Snakebit

A rollicking ride into the wild world of reptiles and amphibians and the scientists who study them.

Snake-charmer Leslie Anthony recounts his journey from a childhood fascination with snakes through a fledgling academic career to professional association with some of the world's greatest herpetologists. Anthony combines passion, adventure, travel, biology and conservation in an accessible, hilarious read backed by rigorous and well-researched science. Snakebit sheds new light on these slithering, slimy creatures and will change the way readers think about them. Also available in hardcover.

Leslie Anthony is an avid adventurer who has won awards for his poetry and is acclaimed for his work in outdoor, action sport, and general-interest magazines such as Skier, Equinox, explore, and Powder. He also holds a PhD in zoology from the University of Toronto and was a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University's Redpath Museum. The author of Snakebit: Confessions of a Herpetologist and White Planet: A Mad Dash through Modern Global Ski Culture, he lives in Whistler, BC.

"Leslie Anthony's takes scientists out of the world of labcoats and pocket protectors as he details fieldwork that would fit right into an Indiana Jones adventure film, but he never lets us forget that these are highly trained people doing important work." -Vancouver Sun

"Snakebit is a romp through the world of snakes and those that study them. Witty, serious and a reminder of the wonder of nature and those that study it, it's a must for the naturalist in all of us." -Owen Sound Times

"Anthony blends science writing with travelogue and history in this learned but light-hearted memoir." -Georgia Straight

"Anthony's writing style is engaging and his insights into the herpetological community and biology of amphibians and reptiles are genuine and accurate . . . The exotic locations are made all the more exotic by the expedition members and the author's ability to tell a good story." -Herplit, Journal from the Society for the Study of Amphibians

"Leslie Anthony leads the reader through desert and jungle to reveal the strange world of snakes and the often stranger fraternity that pursues them." -Vancouver Sun

"A fascinating and often thrilling peek into the world of herpetology." -Edmonton Journal

"A haphazard tour through the natural history of snakes and amphibians enlivened with vivid anecdotes that will make everyone who has ever dreamed of an Indiana Jones-style career glad they chose a desk job over the jungle." -Globe & Mail

"A trove of smart, stylish writing about linguistics, biology, geography and mythology - as well as snake lovers with missing digits, hysterical gardeners and church ladies." -The Tyee

"Part memoir, part sociological investigation of herpetologist culture, Anthony explores what it means to be snakebit." -Publishers Weekly