Amphibious Soul

By- Craig Foster

    I have recently decided that I need to read a better variety of books, I have decided to mix some non fiction books in. Whether they are biographies or others do not matter but maybe too much fiction is not always the best, sometimes you need to eat a salad. I found this book on the shelf at the library and saw a review at the top of the book by Sheley Van Pelt the author of Remarkable Bright Creatures, a book I absolutely loved. I figured if she like it than it may be a great book for me. 

    Non fiction books are so different than fiction, not only are they based on facts but the format is not always a story. I prefer them in a story format, but this author was a bit different. He shares a great many stories from his personal experience from visiting indigenous people, tracking land animals, and many stories from diving in water. He has a personal message and goal that he is sharing in this book and he breaks down the book into different messages and points he wants to make. He starts the book off sharing of an experience when he dove with friends and colleagues hoping to follow a crocodile into its water den or lair where it lives and eats. Photos and footage of this kind is extremely rare and very few have ever seen them. They are successful and follow a large crocodile into its under water lair. The book goes on in this fashion and shares amazing stories just like this while also sharing the authors perspective that we need to get in better touch with out wild side and be more in touch with our ancestors.    

    A very interesting read, the stories the author shares are truly incredible, he has lived an interesting and exciting life with experiences that we could only dream of. The author is very passionate about the environment and wild life, you can feel that passion in his writing and honestly it makes you want to go for a walk or swim with the hope that you could have some of these same experiences. I can agree with most of his points of view and the destruction of wildlife and nature by humanity, however I am not sure if I agree with us having to get in touch with our wild and untamed sides to fix the issue. Maybe I just missed what he was saying, the format of the book is a little different and at times it felt like he kept repeating himself. Regardless I would still recommend this book to anyone interested in wildlife specifically what he shares about from his diving experiences, they are remarkable and unique.