Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate: Exotic and Unseen Costa Rica

This is one of my favorite books about nature. My family and I went to Costa Rica in 2023 and I loved the stories from this book leading up to our trip. My son, who was 8, referenced the story about leaf cutter ants to our guide and he was so impressed. He wanted to know how we learned about them. I love how much emphasis is put on restoring nature and I'd really love to go visit Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge after reading this book. Our trip to Costa Rica was one of the best vacations of our lives. Reading "Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate: Exotic and Unseen Costa Rica" only served to enhance our visit. I'd recommend it to any nature lover. It's fascinating.

This is a terrific compilation of essays from an author who lives in Costa Rica and makes his living by understanding the nature of this Central American country. The essays range from environmentalism to animals, evolution, and conservation.I purchased this book in advance of a family trip to Guanacaste in northwest Costa Rica. I consider this book a must-have for advance research, planning and understanding of the natural-side of this extremely eco-friendly and eco-aware country. "Monkeys" will provide insight into the country's natural history and you'll feel more prepared and aware of what the country has offer.The short essays(ranging from 3-6 pages each) are a quick read - perfect for the pool, beach or plane.

I purchased this book prior to traveling to Costa Rica with a group of friends. It was purchased along with a few guidebooks. My friends all purchased guidebooks as well. This is not a guidebook. It will not tell you how to ID anything or where anything is located, but it will tell more about the real Costa Rica than any guidebook can.This book was passed around on my tour more than any of the guidebooks. Nobody who read it could put it down, and they all wanted to talk about it each other (so the next person said, "Can I read that?").The author is a great storyteller and not at all preachy. The book is broken down into short, fun stories (the moral of most of them is conservation...but having a moral doesn't get in the way of the enjoyment of the story). Easily read by even the biology layperson.The book was read in 1-2 sittings by most of my friends. That's a sure sign of a good read.

Exceptionally well written and important book. The author is passionate about his subject and is a talented story teller. If you've had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica, the stories in this book will resonate strongly as many of the animals and nature described in this book are typically Costa Rican and difficult to avoid when you are there. The stories are written with a friendly and funny narrative tone which draws in the reader. Also the short chapters in the book each devoted to an animal or natural phenomenon allow readers to gain a wide and varied exposure to many subjects. I've been to Costa Rica on two occasions, and reading this book motivates me to return and discover some of the natural wonders I've yet had a chance to see. This is a fascinating read!

A friend was traveling to Costa Rica, and I gifted her this book. She loved it. The seller was quick with shipping, had a great price, and arrived in perfect condition.

Cool anecdotal stories but writing is at times amateurish. Writer has good intentions.

I read this on the plane trip to Costa Rica because I could not find a satisfactory guide to the animals and ecosystems that I was visiting. The descriptions and stories really stuck with me while I witnessed all the life that was accessible to my eye in the vast CR ecosystems.

This is a terrific collection of essays about Costa Rica, its biodiversity, wildlife and natural history. little sprinklings of culture also give the reader a notion of how we live and interact with our natural world. Jacks cleanly, crisply written prose provides colorful and detailed description of the Hacienda Baru natural wildlife refuge on Costa Rica's central Pacific coast. The reserve occupies a critical position within the Path of the Tapir initiative aimed at improving wildlife habitat and the ability of the country's megafauna, such as tapirs and jaguars, to move along their historic biogical corridors. Particularly compelling is Jack's retelling of how the reserve converted from its past use as a cattle ranch. "Turns out," he writes, "if you stop clearing weeds, forest comes back." A very enjoyable read, with much to say about our future and living sustainably.