Author: Marty Essen

ISBN: 0977859975

Some travelers love cruises, while others enjoy romantic getaways to far away places. And there are the rare few who wish to observe and interact with wildlife. Marty and Deb Essen fall into this latter category.

This daring couple decided one day they would like to trek the world in search of rare spiders, venomous insects, snakes and other animals that ordinary people would have nightmares about.  Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents recounts how Marty and Deb traveled the world through seven continents over a period of three and a half years satisfying their curiosities.

According to the introduction, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents grew from a much shorter version of some of Marty and Deb’s travels written for some newspapers. It didn’t take too long for Marty to realize that writing about wildlife encounters on all seven continents would be a perfect subject for a book.

However, this book is not just about wildlife encounters, but rather it is a serious attempt by a venturesome couple to extract a more profound meaning from the different landscapes, exotic animals, birds, plants and people they met along the way as they traveled through Belize, Australia, Canada, Antarctica, Borneo, Europe and Africa. It is also a reminder to all of us to refrain from snap judgments, as just because a country may be different than the USA, it does not necessarily follow that its people and landscape are inferior.

Our journey with the Essens begins in Belize that sits on the Caribbean Sea with Mexico. It is here where they were required to hike through thick jungle where some of the terrain was so steep that at times they had to scramble on all fours. While navigating the jungle they witnessed leafcutter ants, poisonous butterflies, and the cowfoot tree. According to the Essens, the cowfoot tree is a large and funnel-shaped tree with needle-sharp growths covering its trunks. It is the nastiest looking tree they had ever seen. The Essens were successful in seeing most of the major animal species in Belize and Marty even had the opportunity to sneak up on a jaguar stalking a spider monkey- he even has photos to prove it. 

It didn’t take the Essens long after returning from Belize to plan their second adventure to the Amazon. It is here where we learn how one of the guides hand caught a 7 1/2 foot-long python and handed it to Marty. He was amazed as to how strong the snake was as it wrapped itself tightly around his arm that his fingers began to tingle from lack of circulation.

The Essens didn’t forget about my own country, Canada, and they motored with their two dogs in a 1999 Ford F-150 pickup from their home in Montana through Glacier National Park, the Provinces of Alberta and British Colombia and unto the Alaska Highway that led them to the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Along the way they encountered moose, black bears, wolves and caribou. Other trips described in the book include Antarctica, Borneo, Spain, France, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe Marty caught a 10 1/2 foot python without assistance and as he recounts, this was the climax of his snake-catching adventures.

Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents certainly packs a great deal of information into its four hundred and fifty five pages.

My one gripe about the book is that at times I felt its richly detailed stories were too overwhelming and it would have been more effective if the book were broken up into two or three volumes. It also would have been helpful if maps were provided illustrating exactly where some of these adventures had taken place.

Nonetheless, the book does have a great deal of merit and should prove to be a great read for those who enjoy adventure travel.

The above review was contributed by:  NORM GOLDMAN:  Retired Title Attorney: Editor & Publisher of Bookpleasures. Here are  Norm Goldman's Reviews