Acknowledgments
This book would not exist without the creative vision and hard work of two key people: Sarah Blunt, senior radio producer at the BBC in Bristol, and Jamie Joseph, senior commissioning editor at Penguin Random House.
It’s been my pleasure to work with Sarah on numerous natural-history radio programs over the years. Her skill and ability at turning my tree-climbing thoughts and ramblings into radio that people might want to listen to is a source of constant wonder to me. Jamie happened to tune in one day and contacted me out of the blue to suggest there may be a book about climbing trees in there somewhere.
Jamie has been absolutely instrumental in getting this book under way and championing the idea to make it a reality. Without his call (or tweet!) this book wouldn’t have happened, and the stories contained here would never have left the pages of my diaries. Both Jamie and Sarah took a punt on me and I am humbly grateful for the opportunity to work with them both.
Many of the chapters in this book recount exploits experienced while filming in the jungle canopy for National Geographic, the BBC, and various independent film companies. Many people are involved in such productions, and each has had an important role to play in helping those projects become a reality. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to have worked with you all along the way. Thank you in particular to the following people (many of whom appear in this book) for helping to make each trip to the jungle such a wonderful and memorable experience: John Waters, Genevieve Taylor, Michael “Nick” Nichols, Dave Morgan, Brian Leith, Ralph Bower, Huw Cordey, Mike Salisbury, Sean Christian, Justine Evans, Rupert Barrington, Rebecca Cecil-Wright, Mirko Fernandez, Kevin Flay, David Roubik, Guy Grieve, Melanie Price, Tom Greenwood, Brett Mifsud, James Smith, Nick Dunbar, Bob Pelage, Rachael Kinley, Jim Hoesterey, Tom Hugh-Jones, and my childhood friend Simon Holloway. A special thanks to Adrian Seymour and Graham Hatherley for having my back during our harpy eagle adventure and—of course—to Sir David Attenborough, whose enthusiasm and passion for the natural world have been a major source of inspiration for millions of us over the years.
Thank you to the fantastic teams at PRH here in the UK, and HMH in the United States, including Kealey Rigden, Di Riley, Bethany Wood, Rae Shirvington, Lisa White, Beth Burleigh Fuller, and copy editors Will Atkins and Susanna Brougham. Thank you also to Alistair Carr, Helen Macdonald, and Justin Marozzi—three hugely experienced and talented writers—for giving a complete novice like me encouragement and invaluable advice on how the publishing world works. Alistair, your generous personal advice and support have been particularly inspirational and appreciated. Thank you.
Gratitude is also due to all those freethinking tree climbers and friends whom I have had the pleasure of spending time with in the canopy over the years. There have been many from all corners of our planet, but my particular thanks and respect go to Waldo Etherington and Ben Jones, for being constant sources of positive energy and fun while up in the trees.
Very special thanks to both Paddy Graham and Phil Hurrell for getting me off the ground in the first place. Paddy, your infectious enthusiasm for climbing trees while we were growing up in the Forest was a source of constant fun and inspiration. Phil, you will always have my humble gratitude for helping me get a footing in the wildlife film industry, and for providing such generous advice, support, and friendship at every turn. You are a legend.
Likewise, thank you to cameraman and friend Gavin Thurston, for letting me camera-assist him for so many years. Some of my enthusiastic assistance in the early years would probably qualify as “negative help,” but I learned an immeasurable amount along the way, and every trainee cameraman needs someone to look up to.
My enduring appreciation, love, and gratitude to my mother, Alison, and father, Chris, for their unfailing support in helping me follow my dreams. I don’t really know where to begin—there being a million reasons to be grateful—but my heartfelt thanks go to you both. This book owes its beginnings to you.
Finally, there’s no way I could have written this book without the support, patience, and love of my wife, Yogita, and our boys, Rohan, Tarun, and Eshan. Eshan, our youngest, arrived halfway through the writing of this book, so to say this past year has been a wee bit intense would be to fall spectacularly short of the truth. Yogita, I am in awe of you. Not only did you give birth to our wonderful third son, but you also somehow managed to give me the time and space I needed to write this book. It would not exist without your unconditional love and support. The next three hundred school runs are on me! And lads, now that the book’s finished, we can spend our weekends visiting trees, museums, and castles again—oh, lucky you!
For all of you who may wish to find out about what you can do to help preserve the remaining rainforest and its wildlife, I could do far worse than suggest you pay the following websites a quick visit. Thank you!
Wildlife Conservation Society
Goualougo Triangle Ape Project
Greenpeace
World Land Trust
Rainforest Alliance
Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation