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In the fall of 2001, deep in the jungle of Burma, a team of scientists is searching for rare snakes. They are led by Dr. Joe Slowinski, at forty already one of the most brilliant biologists of our time. It is the most ambitious scientific expedition ever mounted into this remote region, venturing into the foothills of the Himalayas. The bold undertaking is brought to a dramatic halt by the bite of the many-banded krait, the deadliest serpent in Asia. In the moment he pulled his hand from the specimen bag and saw the krait, Joe knew that his life was in grave and imminent peril. Thus began one of the most remarkable wilderness rescue attempts of modern times, as Joe's teammates kept him alive for thirty hours by mouth-to-mouth respiration, waiting for a rescue that never came.

A daredevil obsessed with venomous snakes since his youth, Slowinski was a modern-day adventurer who rose quickly to the top of his field, discovering many previously unidentified snake species in his brief yet exhilarating career. The Snake Charmer is at once brilliant biography and exotic travel literature, blended with an accessible introduction to the bizarre, fascinating-and sometimes controversial-world of snake science. The narrative transports the reader into primeval wilderness, from the Everglades to Peru to Burma, in search of rattlesnakes and boa constrictors, kraits and cobras.

Joe Slowinski's career was fast and exciting, his tragic final expedition a pulse-pounding struggle between man and nature. In The Snake Charmer, renowned journalist and author Jamie James captures the life and death of this charismatic, endlessly fascinating man. Exhaustively researched in interviews with Slowinski's colleagues and family, and the author's own trek into the wilds of Burma, this is narrative nonfiction in the tradition of Into the Wild and The Perfect Storm.

Average Customer Rating:

A Riveting Read

Customer Rating:

This is a fascinating, well-written book. It was as though the author was right there with the team on the expedition and was relaying the the play-by-play back to the reader in hushed whispers much like the commentators in a televised golf game. I was spell-bound. During the scenes where the scientist's team was keeping him alive -- though I knew well the final outcome -- I found myself pulling for Joe to live! No wonder this book is growing in popularity as the word gets around. It is a top-rate biography. The Snake Charmer would make an absorbing, engrossing screenplay with its engaging relationships among the individuals and the psychologically interesting figure of Joe, himself. I'll be eager for the release of the movie!

GOOD BOOK - BUT NOT A PAGE TURNER

Customer Rating:

This book provides a peak inside the world of herpetology via the life and work of Dr. Joe Slowinski. It's a good read, but not a great read. I came away feeling sorry for Slowinski, evidently a fine herpetologist but a very dysfunctional man. Nevertheless, if you're interested in the subject matter, or Myanmar, then definitely pick up the book. If not, don't feel like you've got to add this book to your "Must Read" list.

Snake Charmer	Customer Rating:
A very readable biography of a fascinating person. I would recommended it to anyone interested about people who are not afraid of snakes!

Very enjoyable listen	Customer Rating:
I listened to this on audio (Audible download.) Very hard to turn the car engine off. I think the protagonist was a little cracked, but it makes for fascinating listening. Well read.

absolutely fantastic	Customer Rating:
This is what adventures are made from. This book was a fantastic glimpse into the life of a herpetologist. It was a quick read and was nearly impossible to put down. I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those with a love of systematics and natural history.