What turns a lifetime of adventure into a story that lasts?
In a recent episode of The Munn Avenue Muse, Charlie Levin sat down with Todd Gustafson, a wildlife photographer, PBS documentarian, and composer whose memoir, Tales from the Ends of the Earth: My Adventures in East Africa and Beyond, has already reached #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list. Todd’s story isn’t just about breathtaking encounters with wildlife. It’s about how a life fully lived becomes a legacy worth passing on.
A Childhood Shaped by the Wild
Todd’s creative foundation was laid far from classrooms or studios. He grew up in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania, nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, surrounded by rainforest, chameleons, and Colobus monkeys. His father, an architect, biologist, and missionary, moved the family there in the 1960s to build a secondary school.
That early immersion didn’t just influence Todd’s career. It shaped his worldview. Nature wasn’t something to visit. It was home. And for decades, he’s returned the favor by documenting it with patience, respect, and remarkable skill.
Beyond “Pretty Pictures”: Learning to Tell a Story
One of the most revealing moments Todd shared was when he first considered making a book. His son Anders, a filmmaker, offered blunt feedback: a collection of beautiful images without a narrative would be “boring.”
That critique changed everything.
Instead of assembling a photo album, Todd approached his book like a silent film. Images introduce characters. Sequences establish rhythm. The structure mirrors the human condition: courtship, family, competition, survival. In doing so, Todd found the connective tissue between human life and the natural world.
The result is a book that doesn’t just show animals. It helps readers recognize themselves.
Stick‑tuitivity and the Long Game
Todd credits much of his success to what his mother called “stick‑tuitivity,” the ability to stay with something long after it gets hard.
That persistence paid off when he pursued legendary primatologist Jane Goodall to narrate his PBS documentary series. After years of navigating gatekeepers, Todd finally met her in Seattle for a recording session he describes as unforgettable. Goodall later contributed a deeply personal three‑page foreword to his book.
The reach of Todd’s work has been equally striking. During a visit to Tanzania, Pope Francis encountered Todd’s books and remarked that they have the “chance to change hearts and minds and make this a better world.”
When the Wild Is Very Real
The memoir is filled with moments that are visceral, unscripted, and decidedly not enhanced by technology:
The Cheetah Encounter: A young cheetah leapt onto the roof of Todd’s vehicle in the Serengeti, sitting just a foot from his face while its mother scanned for prey.
The Leopard Farewell: Two leopard siblings Todd had known since infancy performed a final tumbling ritual before separating forever to claim their own territories.
The Hailstorm: A rare and dangerous hailstorm trapped Todd near a herd of nearly one hundred elephants—an encounter as humbling as it was terrifying.
These moments aren’t shared for spectacle. They are reminders of how small we are—and how connected. Listen or watch while Todd shares some of his most amazing encounters.
Why Stories Matter
Todd likens himself to the ancient mariners of Victorian England—those who returned from distant voyages with shells, artifacts, and tales of far‑off worlds. His photographs and stories are modern equivalents: gems gathered from the edge of the earth, carried back for those who may never go there themselves.
Ultimately, Tales from the Ends of the Earth is about legacy. Todd believes a memoir is one of the greatest gifts we can leave future generations, a way of saying, this is who we were, and this is what we learned. As Jane Goodall writes in the book, everything we do makes a difference. The choice is what kind of difference we decide to make.
Final Thoughts
What makes Tales from the Ends of the Earth endure isn’t just where Todd Gustafson has been, it’s how intentionally he chose to tell it.
This book works because it treats a life story the same way Todd treats the natural world: with patience, structure, and deep respect. For anyone considering a memoir, especially one rooted in experience, expertise, or decades of lived work, Todd’s journey is a reminder that impact doesn’t happen by accident (although happy and unhappy accidents do happen). It comes from persistence, clarity, and a willingness to move beyond “what happened” into why it mattered.
A story lasts when it does more than preserve memories. It invites others in. It teaches. It connects. And in the best cases, like Todd’s, it leaves the world a little more awake than it found it.
At Munn Avenue Press, this is the kind of work we believe in, stories built with intention, care, and a long view toward legacy.
📘 Where to Find the Book
Available now at:
Bookshop.org (supports independent bookstores)
If you are ready to share your own story, whether it is fiction, nonfiction, or a blend of both, Munn Avenue Press is here to help you bring it to life. If you would like to publish your book or your audiobook (or are just dreaming about it), let the MunnAvenuePress.com team help make your dream a reality.
Happy Writing! Charlie Levin, Publisher & Founder
🎧 Listen to the episode now on Munn Avenue Muse.
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