The Puma Years in Around the World

Dec 25, 2021 Andrea rated it it was amazing

Shelves: around-the-world-2021, travel, non-fiction, top100longlist

4.5★

I haven't read anything like this for a while, and I was surprised at the feeling of nostalgia it invoked in me - for a place I've never been and an experience I've never had. I suppose it says a lot for her writing, that Coleman could take me with her on that journey. I was absorbed in her tale while turning the pages, and thinking about it constantly while doing other things. Only a few chapters in, I'd already pressed the book into the hands of a friend who I knew would appreciate it as m 4.5★

I haven't read anything like this for a while, and I was surprised at the feeling of nostalgia it invoked in me - for a place I've never been and an experience I've never had. I suppose it says a lot for her writing, that Coleman could take me with her on that journey. I was absorbed in her tale while turning the pages, and thinking about it constantly while doing other things. Only a few chapters in, I'd already pressed the book into the hands of a friend who I knew would appreciate it as much as me. Like Coleman, I fell in love with Wayra the puma, and many of the other animals taking refuge at the remote Bolivian sanctuary.

As an aimless young British art history graduate in the late noughties, Coleman was taking some time out to travel around South America when she heard about the opportunity to volunteer with an animal sanctuary in a remote part of Bolivia. Upon arrival, the conditions at the parque (it's not named until the Epilogue) were such that she wasn't sure whether she would last the first night, let alone the couple of weeks she'd planned. But when offered the chance to work with a big cat in exchange for a 1-month commitment, she couldn't say no. Then followed the first meeting with Wayra and initial weeks of what seems to have become her life's most significant relationship. It's not always easy being best friends with an emotionally damaged big cat, and Coleman takes us through the highs and lows - the joys, the terror, the anxiety, the triumphs and hopelessness. It's easy to empathise and hard not to feel a tiny bit jealous.

Apart from the animals, we learn about the deforestation of South America and the effects of climate change on both the wildlife and the environment. Over 10+ years, the parque changes significantly. The book is up to date as at 2019, and I can't help but wonder what has become of the parque during the pandemic.

Almost a flawless read, I found the slim Part 3 to be a little distant in comparison with the first two parts, so that's where the half-star fell off my rating.

Recommended to anyone with an interest in wildlife, travel, cats and/or South America. ...more

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