From the Life Journals of William Thacker comes a story that brings us into the heart of the Amazon River Basin.The year was 1967. Will and three of his fellow biology students mount an expedition to Leticia, Colombia, on the banks of the fabled river. They are in search of scientific specimens for the State Museum of Florida in Gainesville. But as Will finds his way along jungle pathways, he rediscovers the true spirit of his quest.In this thrilling saga, the author weaves...

‘A strange book, but its strangeness is what keeps you turning the pages.’ Jennifer Johnston‘I'm always a sucker for redemption stories but this one is really highly entertaining, life-affirming and - yes - charming. On this evidence, William Thacker is a name you will hear a lot more often.’ Matt HaigOn reflection, he should probably continue with the plan. The plan was to get away, wasn't it? What made him deviate from the plan? It was al...

A marketer learns the limitations of language in this "hilarious" and thought-provoking satire ( Flux Magazine).Miles Platting is pulled from the ruins of a shipwreck into a hospital in which no one will speak to him. The founder of Lingua Franca—a naming rights agency committed to renaming every UK town after a corporate sponsor—Miles is desperate to recount the story of his quest for linguistic supremacy to anyone who'll listen.Confined to his be...

On the heels of their experiences in Venezuela's Orinoco Basin, Will Thacker and Joann McVay return with their continuing adventures in The Chronicles of An Exotic Animal Cowboy. This time their research takes them to the vast grasslands of western Paraguay – one of the most sparsely populated places on the planet. Their expedition is interrupted when they encounter the dastardly outlaw El Diablo and his brutal henchmen.The two biologists team up with their trusty sidekick, Tom McC...

Now comes the continuation of The Chronicles of An Exotic Animal Cowboy, the daring journeys of herpetologist Will Thacker and Dr. Joann McVay, his beloved British biologist companion.Packed with action and intrigue, Orinoco is the sequel to Otters on a Plane: The India/Africa Expedition. Join the pair on their grand adventures as they study and collect fascinating wildlife and attempt to preserve endangered species. As usual, danger follows them wherever...

In 1971, two young adventurers strike out on horseback across the mountains and through the jungles of Panama, following the path of Vasco Balbo 458 years earlier. Their destination – the Archipélago de las Perlas in search of the "ghost boa." Danger awaits the pair as they learn that not all that might hurt you can be seen.Don't miss any of William Thacker's adventures: Otters on a Plane • Orinoco • An Untamed Land • Adventure Road • The Gainesville Tales

The misadventures of an Exotic Animal Cowboy come to life in a collection of stories about his early days with animals. The tales unfold in the shadow of the University of Florida during the golden days of peace and love. Join Will Thacker and his friends as they navigate their way through the turbulent sixties and seventies.

Charlie Brown is a warm and humorous vignette set in the wilderness of Central Florida in 1965. Come along as Charlie Brown, a botany professor, and Will Thacker, a zoology student, hunt for venomous cottonmouth moccasins, in the pre-Disney Green Swamp. But hidden danger lurks in the dark waters as Will wades toward the center of a pristine cypress pond to capture a huge cottonmouth. As is always the case with The Life Journals, there is an element of danger as Will finds himself in over h...

When four young university students decide to take an airplane trip to the Caribbean to collect animals, they have no idea what's in store for them. The only thing they have in common is a love for exotic creatures and learning how to study and protect them. Little did they know what lay ahead of them on their airborne venture into the unknown.Don't miss any of William Thacker's adventures in The Chronicles of An Exotic Animal Cowboy: OTTERS ON A PLANE • INTO THE ORINOCO BASIN • TH...

After returning from an expedition to India and Africa herpetologist Will Thacker continues his quest for exotic animals. His concern for the endangered Orinoco crocodile takes him to Venezuela to study these prehistoric reptiles and to collect juveniles of the species to help start breeding programs at zoos in the United States.Will is accompanied on his journey by Dr. Joann McVay, the British biologist he met in India at the Sundarban Tiger Reserve. The pair engages Tom McClimon,...

Come along as four young explorers set out on an overland expedition to Mexico and Guatemala on a voyage of exploration and discovery.This true story recounts the experiences of recent high school graduates who travel from their Florida hometown to the unfamiliar mountains and tropical jungles of Central America.Piled into a specially-equipped Land Rover, pulling a trailer laden with the supplies and provisions needed for an eight-week road trip, they travel west to Texas, ...

Recently returned from a remote Piaroa village in the Orinoco basin of Venezuela, Will Thacker and the British biologist Joann McVay find unexpected adventure in Gainesville, Florida, during the cultural upheaval of the 1970s.For the first time, the enchanting Joann is visiting Will in his world, where he operates his Living Reptiles import company. The pair explores some of the region's most out-of-the-way locations and falls more deeply in love with each passing day. They discove...