About the Author

Juliane Koepcke grew up in Lima and the rainforest, where her parents founded the Panguana ecological research station. She earned a doctoral degree in biology and works for the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology in Munich. Juliane is continually drawn back to the terrain that threatened to take her, returning to Peru every year where she runs Panguana, which she is working to expand and turn into a nature reserve. She recently received the prestigious Corine Literature Prize for her book. Her incredible story was documented in the film Wings of Hope, directed by Werner Herzog.

Reviews

'She did not leave the airplane, the airplane left her' Werner Herzog, director of Grizzly Man 'Juliane Koepcke writes compellingly of the crash and her unusual childhood' Financial Times (DE) 'Exhilaratingly written' Express (DE) 'Her memoir is a gripping account of a harrowing adventure and an inspiring life' Publishers Weekly 'Her account of the 11-day trek is enthralling. In shock and suffering from injuries, she made it to a river's edge without her eyeglasses, wearing just a minidress and one sandal. It was rainy season, so there was no fruit to eat. She was either freezing or boiling, set upon by bugs. She contended with stingrays, snakes, king vultures and caimans. Eventually, local woodcutters found her and mistook her for a water goddess. Brought to safety, she became an international icon of hope.' Maclean's Magazine