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)

BELLY LAUGHS GALORE

If you need a laugh, get this !! This is the first review I've ever written and I'm compelled to do it because I can't hold back how much I'm enjoying this. I am very picky and critical of anything mediocre and this is wonderful !! I'm only sad that it is going to end in just a few more chapters !! I want a sequel. The author and narration are fantastic !! THANKS FOR HAVING CREATED THIS !! I'M LOVING IT !!

enjoyed this book immensely.

The book reminded me of some of my encounters with wildlife, most funny, a few very scary.

Enjoyed every minute!

This was not only a really fun and exciting book, I learned a ton as well! Definitely put this in your list.

Loved every minute!

This one goes into my hall of all-time favorites! Funny, charming , well written and lighthearted. Peter Allison conveys his love of the bush and its inhabitants in a way that will delight and entertain you.

Pleasantly surprised!

Got this book for free and I was so captivated by the stories. Peter Allison does a great job of telling the stories with wit and personality. I enjoyed this book so much more than I thought.

Very entertaining!

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of anecdotes from safari-land. A little bit coming-of-age, a little bit self-expose, a whole lot funny, and totally charming. Winding through the entire story is a surprising amount of information: history, natural history, animal behavior, botany, psychology, geography and probably a lot of other things I didn't notice because it was so gently integrated. These are stories of the bush told by a safari guide who loved the animals, birds and plants he lived and worked amongst. I suspect this will stay in my favorites so I can listen to bits of it again whenever I have a few minutes. Highly recommended.

Fun and Interesting Adventure

Whatever You Do, Don't Run is a great book if your looking for a little bit of humor and adventure. While Peter Allison is no Bill Bryson, his stories are still well written and pretty humerus. This book shows a very interesting perspective on Africa and paints a wonderful picture of a wild life preserve. The narrator was not my favorite but true to the Authors country of origin and his performance was smooth. Very good book overall, so definitely give it a shot!

Perfect for the armchair adventurist

Charming, sometimes heart-stopping tales of an African Safari guide. I enjoyed every moment of it - the stories, the educational bits, and the author's self-effacing humour.

A fun, kind of Coming-of-Age...

...reminiscence of a young man who followed his bliss! Which in itself makes it worthwhile. This is not a gripping series of anecdotes, as I mistakenly inferred from the title, but rather a collection of vignettes revealed with self-deprecating humor and retrospective insight. This isn’t Twain’s Roughing It(what is?) but the author’s love of wildlife, conservation, the folly of youth and the endangered African bush certainly render it a pleasurable listen.

Interesting prospective

on what going on a safari could be like. I don't know what the name of his company was but I would not have liked the llack of ambiance. It was interesting about the guides life & how he really understood the animals. I've always wanted to go on a safari but fortunately I read this book first. I decided I wouldn't go as I'm not into the joy of watching animals eat each other --