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A review by gniknej
The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell
5.0
“...his behavior was more like that of the perfect host at a grand society banquet, His Excellency Don Juan Salvador de Pingüino. Witty, urbane, and dressed immaculately in white tie and tails, with a confidence born of a noble ancestry, superior learning, and wider experience, His Excellency circulated among his guests.”
The Penguin Lessons is one of the most charming books I have ever read. Never have I been a big reader of non-fiction stories, but I couldn’t resist a story of a man who rescued a penguin from an oil spill and consequently gained an adorable companion. The author’s prose is witty and insightful and I often found myself laughing out loud to some of his remarks. The title truly reflects the author’s lessons learned from not only his penguin friend, Juan Salvado, but from the experience of living and traveling in South America as a young british man.
“I wanted to experience some of life’s challenges without the security of a safety net. If there are always cows in the field, hens in the barn, and dinner on the table, where is the challenge and excitement?”
As much as I loved reading the stories about Juan Salvado, I also found it interesting to read about life in Argentina and the politics that were going on at the time, especially as it is something not often taught about in history books. With that being said, Tom Michell’s recollection of his time spent with Juan Salvado is also a platform to discuss how environmental and geopolitical issues have affected many wildlife species, particularly the charming and intelligent Magellan penguins.
The Penguin Lessons is a short, enjoyable, and easy read- recommended for anyone who loves traveling, likes watching cute videos of penguins, or who’s bucket list items includes meeting penguins in the wild.
The Penguin Lessons is one of the most charming books I have ever read. Never have I been a big reader of non-fiction stories, but I couldn’t resist a story of a man who rescued a penguin from an oil spill and consequently gained an adorable companion. The author’s prose is witty and insightful and I often found myself laughing out loud to some of his remarks. The title truly reflects the author’s lessons learned from not only his penguin friend, Juan Salvado, but from the experience of living and traveling in South America as a young british man.
“I wanted to experience some of life’s challenges without the security of a safety net. If there are always cows in the field, hens in the barn, and dinner on the table, where is the challenge and excitement?”
As much as I loved reading the stories about Juan Salvado, I also found it interesting to read about life in Argentina and the politics that were going on at the time, especially as it is something not often taught about in history books. With that being said, Tom Michell’s recollection of his time spent with Juan Salvado is also a platform to discuss how environmental and geopolitical issues have affected many wildlife species, particularly the charming and intelligent Magellan penguins.
The Penguin Lessons is a short, enjoyable, and easy read- recommended for anyone who loves traveling, likes watching cute videos of penguins, or who’s bucket list items includes meeting penguins in the wild.