Overview

"Donna aimlessly daydreams of pulling up stakes and starting a new life, but never imagines a chance encounter with a new man will lead her to make a wild, impetuous decision that catapults her on a soul-changing journey. Living in the Amazon rainforest where a host of curious jungle creatures visit her jungle shack, she narrowly dodges disaster on a raging river, gets lost in a tropical swamp, and is struck down by a tormenting tropical disease. But none of that compares to what happens when she embarks on a scientific field trip that unexpectedly alters the course of her life. Tested mentally, physically and spiritually, Donna feels lost in the wilderness, but it is hard for her to be lost when pure joy pounds in her heart and she discovers the way to live her one precious life. Despite being accosted by angry ants and battling inclement weather, she begins work from a tree platform where she captures rare moments in the lives of wild animals, befriends a water-loving agouti, and forms a special bond with a tree, which convinces her it was her wild self who coerced her to travel over ten thousand miles so that it could unleash itself. Written with laugh-out-loud humour and deep compassion, Donna poignantly captures the isolation, challenges, and true beauty of the rainforest where she literally rises above the limitations of her once modern life. ""The big takeaway for me is the fact none of us knows the direction life will take us. It is only when we open our heart and eyes that opportunities present themselves. Bravo to all who have the courage to travel the meandering lane to the unknown.""--Ron Melchiore, Off Grid and Free: My Path to the Wilderness ""Deeply personal, moving, funny, and satisfying ... Reading Donna Mulvenna is like having a heart-to-heart with your best friend about the things that truly matter.""--Jessica Groenendijk, The Giant Otter: Giants of the Amazon"

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9781925856002

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Reviews

"Like a contemporary Jane, Donna describes her experiences in the Amazonian area of French Guinea in a hilarious tone. She proves you don't need Tarzan to worry about the well-being of the rainforests. Chris Honingh, The Pool: Fabulous Short Stories The tapestry of life is woven of many fine threads, each a path and choice through life. While some people experience a deep awakening, others have a profound course change in life. The lucky have both. Happiness is Green is a well written and interesting book that takes the reader along the author's journey, through dialogue conveyed with honesty, wit and from the heart. Connecting to the natural world can be life-changing. The big takeaway for me is the fact none of us knows the direction life will take us. It is only when we open our heart and eyes that opportunities present themselves. Bravo to all who have the courage to travel the meandering lane to the unknown. Ron Melchiore, Off Grid and Free: My Path to the Wilderness 'Happiness is Green' is a beautifully written book of one woman's journey to find true health by reconnecting with nature. Donna Mulvenna's story of her powerful relationship with a tree who shared so much wisdom with her is so touching and moving. This is such an important book for the times we live in. And it is a truly a stunning story!! Sandra Ingerman, Soul Retrieval In Happiness is Green, author Donna Mulvenna leaves behind a world of possessions in order to find a more meaningful place where she will find true happiness. After the silent echoes of ""get out into nature"" haunt her, she pursues a life in the French Guiana with her new partner Frank. In the green equatorial jungle, where there is no twilight, she finds exotic, humorous, and sometimes dangerous experiences. Her breathtaking, honest, and riveting prose takes the readers into the uncanny wild of the Amazon. This ride is a journey for all of us suffering through the downfalls and anxieties of a capitalist lifestyle. Donna exposes a new happiness found in the Amazonian rainforest--a return to nature and the wonder it brings. Mary Woodbury, Winds of Change For anyone who has ever dreamed of ditching corporate life for a foray into the wilds of nature and all the adventures that come with such a move, this book is for you. Its pages will allow you to travel vicariously, fascinated and inspired, as you watch Mulvenna's adventure unfold. Her words might also shake something in your own soul, telling you it's time to pick up and go. Jennie Goutet, Stars Upside Down Donna Mulvenna is not trying to recreate a soft life in the jungle: She's seeking something deeper. Bit by bit, with each new monkey or lizard, each tea-colored river, each sweaty foray into the green world, she gets her bearings and starts to uncover a new spiritual depth. Maria Theresa Stadtmueller, Songs That Are To Come Deeply personal, moving, funny, and satisfying ... Reading Donna Mulvenna is like having a heart-to-heart with your best friend about the things that truly matter. Jessica Groenendijk, forthcoming book, The Giant Otter: Giants of the Amazon Rich, vibrant, and captivating like the Amazon rainforest. This dive into the wild will inspire you to rekindle a connection with the natural world, and yourself, anywhere you are. Sylvia Heike, Pushcart and Best of the Net nominated author"

