A young man who grew up during the 1950s in South Florida, fed his imagination by reading books about the exploits of explorers and animal collectors that fueled his dreams of adventure, becomes an explorer of the wild American tropics. Danger and excitement are all in a day's work as he seeks to capture deadly pit vipers, giant poisonous frogs, land iguanas and boas, in deserts, on uninhabited islands, and steamy jungles. Those fond of travel to Florida, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and South America will appreciate his stories of the land, people, history, and wildlife in a recent past era. For fans of true-life adventure, the trials, and tribulations of seat-of-the-pants, solo travel, of dealing with unexpected dangers with only grit and determination, of being saved by angels too often to be just chance, will keep you hooked. Lovers of wildlife, especially reptiles, and the wild places where they live, will find hundreds of species mentioned in the text. Herpetologists, especially, will enjoy a nostalgic, factual look back at "how it was" in the wild world of herping in the 1960s and early '70s. Koulèv - Book One includes over 150 photos, clippings, maps, and suggested reading.