The Puma Years

A Memoir

By: Laura Coleman

Narrated by: Laura Coleman

In this rapturous memoir, writer and activist Laura Coleman shares the story of her liberating journey in the Amazon jungle, where she fell in love with a magnificent cat who changed her life.

Laura was in her early twenties and directionless when she quit her job to backpack in Bolivia. Fate landed her at a wildlife sanctuary on the edge of the Amazon jungle where she was assigned to a beautiful and complex puma named Wayra. Wide-eyed, inexperienced, and comically terrified, Laura made the scrappy, make-do camp her home. And in Wayra, she made a friend for life.

They weren’t alone, not with over a hundred quirky animals to care for, each lost and hurt in their own way: a pair of suicidal, bra-stealing monkeys, a frustrated parrot desperate to fly, and a pig with a wicked sense of humor. The humans too were cause for laughter and tears. There were animal whisperers, committed staff, wildly devoted volunteers, handsome heartbreakers, and a machete-wielding prom queen who carried Laura through. Most of all, there was the jungle - lyrical and alive - and there was Wayra, who would ultimately teach Laura so much about love, healing, and the person she was capable of becoming.

Set against a turbulent and poignant backdrop of deforestation, the illegal pet trade, and forest fires, The Puma Years explores what happens when two desperate creatures in need of rescue find one another.

©2021 Laura Coleman. “She Unnames Them” by Ursula K. Le Guin was published in the January 21, 1985, print edition of the New Yorker magazine. (P)2021 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Coleman's lovely English voice sounds emotionally honest, self-reflective, and expressive. She illuminates her story with a sense of place - its wet seasons, terrifying forest fires, dispiriting mass logging, and torturous mosquitoes.... Coleman's voice grows more confident as she finds her purpose and her people.” (AudioFile Magazine)

“The Puma Years is a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the animals rescued by a sanctuary, Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi, in Bolivia. And it is the heartwarming story of the relationship that grew up between Laura Coleman and a puma, a relationship that only deepened over the years. I visited the sanctuary years ago - what a wonderful place, dedicated staff and passionate volunteers. Engaging and inspiring - you will love this book.” (Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and UN Messenger of Peace)

“Readers will be hooked by Coleman’s compelling storytelling right from the opening pages.... There are poignant breakthroughs, unsettling setbacks, terrifying dangers, narrow escapes, heartbreaking separations and reunions, and hookups and relationships, all channeled through Coleman’s honest, wry, self-effacing, and always entertaining narrative.... This is an amazing tale, one that readers will remember.” (Booklist, starred review)

It is a jungle out there.

This book sort of made me wish to be in my 20s again and brave enough to venture into a foreign country. Not sure that I could have handled the parasites, but the allure of the jungle and the wildlife would certainly have tempted. This is a stark picture of what volunteers have (or had) to endure to volunteer in this area: poor nutrition, lack of proper medical (and veterinary) care, mosquitos, spiders, floods, and fires. More than that though, this book is about the relationships that the author develops with the animals, the other volunteers, and with herself. The author not only recounts her journey, but brings the reader with her. The descriptions of the animals and their personalities bring them to life. The thing about this book is that it is not just about her time and connection to the animals and the jungle, but it also focuses attention on the impacts of deforestation and the illegal pet trade.

Thank you for what you are doing

I love the authors voice filled with passion. I felt like I was there in the jungle.

Amazing story and performance

I loved listening to her voice. Her vivid descriptions bring the pages to life and really work the imagination. She's real and you feel the emotions she expresses in the book. She does an excellent job of helping to reader understand a bit more about issues facing the jungle. I would highly recommend reading it.

Amazing, inspiring & Heartwarming!

Thank you for writing this wonderful memoir of love and caring for our world's beautiful animals. What an experience in the jungles of Bolivia. I am a large & small cat lover & spend my retirement rescuing ferel cats from the streets of Mexico. It is so rewarding. This book is truly inspiring.

Authors should not narrate

Lovely and interesting story, but I really think authors should not narrate their own stories, especially if they can't do accents or male and female voices.

Unforgettable

This is an inspiring book. it merges the spontaneity of youth with basic survival in the Bolivian jungle and an unforgettable love of a very special cat!

Could Not Finish…

This book started out really well, but eventually became very tiresome. Narrator good at first but then became irritating and annoying. I particularly felt frustrated with how she kept slipping into speaking Spanish without any explanation of what she meant. I don’t speak Spanish!!

Parts of the story, particularly in the beginning were absolutely fascinating, especially her relationships with all the wild animals. Ultimately became repetitive and kind of boring to the point where I was hearing the words, but not really listening. Finally, I just couldn’t listen any more and decided to just abandon it. Too bad…..🫤

Beautifully written

I highly recommend this book- it’s valuable in educating people on the tragedies that are happening to our wild life and our world. Laura is not only an amazingly talented writer, but also had a beautiful and eloquent voice as the reader - her performance was exquisite!

Seemed right for a teenager!

I was impressed with the stlye and the narration is pleasant but the story line made me feel it was suited for a teenager - young.
Extrenely descriptive but not enough storyline for me.

Absolutely incredible!

This book was absolutely phenomenal. I felt like I was in the jungle with her, and was so invested in each of the unique, funny, and sassy animals. I bought a hard copy as well so I can “hold” onto this one - it’s that good