
The Puma Years
A Memoir
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Narrated by:
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Laura Coleman
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By:
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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.Listeners also enjoyed...




















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)
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Amazing, inspiring & Heartwarming!
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Authors should not narrate
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Unforgettable
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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…..🫤
Could Not Finish…
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Beautifully written
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Extrenely descriptive but not enough storyline for me.
Seemed right for a teenager!
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Absolutely incredible!
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Incredible
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A must read
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Listening to this narrated by the author, I feel like the experience is unparalleled. The clear passion in her voice, the expression that anyone else would need to imitate but for her is just telling her story, it's unmatchable.
To be clear, I've always been passionate about animals, conservation, and protection. It was easy for me to relate to the struggles that Laura and the sanctuary went through, to feel the desire to work hard and make a difference, no matter how small. This book is incredibly inspiring, sad, motivating, and uplifting. We all have to keep doing our parts.
Beautiful and Important
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