Whatever You Do, Don't Run

True Tales of a Botswana Safari Guide

By: Peter Allison

Narrated by: Antony Ferguson

Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Whatever You Do, Don't Run is a hilarious collection of true tales from top ­safari guide Peter Allison. In a place where the wrong behavior could get you eaten, Allison has survived face-to-face encounters with big cats, angry ­elephants, and the world's most unpredictable animals: herds of untamed tourists and foolhardy guides whose outrageous antics sometimes make them even more dangerous than a pride of hungry lions!

Join Allison as he faces down charging lions (twice); searches for a drunk, half-naked tourist who happens to be a member of the British royal family; drives a Land Rover full of tourists into a lagoon full of hippos; and adopts the most ­vicious animal in Africa as his "pet". Full of lively humor and a genuine love and respect for Botswana and its rich wildlife, Whatever You Do, Don't Run takes you to where the wild things are and introduces you to a place where every day is a new adventure!

©2007 Peter Allison (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Allison's infectious enthusiasm for both the African bush and his job showing its wonders to tourists is readily apparent, making for a fast and very entertaining read." ( Booklist)

short good home spun stories

Would you listen to Whatever You Do, Don't Run again? Why?

yes - interesting enough

Any additional comments?

at times it nice to have a series of short stories that are interesting and sometimes humorous. when the long epic fantasies and other novels start to bog you down this is a great book to turn to. I enjoy reading about wildlife and animals.

Just plain fun.

When you get tired of your own life and just want to escape into someone else's shoes for a bit, may I recommend this book?

"Whatever You Do, Don't Run" is a series of many different little anecdotes and personal experiences from an African safari guide who I wish would be my friend. I could imaging many entertaining dinner parties with great conversation and lots of laughs.

Yes, it's not very long, but the vignettes are easily split into bit sized chunks - perfect for making those afternoons spent running errands more enjoyable.

stuck in traffic then listen to this book

I love to listen to audio books on my drive to and from work and when I have to drive is part of my job. I don't get upset if I get stuck in traffic or if traffic is slow or rerouted when I have a good book to listen to. although I normally listen to mysteries and crime novels that have a comedy twist I listened to this book and left probably more than I have with previous audiobooks I've listened to.
even if you don't like animals The Adventures of the author as a guide will make you laugh until you cry.

Food Runs

Very unique and entertaining book with stories about situations that I will never be in! Great book to listen to when your not in the mood for a heavy drama or SciFi.

Narrator is a perfect fit.

Easy listen

Enjoyable stories from a safari guide, lots of animal stories and descriptions. Not really humorous and nothing outstanding. An easy listen.

Not at all what I expected . . .

My purchase for this listen was based on a love for animals and the book's title . In retrospect I should have browsed through the reviews first. I just found it dull.

Enthralling book

Learned things about safaris that I never knew and how indispensable good guides are. Wonderful writing.

Humorous behind-the-scene look at safari guiding

This isn't a laugh-out-loud all the way through the book type of humor, but it is a memoir done by a man who has made quite a few questionable decisions around wild animals, yet lived to tell his tales. And, he is humble enough to tell stories where he has been in quite a pickle. He is probably more expert with animals than he leads readers to believe, or one of the luckiest men on the planet. The humor comes from the stories that he tells at his own expense, a quiet, keen and gentle observation of animals and of humanity.

The circle of life that is so obvious to people who live with wild animals was a bit of a shock to me, the births, seasons, and death of animals that come and go through the pages. Some of the animals with names, who had years of interaction with the safari guides, had personalities that are recalled and treasured by Peter Allison and made an impact on me. I am so glad that they are recalled in a book and that I could know them just a little.

For anyone who enjoys animals, even if it just our domesticated dogs and cats, this memoir will be fun reading. For people-watchers, this book is just as fun since the people who came to take part in a safari came from all over the world, and Peter Allison described their traits or quirks with as keen an eye as he described wild animals.

If you are pretty certain that you'll never be able to go on a safari in your lifetime, then reading this book is going to bring you very close to the experience. Without the bug bites, mice, dirt, heat, and snakes and large predators.

And, not being an adrenaline junky, it was interesting to see the way a brave person thinks - both in deciding to do something I would never do, and then seeing how he managed to survive, and then look back on it with self-deprecating humor.

Peter Allison has had a lot of exciting adventures in his life. I'm glad he shared them.

Great

Excellent storytelling! I hope that my adventures can rise to this.level in the future.

Really enjoyable and pretty funny at times

It’s not a serious read, just something to pass the time but extremely enjoyable for a fellow adventure lover!