PUBLICATIONS
'INTO THE AMAZON: AN INCREDIBLE STORY OF SURVIVAL IN THE JUNGLE.’
‘A tightly-drawn narrative, full of adventure and excitement, Into the Amazon is fine exploration writing and -at this price - the bargain travel book of the year.’ Traveller magazine.
‘Harrison is more than just another madcap Brit out for a jaunt in the jungle. Into the Amazon is a fine and funny book that will be relished by anyone who has dreamt of disappearing into the rainforest – but knows they never will.’ Anthony Sattin in the Sunday Times.
John Harrison is one of an increasingly rare breed of true explorers whose motive is neither science nor sensationalism. As the subtitle of this book reveals, he is driven to make exceptionally taxing and dangerous journeys simply by ‘the call of the Amazonian wild’. This is a genuine traveller’s tale, realistic both in its description of extreme jungle life and also of the stresses to which even the best relationships are prone to in such an environment.’ Robin Hanbury-Tenison in ‘The Field.’
‘It may well be that Into the Amazon is seen, twenty years hence, as the last authentic account of a journey through the incomparable wonders of the Amazonian world as it has existed for countless millennia before human technological ingenuity enabled human greed to destroy it.’ Dervla Murphy in her foreword.
‘An absorbing account of an obsessional journey into South America’s unknown dark heart. At times hilarious, at times terrifying, John Harrison has created the best book on the lure of truly wild places since Jon Krakauer’s ‘Into the Wild.’
Matt Dickinson, author of ‘The Death Zone.’
‘This is the real thing: the excitement, delight, hardship, beauty and danger of paddling into unexplored Amazon forests, and told with charm and knowledge.’ Dr John Hemming, former Director of the Royal Geographical Society, and author of ‘Red Gold: the conquest of the Brazilian Indian’, and ‘Tree of Rivers: the story of the Amazon.’
Want to read extracts from ‘Into the Amazon’? Click here.
IN THE U.S. THIS BOOK IS TITLED 'OFF THE MAP: THE CALL OF THE AMAZON WILD' AND HAS THIS COVER
Special offer! As I loaded up with copies of this book to sell whilst lecturing on a cruise ship recently, but ended up not going, I need to clear some space in my study! Signed copies can be had for £6 including postage if you contact me soon.
'UP THE CREEK: AN AMAZON ADVENTURE.' (1986). Re-published!
‘Mountaineers have many classic accounts of daring ascents of horribly difficult peaks. With ‘Up the Creek’ tropical forest lovers now have their own epic adventure……. It was a splendidly pointless journey, in the true ‘because it’s there’ tradition. And it was extremely tough: seven months of physical hardship, disease, privation, technical skill and mental determination that make the average mountain climb seem a weekend ramble.’ John Hemming formerly Director of the Royal Geographical Society.
‘’The author had no sponsorship whatever for his extremely hazardous canoe on one of the more obscure tributaries of that river about which I didn’t think anything new and startling could now be written. How wrong one can be. He escaped death I don’t know how many times in places where there was no hope of rescue. The style is the man: randy and rumbustuous but never out of control. An admirable book by an admirable man who exposes himself mercilessly.’ John Hillaby in The Daily Telegraph.
'This is a thoroughly satisfying description of a hazardous and gruelling canoe trip on one of the more obscure tributaries of the Amazon.........an adventure undertaken just for the hell of it, and completely convincing in all its details. By the last page one's strongest feeling is of sheer admiration for this traveller's courage. John Harrison was born a century too late. He should have been out there with Livingstone, Speke, Selous and all that lot. For people like him our shunken planet offers too few challenges. His readers, however, will hope that he soon finds another - and writes about it.' Dervla Murphy in her Foreword to 'Up the Creek'.
'.......a a record of courage and endurance it deserves to stand in an honoured place on any shelf devoted to the self-punishing experiences of Anglo-Saxons up the Amazon.' John Ure in the Times Literary Supplement.