Osa and Martin For the Love of Adventure

Osa and Martintells the story of world-renowned adventurers Osa and Martin Johnson, who, from the 1910s through the 1940s, brought the jungles of Africa and the South Pacific to millions of Americans. It takes us from their first expedition to the South Seas, which established their public image as an independent, daring couple, to their first African adventure, where they proved their films were authentic glimpses of untarnished nature. From their jungle camp in northern Kenya, they filmed and lived with wildlife while Osa drew upon her pioneer roots to carve a home in the wilderness. Back in America, Martin found respect among men of science, while Osa flirted with an intrigued general public. She wrote children's books about her exotic pets, began her own line of clothing, and marketed stuffed animals to benefit wildlife conservation. After Martin's death, Osa returned to Africa only once, but she remained an influential voice in the field of wildlife conservation until her death in 1953. The first book on this legendary pair written for a general audience,Osa and Martinis a thrilling and inspiring read.

Kelly Enright, who holds a PhD in American History from Rutgers University, is the author of Rhinoceros and America’s Natural Places: Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. She lives in Vail, Colorado.