is a super fast read. Only 245 pages long (and faster if you read at the same time as listen to the audio like I did), you'll get through this in no time. Which is good because that will give you time to read it again and again. I know I wanted to! Allison can be hilarious but he can also be extremely poignant. What comes through the strongest, though, is his love for the wildlife in Botswana. Whether its wild cats or beautiful birds, Allison has a deep respect for all creatures he may show more take a tourist to see. The audio has the narration of Antony Ferguson. Not to be missed! show less
Peter Allison always loved wildlife. He went on a vacation backpacking in Africa, and never wanted to leave again. When he found out he could make a living as a safari guide he was ecstatic. He worked in various locations for several different safari outfits; this book describes his time in Botswana.
While there are plenty of self-deprecating jokes and Allison has no qualms about describing his clumsiness and mistakes that often get him into troublesome situations (drowning several vehicles show more when he tries to cross rivers, or finding himself too close -on foot- to an upset mother lion or elephant for example) you can tell he really loves the wildlife, and the book is just as much about appreciating the animals. There's also a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in running a safari camp, the ups and downs of the daily grind it becomes, the relationships with his co-workers, the visiting tourists who are often difficult or demanding. And there are some quite serious moments when people fall ill, have accidents, run into dangerous snakes. Or when a kill they are excitedly homing in on to show the tourists some action- lions and hyenas fighting over something- turns out to be the death of an animal they had come to know from long association- so instead it is something quite sad.
I liked this book. It was engaging, funny, heartwarming, interesting by turns and made me want to go look up more by this author.
from the Dogear Diary show less
While there are plenty of self-deprecating jokes and Allison has no qualms about describing his clumsiness and mistakes that often get him into troublesome situations (drowning several vehicles show more when he tries to cross rivers, or finding himself too close -on foot- to an upset mother lion or elephant for example) you can tell he really loves the wildlife, and the book is just as much about appreciating the animals. There's also a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in running a safari camp, the ups and downs of the daily grind it becomes, the relationships with his co-workers, the visiting tourists who are often difficult or demanding. And there are some quite serious moments when people fall ill, have accidents, run into dangerous snakes. Or when a kill they are excitedly homing in on to show the tourists some action- lions and hyenas fighting over something- turns out to be the death of an animal they had come to know from long association- so instead it is something quite sad.
I liked this book. It was engaging, funny, heartwarming, interesting by turns and made me want to go look up more by this author.
from the Dogear Diary show less
I have been enthralled with African animals since my first visit to the Natural History Museum in New York City when I was a child. I loved this book! I especially appreciate Allison's honesty and candor re. his inexperience when first starting as a guide. I felt as though I took a safari and never had to leave the comfort of my living room. The descriptive, humorous writing style kept me reading and wishing the book didn't end.
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Statistics
- Works
- 3
- Members
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- Popularity
- #30,031
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
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- ISBNs
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