[.ca] The Sharks of Lake Nicaragua: True Tales of Adventure, ... (ISBN 1585741752)

Wishin' I was with him:
I've read all 3 of his "Outside" compilations. They all are, in my mind, great. Reading these books allows you to get lost, while you are in your living room. I wish there were more of them. If there is wanderlust in your heart, then you should read these stories. Some are better than others, some are more interesting to me than others, but that's why they make different flavors of ice cream too.

These are not trips for ElderHospice folks!:
Randy Wayne White is an authentic character. I suspected as much from reading his fiction efforts, usually involving Doc Ford. But in this collection of essays about his travels, you can see that he does not subscribe to Travel & Leisure or Conde Nast Traveler. He picks the damndest places to go, the damndest things to do when he gets there and writes about his experiences in a completely entertaining and very informative fashion. These are not your traditional outings and Mr. White would have it no other way. Hunting crocs with some authentic, although somewhat legal poachers, chasing pigs through cathedrals, exploring the seldom traveled parts of Australia, or fishing for fresh water sharks in Nicaragua (legend has it they exist), he is seldom far from disaster and you perversely kind of wish you were there..but not totally. He shows another side of himself with the gifts he brings to share with unknown Nicaraguan youngsters. I won't spoil the fun of finding out what it is...but it shows a softer side of the author, which is as welcome as his normal personna.

The Best in the Business:
If you like your writing vivid and flush with the kind of humor that severely tests internal organs, look no further. This collection of pieces written initially for Outside magazine takes the reader off the beaten track to a world of radioactive night crawlers, illegally salvaged golf balls and pigs of prey, among other delights. Randy Wayne White has a wonderful talent for observation which, meshed with a finely honed sense of the absurd, has produced some of the most original travel writing anywhere. Take a trip with him; you won't regret it.

Ramblings, with plenty of white space:
A very quick read. Somewhat entertaining, but not much substance for prospective travelers to Nicarauga or elsewhere. The cover, or dust cover, of this book I bought via Amazon in May of 2000 looks nothing like the artwork on the Amazon web page I bought it from. Recommend you get this book in the library, read it and put it back on the shelf, as this is easily accomplished in a short library visit. -John

Please, Mr. White, write us some more like these!:
With this wonderful book you can enjoy some wild adventures from the comfort of your own easy chair while the author gets: dirty, sick, scared, fascinated, informed, bored, and made a fool of! (Ok, I know about the preposition). ...but you won't sympathize, you'll empathize and smile alot or even laugh out loud. These are adrenalin drenched, beautifully told tales that will leave you enlightened and uplifted. Please, Mr. White, write us some more!