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Junglekeeper: What It Takes to Change the World
A wildly popular explorer and conservationist shares mind-blowing stories of the Amazon jungle and what it takes to protect it—from incredible animal encounters to the indigenous communities who have inherited centuries of wisdom about the jungle and its unfathomable diversity of life.
Junglekeeper is for any reader yearning to be led on an expedition into the wild of life in that strange world on which all life on Earth depends—and in that wild, into discovering the deepest truths of human existence, calling, purpose, connectedness, and hope. When we're tucked away in the safety and comfort of modern living, is there still an adventure available to us? The answer, Paul Rosolie shows, is a resounding "yes."
A kid from Brooklyn who obeyed an undeniable sense of calling to the outdoors, Rosolie found himself immersed in the drama of an entirely different world, the Amazon―and joining with indigenous people and organizations across the globe in an existential struggle to protect it from the encroaching threat of industrial society. Readers will meet unimaginably large snakes that Rosolie must wrangle, jaguars pushed out of their territory by deforestation, monkeys whose home is a canopy humans have yet to understand, a near-miraculous Amazonian water system, and previously uncontacted indigenous people struggling to protect their homes from industrialism.
While taking readers on this adventure of how he and some of the unlikeliest people on Earth have successfully protected over 80,000 acres of Amazon forest, Rosolie invites readers to reflect on the profound power of saying "yes": yes to one's calling, yes to the sacrifices and dangers and love we can encounter if we just step outside. Rosolie shows that the vitality we long for is found when we discover who we are between dirt and sky, among the creatures out there who are far more mysterious and alive than we can imagine.
Junglekeeper is for any reader yearning to be led on an expedition into the wild of life in that strange world on which all life on Earth depends—and in that wild, into discovering the deepest truths of human existence, calling, purpose, connectedness, and hope. When we're tucked away in the safety and comfort of modern living, is there still an adventure available to us? The answer, Paul Rosolie shows, is a resounding "yes."
A kid from Brooklyn who obeyed an undeniable sense of calling to the outdoors, Rosolie found himself immersed in the drama of an entirely different world, the Amazon―and joining with indigenous people and organizations across the globe in an existential struggle to protect it from the encroaching threat of industrial society. Readers will meet unimaginably large snakes that Rosolie must wrangle, jaguars pushed out of their territory by deforestation, monkeys whose home is a canopy humans have yet to understand, a near-miraculous Amazonian water system, and previously uncontacted indigenous people struggling to protect their homes from industrialism.
While taking readers on this adventure of how he and some of the unlikeliest people on Earth have successfully protected over 80,000 acres of Amazon forest, Rosolie invites readers to reflect on the profound power of saying "yes": yes to one's calling, yes to the sacrifices and dangers and love we can encounter if we just step outside. Rosolie shows that the vitality we long for is found when we discover who we are between dirt and sky, among the creatures out there who are far more mysterious and alive than we can imagine.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published January 20, 2026
523 people are currently reading
11168 people want to read
About the author
Paul Rosolie
10 books358 followersHello! I’m Paul Rosolie, author of the new book "JUNGLEKEEPER: What it takes to Change the World" out January 20th 2026. I'm also author of Mother of God (2014), and The Girl and the Tiger (2019).
Growing up my parents read me Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, James Herriot, White Fang by Jack London and more. Because I am dyslexic it took me a long time to learn to read, much longer than other kids. So being read to was really important. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I fell in love with reading on my own. Today it amazes me the extent to which the books I love have influenced my life, and I feel that story telling, more than anything else, is my greatest passion.
Along with being a writer, I work as a conservationist protecting wildlife and ecosystems – mostly tropical rainforests. I work in the Amazon, India, Indonesia and other places where biodiversity and habitat loss are rampant. I believe we live in the most crucial time in history because our natural systems and wildlife are dwindling and we as a global community have little choice but to reassess our relationship to the natural world. That is the focus of my writing.
My book Mother of God (Harper Collins) is non-fiction and was my first book. It gained the praise of environmentalists and adventurers such as Jane Goodall, Bear Grylls, and Bill McKibben who have called the book a “gripping”, “awe inspiring”, “rousing tale”, “with a great and enduring point”. It mostly chronicles my formative years as an explorer and protector of wild places. This book had the very real world result of helping to protect over 30,000 acres of primary jungle in the Amazon Rainforest.
My NEW book The Girl and the Tiger (Owl Hollow Press) is a work of fiction, though this story is very much based on the last ten years I’ve spent in India tracking the migration of wild tigers and elephants. I tell everyone that this book is less my own creation and more a collection of moments, truths, and legends I found over the years in the Indian jungle. It is a necklace of a book, a series of seeds and teeth, stones and bones, gathered from the forest floor; I only added the string. It is the result of following elephants, searching for tigers, sitting late into the night around campfires, and becoming acquainted with the tribes of the forest, both human and animal.
I’m so excited to bring this story to the world. If you’d like to follow along I’m going to be sharing the journey on Instagram @PaulRosolie .
Growing up my parents read me Sherlock Holmes, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, James Herriot, White Fang by Jack London and more. Because I am dyslexic it took me a long time to learn to read, much longer than other kids. So being read to was really important. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I fell in love with reading on my own. Today it amazes me the extent to which the books I love have influenced my life, and I feel that story telling, more than anything else, is my greatest passion.
Along with being a writer, I work as a conservationist protecting wildlife and ecosystems – mostly tropical rainforests. I work in the Amazon, India, Indonesia and other places where biodiversity and habitat loss are rampant. I believe we live in the most crucial time in history because our natural systems and wildlife are dwindling and we as a global community have little choice but to reassess our relationship to the natural world. That is the focus of my writing.
My book Mother of God (Harper Collins) is non-fiction and was my first book. It gained the praise of environmentalists and adventurers such as Jane Goodall, Bear Grylls, and Bill McKibben who have called the book a “gripping”, “awe inspiring”, “rousing tale”, “with a great and enduring point”. It mostly chronicles my formative years as an explorer and protector of wild places. This book had the very real world result of helping to protect over 30,000 acres of primary jungle in the Amazon Rainforest.
My NEW book The Girl and the Tiger (Owl Hollow Press) is a work of fiction, though this story is very much based on the last ten years I’ve spent in India tracking the migration of wild tigers and elephants. I tell everyone that this book is less my own creation and more a collection of moments, truths, and legends I found over the years in the Indian jungle. It is a necklace of a book, a series of seeds and teeth, stones and bones, gathered from the forest floor; I only added the string. It is the result of following elephants, searching for tigers, sitting late into the night around campfires, and becoming acquainted with the tribes of the forest, both human and animal.
I’m so excited to bring this story to the world. If you’d like to follow along I’m going to be sharing the journey on Instagram @PaulRosolie .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews
January 26, 2026
Always love listening to him on JRE. Such an interesting book about his journey to the Amazon and conservation. Highly recommend to everyone but especially animal lovers. Adding Jungle Keepers donation to the monthly budget.
