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The Puma Years
The Puma Years: A Memoir of Love and Transformation in the Bolivian Jungle | Laura Coleman
In this rapturous memoir, writer and activist Laura Coleman shares the story of her liberating journey in the Amazon jungle, where she fell in love with a magnificent cat who changed her life. Laura was in her early twenties and directionless when she quit her job to backpack in Bolivia. Fate landed her at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle where she was assigned to a beautiful and complex puma named Wayra. Wide-eyed, inexperienced, and comically terrified, Laura made the scrappy, make-do camp her home. And in Wayra, she made a friend for life. They weren't alone, not with over a hundred quirky animals to care for, each lost and hurt in their own way: a pair of suicidal, bra-stealing monkeys, a frustrated parrot desperate to fly, and a pig with a wicked sense of humor. The humans, too, were cause for laughter and tears. There were animal whisperers, committed staff, wildly devoted volunteers, handsome heartbreakers, and a machete-wielding prom queen who carried Laura through. Most of all, there was the jungle--lyrical and alive--and there was Wayra, who would ultimately teach Laura so much about love, healing, and the person she was capable of becoming. Set against a turbulent and poignant backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, The Puma Years explores what happens when two desperate creatures in need of rescue find one another.
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readswellwithothers
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Pickpick

Superb! The author‘s narration enhanced the reading experience for me, who would have butchered any Spanish dialogue, pronunciation of animal species, and cadence of the story if left to my own voice. I know in my heart that I will *always* remember, think about, and recommend this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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JenReadsAlot
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Pickpick

This was really good! What an experience and so glad she included pictures at the end of the book. #roll100 @PuddleJumper

PuddleJumper 🎉🎉 1mo
45 likes1 comment
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AllDebooks
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#Midwintersolace

My pick for week 7 #Fridaynightshare is this fantastic memoir from writer, artist, and activist Laura Coleman. She details her time spent travelling the Amazon and a special puma.

https://www.lauracoleman.co.uk/

@Chrissyreadit @TheBookHippie @jenniferw88

Daisey I listened to this one last year and enjoyed it a lot! 2mo
AllDebooks @Daisey ❤️ 2mo
49 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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mobill76
Pickpick

Brilliant, amazing book, life, statement, whatever it is. I'm not an "animal" person. I don't get them, never have. I certainly wouldn'tve gone through what Laura did to become one. But I understand the fascination better now. I wish I had it. I think Laura has written maybe the most important book since Silent Spring but it's so much better. This is a love story between two creatures, a woman and herself, and ultimately between us and our world.

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mobill76

"I miss you, too," I say, swallowing hard. The truth is I'm not sure if I do. It's not that I don't care, of course I do, but it's just that this place is like the tree roots that suck up all the water and don't leave any room for anything else. Any other thoughts I had, the anxieties, ambitions, the endless circling worries, they've gone. They've stopped breathing and all that's left is this.

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Daisey
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Pickpick

A young woman backpacking through Bolivia decides to spend a month volunteering at a wildlife sanctuary in the jungle. Falling in love with the animals there changes her life. The descriptions of the personalities of the animals and daily life in the jungle were fantastic.

#memoir #audiobook #nonfiction
#ReadingTheAmericas2023 #Bolivia

Daisey @Texreader Scrolling though posts for books set in South America, I think this would be a good companion read for 10mo
Texreader @Daisey I was thinking the same thing as I was reading your review. I wonder if they volunteered in the same place 10mo
Daisey @Texreader This one is about Ambue Ari, but I‘m guessing if not the same one than possibly one of the others run by the same organization, Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi. 10mo
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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

I selected this book for #readingtheamericas2023 and it is representing Bolivia. This book was so very good and I fell in love with Wayra the puma center of this memoir. This book touches on global warming and the damage the earth suffers due to the damage to our rainforest. This book has left me with a serious book hangover. #bookspin #bookspinbook @TheAromaofBooks

peanutnine Loved this one! 11mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!!! 11mo
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Bookwormjillk
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Pickpick

I enjoyed these memoirs of a woman working at a nature preserve in Bolivia. I like cats of all sizes and I learned about the issues facing the jungle and animals that live in it. I got this free at some point from Amazon First Reads, and I noticed it‘s still free on Kindle Unlimited. #ReadingAmericas2023 #Bolivia

ElizaMarie That majestic kitty agrees! 14mo
CBee Lovely pic of your kitty 🐱 14mo
dabbe Gorgeous kitty! ❣️🐾❣️ 14mo
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Soubhiville So nice of you to set up a chair just for your kitty! 14mo
Librarybelle Kitty photo! ❤️ 14mo
Rissreads Awwwwwww ♥️ 13mo
67 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Bookwormjillk
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First time reading on the porch this year. Weird for February but the sun feels good.

