A stunning and evocative ecological mystery that would not be out of place in the adventure fiction category. Engrossing from beginning to end. Jeff Vandermeer, bestselling author of Annihilation
The Golden Toad is storytelling at its best and an inspirational account of people who dedicated their lives to protecting the cloud forest. At times heartbreaking, other times joyful, the narrative encourages us to think about conservation, extinction, and the value of friends and family. The Ritland brothers have guaranteed that not only will the stories of the golden toads survive, but that these jewels of the forest will endure in our memories and in our hearts and will inspire us to respect both forest and frogs. Martha L. (Marty) Crump, author of Frog Day and editor of Lost Frogs & Hot Snakes
We live at a difficult moment in our planet's history; this book does a remarkably good job at dealing with the epic losses all around us and maintaining a sense of possibility. It is what nature writing needs to look like in our time. Bill McKibben, Cofounder of 350.org and author of Here Comes the Sun
The Golden Toad is a riveting and dramatic mystery and adventure story! These two intrepid authors are masterful storytellers, and delightful guides to a rainforest paradise that still guards its secrets." Sy Montgomery, author of New York Times bestseller The Soul of an Octopus
A captivating story of adventure in the name of science. Follow these intrepid brothers through the jungle as they go on a journey of discoveryabout themselves, and the forests and animals around them, and the fate of nature in our ever-changing world. Steve Brusatte, Paleontologist and New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs
A gripping amphibian adventure set in one of the worlds wildest, most wondrous places. In the spirit of David Quammen and Elizabeth Kolbert, Trevor and Kyle Ritland delve deep into history, science, and the rainforest itself in pursuit of an ecological mysteryand the charismatic, possibly nonexistent species that possesses them. Ben Goldfarb, award-winning author of Crossings and Eager The Ritlands have crafted a remarkable story of mystery, discovery, and loss, using language both beautiful and lush. I absolutely loved it. Jonathan C. Slaght, author of Owls of the Eastern Ice
Compellingly told by brothers Trevor and Kyle Ritland, The Golden Toad is a story of extraordinary animals, ordinary heroes, and the planet they share. Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction
Kyle and Trevor Ritland craft a spellbinding narrative that traverses the misty heights of Costa Ricas cloud forests, and the shadowed depths of humankinds impact on the natural world. Their journey, interwoven with that of the golden toad, is one of reckoning, longing, and ultimately, reconciliation. With prose that is both urgent and lyrical, they deliver a story as vibrant as the creature it seeks to illuminate. The Golden Toad is a gripping exploration of loss and hope. Its a poignant reminder of the fragile wonders we stand to loseand the resilience needed to fight for them. Chris Kalman, author of Damned if You Don't
"The Ritlands carry the reader on a journey filled with grace, dripping moss, and all the dark, lonely beauty of the Costa Rican mountaintop rainforest. They make loss tangible, while keeping a flicker of hope alive through those vested in conservation and love for what exists." Emily Monosson, author of Blight: Fungi and the Coming Pandemic
Part memoir, part detective story, a beautifully written account of the grief of species loss, both personal and planetary, that also contains a flickering candle of hope. A reminder of how much humans still have to learn about the mysteries and miracles of the natural world. Ash Davidson, author of Damnation Spring