November 22, 2025
Junglekeeper is a singular work of unrivaled beauty, thrills and significance.
If you're one of the millions who was left awestruck and horrified by Paul's viral video that showed the devastating effects of wildfire in the Amazon, grab this book for a chapter-by-chapter recreation of that sense of awe. Every word is infused with raw authenticity and sincerity. Paul Rosolie is so charismatic and knowledgeable about his subject that beguiling turns of phrase seem to flow from his pen like a tributary into a river, casually littering his prose with inventive language the way other authors use punctuation.
Junglekeeper is a continuation of the message Rosolie began crafting in his 2014 book, Mother of God. He highlights tragedy as well as triumph in his absolutely unequalled effort to preserve the Amazon. When he writes about his interaction with animals, whether the nurturing rehabilitation of an anteater or the heart-pounding capture of a giant anaconda, it's irresistible, eye-opening stuff. The stories of Dharma the elephant and a particular spider monkey will resonate powerfully with so many readers. I've read other authors attempts to do justice to stories like these and they either come off too clinical or too saccharine--Rosolie is the only person who could have accomplished this with such poignancy. I love his comment about the conservation effort--this one in particular--being about more than carbon or anything quantifiable.
The transformative insights and moments of revelation conveyed in these pages would be too powerful to absorb if they weren't broken up by glimpses of genuine humor and humanity, in all its flawed glory. Just when you think you've gotten the full scope of what Junglekeeper has to offer, the final few pages land like a knockout blow, tantalizing the reader with an ending no one would have expected. Part jungle thriller, part philosophical exploration of the sanctity of life, Junglekeeper, like its author, is a unique and profound force. This is a book that can teach everyone who reads it something about themselves, something about the world they live in and something about the connection between the two.
If you haven't read Paul's previous books, go find Mother of God and The Girl and the Tiger, as soon as possible.
An inspired thank you to NetGalley, Convergent Books and the author for the ARC.
If you're one of the millions who was left awestruck and horrified by Paul's viral video that showed the devastating effects of wildfire in the Amazon, grab this book for a chapter-by-chapter recreation of that sense of awe. Every word is infused with raw authenticity and sincerity. Paul Rosolie is so charismatic and knowledgeable about his subject that beguiling turns of phrase seem to flow from his pen like a tributary into a river, casually littering his prose with inventive language the way other authors use punctuation.
Junglekeeper is a continuation of the message Rosolie began crafting in his 2014 book, Mother of God. He highlights tragedy as well as triumph in his absolutely unequalled effort to preserve the Amazon. When he writes about his interaction with animals, whether the nurturing rehabilitation of an anteater or the heart-pounding capture of a giant anaconda, it's irresistible, eye-opening stuff. The stories of Dharma the elephant and a particular spider monkey will resonate powerfully with so many readers. I've read other authors attempts to do justice to stories like these and they either come off too clinical or too saccharine--Rosolie is the only person who could have accomplished this with such poignancy. I love his comment about the conservation effort--this one in particular--being about more than carbon or anything quantifiable.
The transformative insights and moments of revelation conveyed in these pages would be too powerful to absorb if they weren't broken up by glimpses of genuine humor and humanity, in all its flawed glory. Just when you think you've gotten the full scope of what Junglekeeper has to offer, the final few pages land like a knockout blow, tantalizing the reader with an ending no one would have expected. Part jungle thriller, part philosophical exploration of the sanctity of life, Junglekeeper, like its author, is a unique and profound force. This is a book that can teach everyone who reads it something about themselves, something about the world they live in and something about the connection between the two.
If you haven't read Paul's previous books, go find Mother of God and The Girl and the Tiger, as soon as possible.
An inspired thank you to NetGalley, Convergent Books and the author for the ARC.
February 26, 2026
I absolutely loved this book and the writing style of Paul Rosolie. This story is incredibly inspiring, the perfect balance of realistic and hopeful. Paul has a wonderful way of pulling you in, describing places I can only imagine and creating a sense of connection with people I have never met.
I hope he continues to write, share his story and inspire people to make change in this beautiful part of our planet.
I hope he continues to write, share his story and inspire people to make change in this beautiful part of our planet.
November 4, 2025
I'm rating this 5 stars because of the impact it had on me. This book takes you on a ride. You learn the story of how Junglekeepers came to be. It is a messy story, but an inspiring one. Paul admits he is far from perfect. He had this crazy dream of saving the Amazon and had no plan or idea how to do it. Through true trials and lots of errors, he has made magnificent progress on his goal. The grit and persistence of both him and the others who have spearheaded this fight for the Amazon (especially JJ) are superhuman. The most impactful element of this book is the stories of the Jungle itself. The main character is you will. The Jaguar, the towering Kapok, the winding river full of Caiman and stingray, down to the wasps and vines are permanently burned into my mind as if I have seen them myself. Paul has made the reader feel as if they too were seeing this unbelievable Jungle in all its glory ...and then also in its destruction. The emotional impact this book had on me was massive. I am grateful for it. I really hope it gets in the hands of as many people as possible. For so many of us who have never seen it personally, books like this FORCE us to see it. It takes us deep inside, up close and personal. You cannot look away now. You MUST act. Thank you for this Paul.
-Only minor criticism....what the heck was that second to last chapter? You just abruptly stopped at you getting on a helicopter and then jumped to the latest update on JJ and the Narcos? I felt whiplashed. It just didn't flow.
-Only minor criticism....what the heck was that second to last chapter? You just abruptly stopped at you getting on a helicopter and then jumped to the latest update on JJ and the Narcos? I felt whiplashed. It just didn't flow.
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January 21, 2026Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Okay so this was a DNF for me around halfway through, and to be fair I won't give a star rating here.
I really am interested in the topic the author writes about here- the Amazon rainforest and its destruction by deforestation, fire, and settlement. I think he has an important message and a unique perspective from which to share his experience and research, having lived and worked in a remote region of the Amazon for years. It was often interesting as well to read about his travels and everyday life near the southeastern edge of Peru, and his interactions with local communities, forest animals, and adventure tourists.
However the voice/style was just not for me, and is why I decided to DNF and read something else. It is written in a really exaggerated and self-aggrandizing way that came across as immature to me, and there was too much info about the author's personal life and bio that I just did not care about in the context of the wider topic. If you know of and/or like this guy (apparently he is on TV) then maybe this book would be more for you.
Okay so this was a DNF for me around halfway through, and to be fair I won't give a star rating here.
I really am interested in the topic the author writes about here- the Amazon rainforest and its destruction by deforestation, fire, and settlement. I think he has an important message and a unique perspective from which to share his experience and research, having lived and worked in a remote region of the Amazon for years. It was often interesting as well to read about his travels and everyday life near the southeastern edge of Peru, and his interactions with local communities, forest animals, and adventure tourists.
