Why read The Lizard King?

Book cover of The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers

Book description

When Bryan Christy began to investigate the world of reptile smuggling, he had no idea what he would be in for. In the course of his research, he was bitten between the eyes by a blood python, chased by a mother alligator, and sprayed by a bird-eating tarantula. But perhaps…

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Topics

Snakes

Genres

True crime

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Lizard King as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Dawn Baumann Brunke

Author

While this book is less about snakes and more about the people who are obsessed with snakes, I recommend it for a fascinating perspective on the dark intrigue and alluring mystery inherent in our relationship with snakes.

Why are some individuals (and institutions!) willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money to possess a rare snake? Why do wildlife traffickers go to incredibly dangerous lengths to find, capture and smuggle snakes on trucks, trains, and planes across international borders? And why do others make it their personal mission to stop these illegal activities?

An engaging book that is difficult to put…

From Dawn's list on the history, mystery, and healing power of snakes.