The Exotic Booze Club: True Adventures Of Volcanoes, Cobras, And A Beer Elephant

by Brian Armstrong

It was a club created in flagrant violation of his employer's rules. A club for intrepid film-makers to share their hair-raising stories - of deadly snakes, acid lakes, enormous crocodiles and other examples of nature at its most dangerous - over a glass (or ten) of rotgut booze from the world's most dangerous zones. A memoir of alcoholic proportions! When Brian Armstrong was seven, he happened across some bare-breasted tribeswomen gazing at him from the pages of an old, yellow-bordered magazine that was part of his Uncle Ian's collection. But it wasn't just the breasts that attracted his attention. Pictures of far-off jungles, exotic wildlife and intrepid explorers also enthralled Brian. One cousin remembers him declaring, 'That's what I'm going to do when I grow up.' Twenty-five years later, that dream came true. As a seat-of-the-pants expedition filmmaker for the same company that produced those yellow-bordered magazines, the boy from Bendigo found himself travelling from one death-defying adventure to another. Coping with deadly snakes, tornadoes, volcanoes, acid lakes, malaria, monsoons, armed rebels, enormous crocodiles, even a helicopter crash became part of a day's work. Time and again Brian asked himself the same three questions: 'How did I get here?' 'How do I get out of here?' And, most importantly, 'What's to drink?' Against his prestigious employer's strict anti-alcohol policy, this irreverent rule-breaker started the Exotic Booze Club. Filmmakers and explorers would return to Brian's office with strange liquors to share, wild stories of daring exploits and, sometimes, pictures of naked tribeswomen. This book is the true story from behind the scenes of Brian's most dramatic films, framed by the life and death of the one-and-only Exotic Booze Club.

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

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Reviews

[Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a yarn, Brian is a great story teller and if I am ever caught in a thumberstorm I will make like a flamingo

[Emma Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't be put off by the title, the book is far and away most about the fascinating process behind national geographic documentary making.
I wish I could read it again for the first time. Just really good, fun adventure writing.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to listen to on a long road trip! True adventure tales from a National Geographic film producer

[Kaptain Kniccas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The frivolous stories of an adventurer of the world. What a great set of taes. All bound together by a bounty of booze. I really couldn't put this book down. Humour runs through as well as suspension in the grips of a National geographic mission.
Compels me seek out somewhere exciting for an adventurous glass of something or other for my next sundowner!

[Stan Armiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably many bypass this book because of its deceptive title but really it is all about the authors assignments/adventures throughout the world as a producer of documentaries for the National Geographic TV channel.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprise CD pickup at the local library. Loved it. Still unsure how National Geographic put together their films/books/other but a very enjoyable listen.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

National Geographic, travel, adventure, animals and booze. Of course I loved it.

Also mouse lemurs. Awww.