However the voice/style was just not for me, and is why I decided to DNF and read something else. It is written in a really exaggerated and self-aggrandizing way that came across as immature to me, and there was too much info about the author's personal life and bio that I just did not care about in the context of the wider topic. If you know of and/or like this guy (apparently he is on TV) then maybe this book would be more for you.
March 4, 2026
I’ve been very inspired by Paul Rosolie and the conservation work he is doing since I first heard about it in 2023. I’ve been excited for and anticipating this book for a while and all I can say is how incredibly moving it is. Please consider giving it a read, sharing with a friend, or gifting it to someone you think might love it.
February 25, 2026
Okay kinda unsure how to feel about this book. I thought the nature writing was fantastic and I really enjoyed the storytelling, but I was taken out of it by a few things he said. He referred to Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk as luminaries with no regard for the damage that they do to the natural world that he desperately wants to protect, and he just gives a little bit of a douchey vibe, particularly with how he treats his wife when he’s at rock bottom. Idk I think he has done some really great stuff but sometimes I got a bad vibe from him.
January 25, 2026
JungleKeepers is not a book about conservation.
This book is not for people who care about protecting our planet; it’s for dreamers, writers, storytellers, and anyone who wants to be inspired. Every page feels alive
Whether you’re a parent/student/traveler/office junkie/ roadtripping/ reading with your child, an artist seeking a spark, or someone just looking to reconnect with something real and meaningful, Junglekeepers speaks to you. It’s not a story about the forest.
it’s a story about all of us.
This book is not for people who care about protecting our planet; it’s for dreamers, writers, storytellers, and anyone who wants to be inspired. Every page feels alive
Whether you’re a parent/student/traveler/office junkie/ roadtripping/ reading with your child, an artist seeking a spark, or someone just looking to reconnect with something real and meaningful, Junglekeepers speaks to you. It’s not a story about the forest.
it’s a story about all of us.
March 19, 2026
*I received an ARC copy of the book for free in a giveaway. Thank you to the author.*
This book was a great read. I think it is very smart how much outreach/media the author uses to get conservation efforts out and on people's radars. I also love that he shows hardships that came with the work to prove that good intentions don't always mean everything will work out perfectly.
Tackles the serious conservation crisis of the Amazon with personal experience, along with others' stories woven in. Truly proves how this is everyone's problem.
This book was a great read. I think it is very smart how much outreach/media the author uses to get conservation efforts out and on people's radars. I also love that he shows hardships that came with the work to prove that good intentions don't always mean everything will work out perfectly.
Tackles the serious conservation crisis of the Amazon with personal experience, along with others' stories woven in. Truly proves how this is everyone's problem.
January 25, 2026
Really good. I felt like the descriptions were so well done that I could watch the book in my head. I recommend the audiobook and can't wait to read more by this author. Surprisingly positive and hopeful. Some very wild stories but I loved it all. Could not stop listening.
February 25, 2026
If you have not read the author’s previous book, Mother of God, you should read it before you read this book. I have not read Mother of God and for me this book felt like a sequel and it was a slog, although it has great reviews.
March 14, 2026
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC!
Mother of God is one of my favorite books ever and I loved this one just as much. It’s honest and brutal and sad but inspiring and adventurous at the same time. If you love adventure, nature, travel, or the Amazon, read this!
Mother of God is one of my favorite books ever and I loved this one just as much. It’s honest and brutal and sad but inspiring and adventurous at the same time. If you love adventure, nature, travel, or the Amazon, read this!
February 8, 2026
I couldn’t put it down but also didn’t want to read it because I never wanted it to end. An unrivaled masterpiece
February 28, 2026
Paul Rosolie can keep my jungle safe with his record breaking anaconda
On a real note: a wonderful story with tales that seem larger than life with an excellent call to action!
On a real note: a wonderful story with tales that seem larger than life with an excellent call to action!
March 1, 2026
This was SUCH A GOOD READ!
Paul Rosolie really transports you into the Amazon Jungle and all the adventures he goes on in life and the jungles we need to save.
I have a hard time with books that are information overload, but this was a perfect mix of factual things about the jungle and his personal stories.
This book is so so so important to read if you care about saving our forests!🤍
Paul Rosolie really transports you into the Amazon Jungle and all the adventures he goes on in life and the jungles we need to save.
I have a hard time with books that are information overload, but this was a perfect mix of factual things about the jungle and his personal stories.
This book is so so so important to read if you care about saving our forests!🤍
March 8, 2026
Insightful look Into the work and effort required to save our rainforests. I enjoyed the history and learning about different Amazonian species
March 20, 2026
DNF, c'était un beau livre mais un peu confus. On se sent vraiment transporté mais on s'y perd facilement malheureusement. Je n'ai pas lu ses livres précédents qui sont sûrement plus accessibles.
January 25, 2026
This is a fascinating look into one man's journey to discover himself, and in doing so finds his life's passion. His writing pulls us into the jungle with him and experience the breathtaking wonder of a world most of us will never see. The book meanders along a path that frequently jumps back and forth time, but still flows toward a simple truth: we must save the Amazon.
I found this book to be inspiring and hopeful (even with the horrifying last chapter). To find and follow your calling is hard, filled with countless obstacles and sometimes you just want to give up. It shines a spotlight on human nature, the good and the ugly, but reminds us to see with empathy why people do what they do.
I am thankful I get to experience the Amazon through the eyes of Rosolie. I hope more people are able to hear his message and are motivated to enact change, even if it only in our own backyards.
I found this book to be inspiring and hopeful (even with the horrifying last chapter). To find and follow your calling is hard, filled with countless obstacles and sometimes you just want to give up. It shines a spotlight on human nature, the good and the ugly, but reminds us to see with empathy why people do what they do.
I am thankful I get to experience the Amazon through the eyes of Rosolie. I hope more people are able to hear his message and are motivated to enact change, even if it only in our own backyards.
February 12, 2026
4.5 stars. Audiobook.
March 2, 2026
Paul’s story is very inspiring. This book is a powerful glimpse into what’s happening in the Amazon rainforest. There were several moments that gave me pause like when he said he “spoke broken spider money” to a spider monkey 🤔 but it was very well written overall!
December 24, 2025
There’s almost too much to say about this book.
Every chapter opened my eyes even further. As a young kid, I loved reading about the Amazon and everything within it. This book gave me so much to think and learn about after I made my way through it.
From learning about conservation programs to indigenous cultures there, I now have a long list of things to start researching on my own.
Outside of the education I received through these pages, the stories inside inspire not only thought but action and love for a very far away place. The Amazon is more than just a bunch of trees, it’s a living and breathing thing that supports so many flora and fauna — and our way of being.
Paul truly paints the picture of what it means to give it all away to save the world. And to love something with everything you have.
Rosolie is the kind of conservationist I believe we need in to see more of. Not perfect, but well-meaning in all ways. From storytelling to grabbing the world’s largest snake by the neck, we need more people telling it like it is and continuing to stand tall.
