A Wild Idea Audiobook By Jonathan Franklin cover art

A Wild Idea

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A Wild Idea

By: Jonathan Franklin
Narrated by: George Newbern
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Why would a San Francisco entrepreneur sell his company, fly to the ends of the earth, invest millions restoring paradise, then fight like hell to give it all away?

In 1991, Doug Tompkins left his luxury life in San Francisco and flew 6,500 miles south to a shack in Patagonia that his friends nicknamed "Hobbit House". Mounted on wooden skids that allowed oxen to drag it through the cow fields, Hobbit House had for a refrigerator a metal box chilled from the icy cold winds off the glacier. Rainwater dripped from a rooftop barrel into the rustic kitchen. Earlier tenants include a sheepherder with little more than his dogs and a rifle. Instead of the Golden Gate Bridge, Tompkins now stared at Volcano Michinmahuida, blanketed in snow and prowled by mountain lions the size of small tigers.

Shielded by wilderness and waterfalls and tucked into a remote forest with three times the rainfall of Seattle, Tompkins plotted his counterattack against corporate capitalism. As founder of Esprit and The North Face he had “made things nobody needed”. Now he declared it was time to “pay my rent for living on this planet”. Could he undo the environmental damage produced by his prodigious clothes manufacturing? Could he launch a new brand, one that promoted environmental conservation, preservation, and restoration?

In Patagonia, Tompkins adored his pioneer existence. All his belongings fit in a single duffel bag. When hungry, he fished from his front yard and harvested vegetables from a greenhouse. Tompkins kayaked along the rivers, ice-climbed glaciers, and waited until the ocean storms reached a frothy peak to pilot his wood-hulled crab boat into the raging waves of the Pacific. Within a hundred miles there were virtually no roads and his old farm was accessible to the occasional fishing boat and a battered airstrip.

Flying his small plane for hundreds of hours, he explored. The average plot of land is 10,000 acres, and the price per acre is as little as US $25. It was all for sale and about to be destroyed by clearcut logging. Zooming over treetops and around mountain peaks, Tompkins flew inside tight canyons and gaped at the singular beauty: active volcanoes, gliding condors, forests never logged, rivers never dammed - all so undisturbed, so exquisitely designed, without a single flaw. Could he protect this wild beauty? Place a frame around this perfect creation? For the ensuing quarter century that dream, that obsession became his life.

Only in death did it become his legacy.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Jonathan Franklin (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers
Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Conservation Environment Environmentalists & Naturalists Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Professionals & Academics Science Inspiring Heartfelt
Fascinating Conservation Story • Riveting Environmental Journey • Easy Listening Voice • Profound Impact • Educational Tale
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A Hagiographic portrait of a rich environmentalist who saved millions of acres in Chile and Argentina.

The details

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While I have seen documentaries and other stories about the history of Patagonia and Doug and Yvoone’s adventures, this book had many stories or details that I hadn’t heard. It was a great listen!

Interesting story!

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Douglas Thompkins' development as a nature preserver and advocate is a great journey, but unfortunately this book is only an overview of it. It does not go into details that demonstrate his herculean work and his faith in carrying it out. It would have been a modern “Book of Job” if done correctly. Unfortunately that does not happen.

Very interesting, but…

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Very inspiring story. Well written and perfect narration. I did not want it to end.

Fantastic Biography

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Thought it was interesting but the rich guy saves the world theme is kind of boring.

Interesting story, well performed at best.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this book. What a wild ride through life and and an influence that will be apparent for generations. I might have slept with that Husky (plane) as well!

A wonderful book

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Thank you to everyone for their dedication and hard work to make the parks possible and the Telly of the stories in this book. Thank you <3

Thank You

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enjoyed the determination to follow your mind no matter who stands with your dream.

life's journey

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A great look back at one of the great marketers and entrepreneurs and environmentalists of our age. Deeply compelling, riveting and thoughtfully researched.

Loved!!!!

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I bought this after listening to Let My People Go Surfing. Can’t say enough good things. An amazing testament to the work of Doug Tompkins.

Spectacular in every way.

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