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GinaKButler
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Our December book club pick!

#bookspinbingo

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mamareading
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Bailedbailed

I couldn‘t finish this one. I felt like the author wasn‘t in touch with her own feelings enough to describe them so they fell flat. I could only tolerate the daily monotonous routine of describing vague feelings, monkey drama and sitting for hours next to Pumas for so long. I came to the point where I wondered why I was continuing. See how this review has dragged on? That‘s how this book was to me.

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WorldsOkayestStepMom
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"It's a love letter to Wayra, to the jungle, and to the place and the people that changed my life."

This is such an amazing memoir!

45 likes2 stack adds
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mamareading
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Finishing up some September books and working on my shelf for October. I‘m hoping to need to buy the book for this month 😂 You know, so it can be a TBR book for bookspin!

#bookspin
@TheAromaofBooks

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!! 2y
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Mshookquilts
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Pickpick

I read this book because I was told it was humorous. It is not humorous. It is intense! This is a love story between a young woman and a Puma and the jungle. Any more description would not do it justice. This is definitely worth the read, but probably not what you are expecting.

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Mshookquilts
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Ok…What is the color of poison? She describes mushrooms as being that color 😁

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Susanita
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MommyWantsToReadHerBook
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Pickpick

I loved this and cried A LOT! The writing isn't always amazing but the animals and the people and the gruelling challenges they face are completely captivating and heartbreaking. Highly recommended ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cazxxx I loved this one! 2y
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HeathHof
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Pickpick

Finished this one up on my lunch break. I am a total sucker for anything set in the Amazon and this one did not disappoint!

KathyWheeler I love that chair. 2y
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SonyaBeatty
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Pickpick

I picked up this book as part of #WorldBookDay on Kindle. I really enjoyed this memoir. I read/listened to it about an equal amount of time. It's a bonus though that the author performed the audio, which I didn't realize at first. I think that the author did a great job making the reader visualize what her experience was like. Being that today is #EarthDay, I feel like this is a perfect book for climate change and environmental awareness.

Blueberry I got this one also. 2y
5 likes1 comment
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SonyaBeatty
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"I remember my life before, when animals were just animals, and I hate myself for it. How could I have ever thought this? And how could I have ever thought I was any different from them?"

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JenReadsAlot
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I always love picking these books!

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Dragon
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Thanks @slategreyskies for your posting on World Book Day - I‘ve downloaded 4 books onto my Kindle- so the offer extends to Canada 🇨🇦

slategreyskies Ah, I think I chose four as well. Glad you were able to get them too! Enjoy!! 📚✨ 2y
Dragon Thanks 🙏 @slategreyskies 💚🐉 2y
27 likes2 comments
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sarahgreatlove
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Pickpick

I had never heard of this book, and only bought it because it was cheap on both kindle and audio but wow- it‘s amazing. Truly horrible stories if you dislike mud and bugs and the outdoors😆 but really quite poignant seeing how the author changes how she feels about her life at the volunteer rescue centre, and also the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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peanutnine
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Pickpick

This was such a gorgeous, moving memoir. I highly recommend listening to the audio, it is read by the author & her descriptions of the jungle & animals are beautiful and make you imagine that you are there with her. This brought back wonderful memories of my time volunteering in Belize, how circumstances can be so miserable but you still feel so happy. Her story of working with the pumas confronts the real threat of deforestation & climate change.

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Allthebookclubs
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Pickpick

I‘m not sure how I came across this amazing memoir, but I‘m so glad I did! I don‘t think I could survive a day in Laura‘s life but it sounded amazing. I don‘t have the desire to live that way but I admire the very hard work she has done. I felt like I was there, sweating next to her so many times while reading. I read it in 1 day and couldn‘t put it down.
Book 37 in 2021

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sharread
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Pickpick

I absolutely loved this biography about a woman Laura volunteering at a wildlife sanctuary in the Amazon jungle. I read it in one sitting, vibrant scenery, memorable characters and I fell as much in love with the wild cats and animals as she did. I love reading books that encourage me to research. Not only that the book is beautiful. By far my favorite of this year. The kind of book I will read again, definitely a keeper. #LitsyLove #MustRead

rubyslippersreads I was thinking about choosing this for my Amazon First book, but after seeing this, I may have to buy the actual book. 😻 3y
sharread The book was only $10 too, nice price for a new hardcover. If you read it please share your thoughts. 3y
49 likes2 stack adds2 comments