I’ll be impatiently waiting for this book to hit its pub date so I can pick up a copy for everyone I know!!
Every chapter opened my eyes even further. As a young kid, I loved reading about the Amazon and everything within it. This book gave me so much to think and learn about after I made my way through it.
From learning about conservation programs to indigenous cultures there, I now have a long list of things to start researching on my own.
Outside of the education I received through these pages, the stories inside inspire not only thought but action and love for a very far away place. The Amazon is more than just a bunch of trees, it’s a living and breathing thing that supports so many flora and fauna — and our way of being.
Paul truly paints the picture of what it means to give it all away to save the world. And to love something with everything you have.
Rosolie is the kind of conservationist I believe we need in to see more of. Not perfect, but well-meaning in all ways. From storytelling to grabbing the world’s largest snake by the neck, we need more people telling it like it is and continuing to stand tall.
I’ll be impatiently waiting for this book to hit its pub date so I can pick up a copy for everyone I know!!
February 25, 2026
Junglekeeper by Paul Rosolie fell sideways into my reading list courtesy of some mysterious algorithm that apparently knows me better than I know myself. When I noticed it was sitting pretty at a 4.63/5 on Goodreads, I figured that many people couldn’t be that enthusiastic without reason—so into the cart it went.
I’m happy to report: zero regrets.
I opted for the audiobook, which turned out to be the right move. Within the first stretch of listening, Rosolie is waist-deep (sometimes literally) in the Amazon, detailing what it actually takes to capture and study giant anacondas for science. I was not prepared for the level of detail—or the level of adrenaline. My eleven-year-old son was riveted during those chapters while we drove back and forth to Jiu Jitsu practice. He hung on every near miss, every jungle standoff, every moment that felt like it could tip sideways. When I told him I’d finished the book, he was genuinely disappointed. That alone feels like a five-star endorsement.
There’s a strong current of Indiana Jones-style adventure running through the whole narrative—arrows whizzing out of the Peruvian jungle, tense negotiations in remote villages, long treks through terrain most of us will only ever see in documentaries. But what makes it land isn’t just the adventure. It’s the sense that this isn’t spectacle for spectacle’s sake. There’s purpose behind every risk.
Rosolie himself didn’t map out some neat, linear career in conservation. He fell into it, stumbled forward, and kept saying yes to the work that needed doing. That path ultimately led him to found Junglekeepers, an organization that has helped protect more than 120,000 acres of Amazon rainforest to date. That scale of impact is hard to wrap your head around. It’s not theoretical conservation. It’s boots-in-the-mud, relationships-built-over-years conservation.
This was my first experience with his writing, though I know he’s published several other books. What struck me most was how unfiltered his passion feels. It’s not polished into something corporate or overly safe. It’s messy at times. Frustrated. Honest. And that honesty carries weight when he writes about the very real challenges Indigenous tribes face—cartels, illegal loggers, squatters—all operating outside the law while steadily eroding one of the most important ecosystems on the planet.
He also pulls back the curtain on some uncomfortable truths about conservation-adjacent entities—media companies, investors, even well-known outlets like the Discovery Channel. It’s easy to assume big exposure equals big help. Rosolie makes it clear that the relationship between awareness, money, and meaningful protection is far more complicated than that.
What lingered for me, though, wasn’t just the urgency of the Amazon. It was the ripple effect. His energy followed me back to my own corner of the Pacific Northwest and started asking questions:
Why aren’t we leading overnight backpacking trips into the national parks here? Could we? What would that actually require? Is there a way to partner with organizations like Junglekeepers through our gift shop or other avenues? How do we move from admiration to action?
That’s the kind of book this is. It doesn’t just inform; it agitates—in the best way. It reminds you that conservation isn’t an abstract global issue. It’s a series of local decisions made by ordinary people who decide to care a little more than is convenient.
Rosolie isn’t presented as perfect. In fact, he’s refreshingly candid about missteps and hard lessons. But he embodies the kind of conservationist I think we need more of: stubbornly committed, willing to adapt, and operating with the mindset that he’ll either find a way—or make one.
I would recommend this book to anyone working in conservation, no matter what niche you occupy. But honestly, you don’t have to work in the field to get something out of it. If you appreciate a well-told adventure, if you’re curious about the realities behind rainforest protection, or if you just need a shot of motivation to tackle something bigger than yourself, this delivers.
And fair warning: you may find yourself, like I did, staring at your own backyard and wondering what more you could be doing with it.
I’m happy to report: zero regrets.
I opted for the audiobook, which turned out to be the right move. Within the first stretch of listening, Rosolie is waist-deep (sometimes literally) in the Amazon, detailing what it actually takes to capture and study giant anacondas for science. I was not prepared for the level of detail—or the level of adrenaline. My eleven-year-old son was riveted during those chapters while we drove back and forth to Jiu Jitsu practice. He hung on every near miss, every jungle standoff, every moment that felt like it could tip sideways. When I told him I’d finished the book, he was genuinely disappointed. That alone feels like a five-star endorsement.
There’s a strong current of Indiana Jones-style adventure running through the whole narrative—arrows whizzing out of the Peruvian jungle, tense negotiations in remote villages, long treks through terrain most of us will only ever see in documentaries. But what makes it land isn’t just the adventure. It’s the sense that this isn’t spectacle for spectacle’s sake. There’s purpose behind every risk.
Rosolie himself didn’t map out some neat, linear career in conservation. He fell into it, stumbled forward, and kept saying yes to the work that needed doing. That path ultimately led him to found Junglekeepers, an organization that has helped protect more than 120,000 acres of Amazon rainforest to date. That scale of impact is hard to wrap your head around. It’s not theoretical conservation. It’s boots-in-the-mud, relationships-built-over-years conservation.
This was my first experience with his writing, though I know he’s published several other books. What struck me most was how unfiltered his passion feels. It’s not polished into something corporate or overly safe. It’s messy at times. Frustrated. Honest. And that honesty carries weight when he writes about the very real challenges Indigenous tribes face—cartels, illegal loggers, squatters—all operating outside the law while steadily eroding one of the most important ecosystems on the planet.
He also pulls back the curtain on some uncomfortable truths about conservation-adjacent entities—media companies, investors, even well-known outlets like the Discovery Channel. It’s easy to assume big exposure equals big help. Rosolie makes it clear that the relationship between awareness, money, and meaningful protection is far more complicated than that.
What lingered for me, though, wasn’t just the urgency of the Amazon. It was the ripple effect. His energy followed me back to my own corner of the Pacific Northwest and started asking questions:
Why aren’t we leading overnight backpacking trips into the national parks here? Could we? What would that actually require? Is there a way to partner with organizations like Junglekeepers through our gift shop or other avenues? How do we move from admiration to action?
That’s the kind of book this is. It doesn’t just inform; it agitates—in the best way. It reminds you that conservation isn’t an abstract global issue. It’s a series of local decisions made by ordinary people who decide to care a little more than is convenient.
Rosolie isn’t presented as perfect. In fact, he’s refreshingly candid about missteps and hard lessons. But he embodies the kind of conservationist I think we need more of: stubbornly committed, willing to adapt, and operating with the mindset that he’ll either find a way—or make one.
I would recommend this book to anyone working in conservation, no matter what niche you occupy. But honestly, you don’t have to work in the field to get something out of it. If you appreciate a well-told adventure, if you’re curious about the realities behind rainforest protection, or if you just need a shot of motivation to tackle something bigger than yourself, this delivers.
And fair warning: you may find yourself, like I did, staring at your own backyard and wondering what more you could be doing with it.
February 11, 2026
“Junglekeeper” is a book about Paul Rosolie’s struggle to save (part) of the Amazon rainforest in Peru.
The author is a mensa-level thinker who has dyslexia and struggled to make it out of high school. He's very bright - based on how well he writes - but couldn't settle down and become a classic academic or worker.
Rather than try higher education or find work, he followed his passion, went to the Upper Amazon River basin in Peru, to study the flora, fauna, and “Lost tribes” in this remote corner of the world. Along his journey Rosolie was lucky enough to meet an indigenous naturalist named Juan Julio (JJ) Durand who traveled together for over two decades, and formed an organisation called "Junglekeepers", to protect more than 110,000 acres of rainforest.
Rosolie’s story is a classic Joseph Campbell “Heroes Journey” where the protagonist is separated from the his Ordinary World (New York), he is the initiated into a World of Trials and Magic (The Amazon River) and he Returns Triumphantly (via this book and some cool videos) with an Elixir that can help others (i.e., proof that we can stop deforestation and save the planet - with Jungelkeepers).
(Perhaps you think this is too narrow in this assessment and that I'm a "hammer looking for a nail" as I’m working on a book of my own and have recently modelled my story on Joseph Campbell. This is both top of mind for me and a good example of this structure.)
I loved the story as it had an Underdog – Paul didn’t get a tertiary education and was warned by his family that he would not succeed, Lots of Struggles and Villains along the path (Timber companies and fires, Anacondas, Big cats, Cayman and Stingrays in the river, Warlike tribes, treacherous waters, and huge numbers of insects) and Eventual Success following many failures.
I found it to be a textbook Heroes Journey.
More than this, the story continues after the Hero brings us the hope that the Amazon can be saved - with a near assassination of JJ and the rise of new threats including narco-traffickers i.e., new villains.
It was very well written book and has great insights and literally references (perhaps by design?) braided throughout it. For seeing new things – such as the author’s visit to India and his befriending a semi-wild elephant named Dharma - gave him new eyes. This could have been taken directly from Marcel Proust with the quote: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes," It seems that the author had read this book during his many years in the Amazon.
His writing is at many times beautiful and insightful. For example: “The Amazon at night is the greatest freak show on Earth, a teaming carnival of incomprehensible life, a festival of sex and death all around you”. (Page 63.) Or “his legacy and accomplishments were literally the scaffolding of my wildest dreams”. (Page 71.)
Then there is the conclusion, which is quite strong: “Looking back now, it’s clear to me that the greatest burden, the most daunting and dispiriting obstacle I ever faced, had been knowing if I was on the right path. All that pressure and depression, all that existential dread – it had come from the same source. I was a kid in school terrified I had been born in the wrong time”.
While he means this in terms of thinking that he should have been born earlier to save more of the Amazon, I believe he has nailed what many of us feel – that we were born at the wrong time and/or the wrong place. And that’s why travel can help so much. It can sometimes get you to see new things and find a “Greener pasture”. But more than this – as Proust suggests – it can give you new eyes to see your situation better.
The only things I found missing were large and detailed maps of the area.
The book had photos - but I didn't think they were not that high a quality - given that he had a professional photographer with hi for at least some of the story.
All told, this was an excellent book. I recommend it highly.
The author is a mensa-level thinker who has dyslexia and struggled to make it out of high school. He's very bright - based on how well he writes - but couldn't settle down and become a classic academic or worker.
Rather than try higher education or find work, he followed his passion, went to the Upper Amazon River basin in Peru, to study the flora, fauna, and “Lost tribes” in this remote corner of the world. Along his journey Rosolie was lucky enough to meet an indigenous naturalist named Juan Julio (JJ) Durand who traveled together for over two decades, and formed an organisation called "Junglekeepers", to protect more than 110,000 acres of rainforest.
Rosolie’s story is a classic Joseph Campbell “Heroes Journey” where the protagonist is separated from the his Ordinary World (New York), he is the initiated into a World of Trials and Magic (The Amazon River) and he Returns Triumphantly (via this book and some cool videos) with an Elixir that can help others (i.e., proof that we can stop deforestation and save the planet - with Jungelkeepers).
(Perhaps you think this is too narrow in this assessment and that I'm a "hammer looking for a nail" as I’m working on a book of my own and have recently modelled my story on Joseph Campbell. This is both top of mind for me and a good example of this structure.)
I loved the story as it had an Underdog – Paul didn’t get a tertiary education and was warned by his family that he would not succeed, Lots of Struggles and Villains along the path (Timber companies and fires, Anacondas, Big cats, Cayman and Stingrays in the river, Warlike tribes, treacherous waters, and huge numbers of insects) and Eventual Success following many failures.
I found it to be a textbook Heroes Journey.
More than this, the story continues after the Hero brings us the hope that the Amazon can be saved - with a near assassination of JJ and the rise of new threats including narco-traffickers i.e., new villains.
It was very well written book and has great insights and literally references (perhaps by design?) braided throughout it. For seeing new things – such as the author’s visit to India and his befriending a semi-wild elephant named Dharma - gave him new eyes. This could have been taken directly from Marcel Proust with the quote: "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes," It seems that the author had read this book during his many years in the Amazon.
His writing is at many times beautiful and insightful. For example: “The Amazon at night is the greatest freak show on Earth, a teaming carnival of incomprehensible life, a festival of sex and death all around you”. (Page 63.) Or “his legacy and accomplishments were literally the scaffolding of my wildest dreams”. (Page 71.)
Then there is the conclusion, which is quite strong: “Looking back now, it’s clear to me that the greatest burden, the most daunting and dispiriting obstacle I ever faced, had been knowing if I was on the right path. All that pressure and depression, all that existential dread – it had come from the same source. I was a kid in school terrified I had been born in the wrong time”.
While he means this in terms of thinking that he should have been born earlier to save more of the Amazon, I believe he has nailed what many of us feel – that we were born at the wrong time and/or the wrong place. And that’s why travel can help so much. It can sometimes get you to see new things and find a “Greener pasture”. But more than this – as Proust suggests – it can give you new eyes to see your situation better.
The only things I found missing were large and detailed maps of the area.
The book had photos - but I didn't think they were not that high a quality - given that he had a professional photographer with hi for at least some of the story.
All told, this was an excellent book. I recommend it highly.
March 18, 2026
Junglekeeper: What it Takes to Change the World does not simply describe the Amazon; it places you within it in a way that feels expansive and humbling, as though you are the tiniest creature, looking up at the feet of giants that have existed since the beginning of the earth.
Paul Rosolie writes with an immersive intensity that makes you feel enveloped in something vast and ancient, even as he piques your awareness of what is being lost. There is a quiet, persistent tension throughout the book, a steady insistence that destruction is happening right now, often just out of sight, and that the fight to stop it carries a level of urgency that is, quite frankly, impossible to overstate.
What gives the book its emotional core, however, is the warmth and love with which it is written. Rosolie’s deep affection for the Amazon is present on every page, and that love is inseparable from his concern for what is happening to it and his determination to act. His purpose is clear, both in telling this story to a wider world and in building the resources and support needed to protect the forest itself, particularly in places like Madre de Dios, where the stakes feel immediate and real.
That balance is what makes this book especially compelling, as it never loses sight of the forest’s majesty while also refusing to look away from the reality it faces. Rosolie captures its scale, its beauty, and its almost otherworldly magic without turning it into something distant or romanticized. The Amazon feels real and immediate, something you can reach out and touch--something that is undeniably worth saving.
The people in the story are just as vivid as the landscape itself, and his companions, including JJ and his father, Don Santiago, come through with distinct personalities that make the reader feel as if they know these two. His reflections on his earlier years and the development of his need to be in the jungle add depth and credibility, reinforcing that this is not a passing interest but a life shaped by a clear and unwavering sense of purpose.
From a craft perspective, the writing is richly descriptive while still carrying the reader forward, and it allows space to absorb the environment without losing momentum. There is also a welcome thread of humor that keeps the narrative grounded and human, which is essential given the weight of the subject matter.
Even so, I was surprised to see that Junglekeeper became a New York Times bestseller. Not because it is not deserving, but because a book so rooted in lived experience and environmental reality does not always reach that level of visibility. After reading it, however, that recognition feels entirely earned. I'm glad the world is learning about this. The world needs to know What it Takes to Change the World. Paul Rosolie, I believe, is the One Who Will Make the World Listen.
I can tell from his audiobook as well, narrated by Paul. The strong, undercurrent of intensity, warmth, and humility grabs the listener and holds fast through to the end.
On a personal note, this book hit my deeply because for the past few years, I myself have been researching and writing the first book in a fiction series about the modern Amazon, the people who live within it, and how it needs to be protected. The work Rosolie is doing, with is urgency, descriptiveness and moral clarity, essentially represents the heart of my own work in progress. Grounding, energizing, and inspiring, indeed.
Junglekeeper is a beautiful, intense, urgent, and deeply felt book that says with the reader long after finishing, and make it impossible to look away from our world, and what it takes to save the jungle. Now that the world knows, every single reader would be amiss to not support Rosolie's message, and heed his call to action.
*chef's kiss*
Paul Rosolie writes with an immersive intensity that makes you feel enveloped in something vast and ancient, even as he piques your awareness of what is being lost. There is a quiet, persistent tension throughout the book, a steady insistence that destruction is happening right now, often just out of sight, and that the fight to stop it carries a level of urgency that is, quite frankly, impossible to overstate.
What gives the book its emotional core, however, is the warmth and love with which it is written. Rosolie’s deep affection for the Amazon is present on every page, and that love is inseparable from his concern for what is happening to it and his determination to act. His purpose is clear, both in telling this story to a wider world and in building the resources and support needed to protect the forest itself, particularly in places like Madre de Dios, where the stakes feel immediate and real.
That balance is what makes this book especially compelling, as it never loses sight of the forest’s majesty while also refusing to look away from the reality it faces. Rosolie captures its scale, its beauty, and its almost otherworldly magic without turning it into something distant or romanticized. The Amazon feels real and immediate, something you can reach out and touch--something that is undeniably worth saving.
The people in the story are just as vivid as the landscape itself, and his companions, including JJ and his father, Don Santiago, come through with distinct personalities that make the reader feel as if they know these two. His reflections on his earlier years and the development of his need to be in the jungle add depth and credibility, reinforcing that this is not a passing interest but a life shaped by a clear and unwavering sense of purpose.
From a craft perspective, the writing is richly descriptive while still carrying the reader forward, and it allows space to absorb the environment without losing momentum. There is also a welcome thread of humor that keeps the narrative grounded and human, which is essential given the weight of the subject matter.
Even so, I was surprised to see that Junglekeeper became a New York Times bestseller. Not because it is not deserving, but because a book so rooted in lived experience and environmental reality does not always reach that level of visibility. After reading it, however, that recognition feels entirely earned. I'm glad the world is learning about this. The world needs to know What it Takes to Change the World. Paul Rosolie, I believe, is the One Who Will Make the World Listen.
I can tell from his audiobook as well, narrated by Paul. The strong, undercurrent of intensity, warmth, and humility grabs the listener and holds fast through to the end.
On a personal note, this book hit my deeply because for the past few years, I myself have been researching and writing the first book in a fiction series about the modern Amazon, the people who live within it, and how it needs to be protected. The work Rosolie is doing, with is urgency, descriptiveness and moral clarity, essentially represents the heart of my own work in progress. Grounding, energizing, and inspiring, indeed.
Junglekeeper is a beautiful, intense, urgent, and deeply felt book that says with the reader long after finishing, and make it impossible to look away from our world, and what it takes to save the jungle. Now that the world knows, every single reader would be amiss to not support Rosolie's message, and heed his call to action.
*chef's kiss*
October 4, 2025
When I read Mother of God and heard one of his talks, Paul Rosolie’s storytelling left me spellbound. So, I was eager to grab an early copy of his latest book Junglekeeper: What It Takes to Change the World. No doubt, Rosolie is a remarkable storyteller. He knows how to pull you into the fantastical and lawless Amazonia with floating forests, mist rivers, and giant anacondas.
Rosolie’s passion leaps off the page and pulls you in from the word go; there is a certain rush that you ride from page one, almost akin to being on the Madre de Dios. He recreates the Amazon and the adrenaline of his adventures with ease and knows how to throw a gut punch as he describes the more horrific events unfolding in the Amazon. From the endless stream of loggers to devouring forest fires and highways to the more sinister narco trafficking, the Amazon’s adversaries are many.
For those who’ve read Mother of God, a few of the stories are familiar. But this book goes deeper and beyond it. For one, we get to know more about JJ, Mohsin, Stephane, and the others who come together to save the Amazon, an endeavor that eventually leads to the founding of Junglekeepers.
Rosolie shares his endearing account of meeting the legendary Jane Goodall and the less endearing confrontation with the uncontacted Mashco Piro tribe. He also addresses the fiasco of a documentary about anacondas that gave him a reputation as a sensationalist, and he takes readers behind the scenes and the reality of what had transpired. But since then, his and his team’s reputation as conservationists who are doing substantial work in safekeeping the jungle, intentionally different from colonialist conservation, has been recognized and supported globally.
The book is also about what it takes to chase one’s dreams and create something
long-lasting, which makes a difference to the world. Rosolie throws himself headlong into adventure with the full force of passion, shunning the traditional paths. He gets knocked about quite a bit, and the journey is not always pretty. This is a hero’s quest and a story of purpose and unwavering belief, of taking chances, and also resilience built by confronting the many failures that an unconventional path throws at you. The narrative is peppered with epiphanies and life truths, raw and inspiring.
Over the span of the book, Rosolie’s message and call to action are clear. The Amazon is in danger. While there has been progress and the Junglekeepers is a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go.
Rosolie’s passion leaps off the page and pulls you in from the word go; there is a certain rush that you ride from page one, almost akin to being on the Madre de Dios. He recreates the Amazon and the adrenaline of his adventures with ease and knows how to throw a gut punch as he describes the more horrific events unfolding in the Amazon. From the endless stream of loggers to devouring forest fires and highways to the more sinister narco trafficking, the Amazon’s adversaries are many.
For those who’ve read Mother of God, a few of the stories are familiar. But this book goes deeper and beyond it. For one, we get to know more about JJ, Mohsin, Stephane, and the others who come together to save the Amazon, an endeavor that eventually leads to the founding of Junglekeepers.
Rosolie shares his endearing account of meeting the legendary Jane Goodall and the less endearing confrontation with the uncontacted Mashco Piro tribe. He also addresses the fiasco of a documentary about anacondas that gave him a reputation as a sensationalist, and he takes readers behind the scenes and the reality of what had transpired. But since then, his and his team’s reputation as conservationists who are doing substantial work in safekeeping the jungle, intentionally different from colonialist conservation, has been recognized and supported globally.
The book is also about what it takes to chase one’s dreams and create something
long-lasting, which makes a difference to the world. Rosolie throws himself headlong into adventure with the full force of passion, shunning the traditional paths. He gets knocked about quite a bit, and the journey is not always pretty. This is a hero’s quest and a story of purpose and unwavering belief, of taking chances, and also resilience built by confronting the many failures that an unconventional path throws at you. The narrative is peppered with epiphanies and life truths, raw and inspiring.
Over the span of the book, Rosolie’s message and call to action are clear. The Amazon is in danger. While there has been progress and the Junglekeepers is a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go.
February 16, 2026
Fantastic Book! I hesitate to say this is my new favorite book because my last favorite book was Why Evolution is True by Jerry A Coyne which I read in highschool. 10 years later getting back into reading and it quite possibly might be. I related a lot to Paul's early struggles in school and wanting to go to outdoors school. I spent a lot of time in detention and one of my counselors actually set me up in a private meeting with another student who had done NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) I must have mentioned it in one of the meetings I had with her about graduating early. It was an old dream of mine however in a family with a non existent support system this never happened. In the beginning of the book I cant help but thanks Paul's parents and all parents who foster their children's interests, as I did not have the same fate. As for the book, he broke our hearts as early as page 15 and his adventures will keep you turning pages. I don't know when I started but I think I flew through it in a week. You can genuinely feel Paul's excitement as his projects make progress and tells us how it all came to be every step of the way which added to the inspiration that big things truly are possible when you take them step by step, even if you don't know where you're headed. I read non-fiction and often books that are more boring content than excitement but this one read like an addictive non-fiction. I don't know if its my new favorite yet but if it is - my favorite book, movie, and painting will all be things that inspire me towards the amazon. If you love this book you might like one of my favorite films Embrace of the Serpent or Abrazo de la Serpiente - it's an excellent film that takes place in the Colombian amazon and won a bunch of Platino awards (Colombian grammys). Hannah Yata's 'Oraculum" painting is a piece of art I'll never sell that inspires me towards the rainforest everyday. Thanks for the inspiration Paul, on behalf of the forests, the birds, the insects, the fungi, and all others who inhabit it. In a world that puts more value and higher salaries on things that destroy the earth than the keepers and service workers who protect it, I feel this is life's most important work and I'm glad people like Paul exist.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I’m not someone who reads easily. I’m dyslexic, and books often feel like work—something I want to love more than I actually do. Junglekeeper was different.
From the first pages, it moves with an effortlessness that is rare. Not because the story is simple—far from it—but because the writing is precise, alive, and deeply human. This is one of those books where personal adventure and true writer’s craft collide. You feel the jungle, the danger, the absurdity, the beauty—but you never feel lost inside the prose.
But Junglekeeper is not just an adventure story. It shows you what it actually takes to commit to something that feels impossible—to stay when leaving would be easier, to protect what cannot protect itself, and to keep going when the odds are stacked against you. In that sense, it is the ultimate real-life hero’s journey.
Paul doesn’t write to impress. He writes to tell the truth. The sentences are robust but clean, the pacing exact. I kept thinking: this is what it feels like when someone knows exactly what they’re trying to say.
It’s a page-turner not in the commercial sense, but in the human one. You want to keep going because the stakes are real, because the voice is trustworthy, and because the story matters. For someone who struggles with reading, that kind of momentum is a gift.
Junglekeeper isn’t just a book about the Amazon. It’s about commitment—about choosing a life of responsibility in a world that rewards escape, and about telling that story with integrity. I finished it feeling not overwhelmed, but sharpened. Awake. And grateful to have been carried through it so cleanly.
From the first pages, it moves with an effortlessness that is rare. Not because the story is simple—far from it—but because the writing is precise, alive, and deeply human. This is one of those books where personal adventure and true writer’s craft collide. You feel the jungle, the danger, the absurdity, the beauty—but you never feel lost inside the prose.
But Junglekeeper is not just an adventure story. It shows you what it actually takes to commit to something that feels impossible—to stay when leaving would be easier, to protect what cannot protect itself, and to keep going when the odds are stacked against you. In that sense, it is the ultimate real-life hero’s journey.
Paul doesn’t write to impress. He writes to tell the truth. The sentences are robust but clean, the pacing exact. I kept thinking: this is what it feels like when someone knows exactly what they’re trying to say.
It’s a page-turner not in the commercial sense, but in the human one. You want to keep going because the stakes are real, because the voice is trustworthy, and because the story matters. For someone who struggles with reading, that kind of momentum is a gift.
Junglekeeper isn’t just a book about the Amazon. It’s about commitment—about choosing a life of responsibility in a world that rewards escape, and about telling that story with integrity. I finished it feeling not overwhelmed, but sharpened. Awake. And grateful to have been carried through it so cleanly.
February 21, 2026
Wow. Just wow.
If your looking for a book that offers hope, adventure, mysticism and spirituality wrapped in the natural world, plus frontier wilderness exploration that rivals Lewis & Clark, narrated with reverence like John Muir, please read this review:
This book had elements that reminded me of A Shaman’s Apprentice by Mark Plotkin; true Amazonian mysticism catalogued with no hyperbolic excess, as the real experience itself is enough to create wonder and awe.
I felt the scientific rigor of One River by Wade Davis with the “I can’t put it down-ness” of Percy Fawcett’s story in The Lost City of Z.
Author Paul Rosolie’s book makes the reader feel as though they are watching Indiana Jones in their minds eye, while simultaneously having the reverent narration of the natural world mirroring Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass.
I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the author Paul Rosolie himself. After hearing his interviews online and experiencing his palpable passion for the Amazon jungle, I felt like there was no other way to experience this book for myself. This is a book that will inspire millions. A book that will leave a legacy like Paul’s mentor Jane Goodall. In a world where so much energy is focused on darkness and destruction, this book offers light for generations to come. Creating wilderness protection so that our children’s children may also have access to the greatest thing that God has left us other than his son Jesus Christ—the untouched, unaltered, natural world in all its splendor. To steward, to know, and most importantly, to experience…Forever.
If your looking for a book that offers hope, adventure, mysticism and spirituality wrapped in the natural world, plus frontier wilderness exploration that rivals Lewis & Clark, narrated with reverence like John Muir, please read this review:
This book had elements that reminded me of A Shaman’s Apprentice by Mark Plotkin; true Amazonian mysticism catalogued with no hyperbolic excess, as the real experience itself is enough to create wonder and awe.
I felt the scientific rigor of One River by Wade Davis with the “I can’t put it down-ness” of Percy Fawcett’s story in The Lost City of Z.
Author Paul Rosolie’s book makes the reader feel as though they are watching Indiana Jones in their minds eye, while simultaneously having the reverent narration of the natural world mirroring Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass.
I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the author Paul Rosolie himself. After hearing his interviews online and experiencing his palpable passion for the Amazon jungle, I felt like there was no other way to experience this book for myself. This is a book that will inspire millions. A book that will leave a legacy like Paul’s mentor Jane Goodall. In a world where so much energy is focused on darkness and destruction, this book offers light for generations to come. Creating wilderness protection so that our children’s children may also have access to the greatest thing that God has left us other than his son Jesus Christ—the untouched, unaltered, natural world in all its splendor. To steward, to know, and most importantly, to experience…Forever.
February 24, 2026
American conservationist Paul Rosolie shares his experience of his time in the Peruvian portion of the Amazon rainforest. His two decade career has seen him working tirelessly with like-minded people to preserve this edenic paradise while having to overcome obstacles of all sizes.
Rosolie's passion for nature, wildlife and their conservation is palpable. From his first forays into the jungles of the Amazon as a teenager to his current status as one of the leading environmentalists in the world, the author's zeal is infectious. His descriptions of anacondas, spider monkeys, jaguars and countless other creatures that make their home in the rainforest are all encompassing. Rosolie's compassion for those people and animals effected by the wanton destruction of the ecosystem is also readily apparent. As is his rage at the chaos that is being wrought.
His writing is immediate and engrossing. Having never been to South America, much less the western Amazon located in Peru, I feel like I now have countless vivid mental images of the place because of Rosolie's writing. I greatly appreciated how the author was honest about his own shortcomings, whether those be personal or professional. His candidness was refreshing.
Thank goodness for Rosolie and like minded people the world over. Their work is noble and worthy of the highest praise. Although obstacles remain, including narco terrorists, as the afterword touches upon, knowing that Rosolie and his like-minded compatriots will continue to labor tirelessly to preserve the Amazonian is a consoling thought.
Rosolie's passion for nature, wildlife and their conservation is palpable. From his first forays into the jungles of the Amazon as a teenager to his current status as one of the leading environmentalists in the world, the author's zeal is infectious. His descriptions of anacondas, spider monkeys, jaguars and countless other creatures that make their home in the rainforest are all encompassing. Rosolie's compassion for those people and animals effected by the wanton destruction of the ecosystem is also readily apparent. As is his rage at the chaos that is being wrought.
His writing is immediate and engrossing. Having never been to South America, much less the western Amazon located in Peru, I feel like I now have countless vivid mental images of the place because of Rosolie's writing. I greatly appreciated how the author was honest about his own shortcomings, whether those be personal or professional. His candidness was refreshing.
Thank goodness for Rosolie and like minded people the world over. Their work is noble and worthy of the highest praise. Although obstacles remain, including narco terrorists, as the afterword touches upon, knowing that Rosolie and his like-minded compatriots will continue to labor tirelessly to preserve the Amazonian is a consoling thought.
February 26, 2026
Junglekeeper by Paul Rosolie is about nature conservation, protecting animals, and the Amazon. As someone passionate about these topics, this book hit perfectly.
Paul is a naturalist, adventurer, and a yum storyteller. The book is proof of his skill - well written, well structured, and completely immersive.
What makes this compelling is the dedication Paul, JJ, and their crew put into protecting the Amazon. Paul’s passion for animals runs so deep that they love him back, and you feel that throughout.
The adventures are rough & real: almost getting choked by a massive snake, catching an Anaconda, moments with Dharma the elephant, the monkey that wouldn’t let go. They seem like exaggerated tales but I believe them 100% - raw experiences that show what it takes to survive and protect one of the most vital ecosystems on Earth.
The friendship dynamics also stood out to me. How his crew saves each other, supports themselves where needed, all aligned on the same goal of protecting the jungle.
The pictures at the end sealed it for me - seeing the faces, places & the animals made it more sentimental 💖
Junglekeeper is eye-opening and insightful. It makes you wonder how beautiful and unbelievable our planet is, how many stories exist that the human mind can barely fathom.
Highly recommended for anyone who cares about nature, conservation, or just wants to read something that reminds you how extraordinary Earth is.
Paul is a naturalist, adventurer, and a yum storyteller. The book is proof of his skill - well written, well structured, and completely immersive.
What makes this compelling is the dedication Paul, JJ, and their crew put into protecting the Amazon. Paul’s passion for animals runs so deep that they love him back, and you feel that throughout.
The adventures are rough & real: almost getting choked by a massive snake, catching an Anaconda, moments with Dharma the elephant, the monkey that wouldn’t let go. They seem like exaggerated tales but I believe them 100% - raw experiences that show what it takes to survive and protect one of the most vital ecosystems on Earth.
The friendship dynamics also stood out to me. How his crew saves each other, supports themselves where needed, all aligned on the same goal of protecting the jungle.
The pictures at the end sealed it for me - seeing the faces, places & the animals made it more sentimental 💖
Junglekeeper is eye-opening and insightful. It makes you wonder how beautiful and unbelievable our planet is, how many stories exist that the human mind can barely fathom.
Highly recommended for anyone who cares about nature, conservation, or just wants to read something that reminds you how extraordinary Earth is.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 140 reviews