Like a contemporary Jane, Donna describes her experiences in the Amazonian area of French Guinea in a hilarious tone. She proves you don't need Tarzan to worry about the well-being of the rainforests. Chris Honingh, The Pool: Fabulous Short Stories The tapestry of life is woven of many fine threads, each a path and choice through life. While some people experience a deep awakening, others have a profound course change in life. The lucky have both. Happiness is Green is a well written and interesting book that takes the reader along the author's journey, through dialogue conveyed with honesty, wit and from the heart. Connecting to the natural world can be life-changing. The big takeaway for me is the fact none of us knows the direction life will take us. It is only when we open our heart and eyes that opportunities present themselves. Bravo to all who have the courage to travel the meandering lane to the unknown. Ron Melchiore, Off Grid and Free: My Path to the Wilderness 'Happiness is Green' is a beautifully written book of one woman's journey to find true health by reconnecting with nature. Donna Mulvenna's story of her powerful relationship with a tree who shared so much wisdom with her is so touching and moving. This is such an important book for the times we live in. And it is a truly a stunning story!! Sandra Ingerman, Soul Retrieval In Happiness is Green, author Donna Mulvenna leaves behind a world of possessions in order to find a more meaningful place where she will find true happiness. After the silent echoes of get out into nature haunt her, she pursues a life in the French Guiana with her new partner Frank. In the green equatorial jungle, where there is no twilight, she finds exotic, humorous, and sometimes dangerous experiences. Her breathtaking, honest, and riveting prose takes the readers into the uncanny wild of the Amazon. This ride is a journey for all of us suffering through the downfalls and anxieties of a capitalist lifestyle. Donna exposes a new happiness found in the Amazonian rainforest--a return to nature and the wonder it brings. Mary Woodbury, Winds of Change For anyone who has ever dreamed of ditching corporate life for a foray into the wilds of nature and all the adventures that come with such a move, this book is for you. Its pages will allow you to travel vicariously, fascinated and inspired, as you watch Mulvenna's adventure unfold. Her words might also shake something in your own soul, telling you it's time to pick up and go. Jennie Goutet, Stars Upside Down Donna Mulvenna is not trying to recreate a soft life in the jungle: She's seeking something deeper. Bit by bit, with each new monkey or lizard, each tea-colored river, each sweaty foray into the green world, she gets her bearings and starts to uncover a new spiritual depth. Maria Theresa Stadtmueller, Songs That Are To Come Deeply personal, moving, funny, and satisfying ... Reading Donna Mulvenna is like having a heart-to-heart with your best friend about the things that truly matter. Jessica Groenendijk, forthcoming book, The Giant Otter: Giants of the Amazon Rich, vibrant, and captivating like the Amazon rainforest. This dive into the wild will inspire you to rekindle a connection with the natural world, and yourself, anywhere you are. Sylvia Heike, Pushcart and Best of the Net nominated author

Author Information

Donna Mulvenna is a horticulturalist whose journey as a writer began when she moved to the Amazon rainforest in French Guiana. For four years she wrote from a platform high in the canopy where various wildlife became her daily companions. Through her writing she hopes to give readers a glimpse of the wonder she discovered in the rainforest, reveal the profound effect it has on people's lives, and share why it is more important than ever to reconnect with the natural world. 'Nobody leaves the Amazon rainforest unchanged, ' says Donna, when explaining why she no longer feels the need to own a mobile phone, buy material possessions, or wear shoes. When not writing or gardening, she can be found sitting under a tree reading, or paddling along a river in her sprint canoe. Donna is a Fellow of the International League of Conservation Writers, and the author of Happiness is Green, Wild Roots-Coming Alive in the French Amazon, and The Awe of Nature. She co-authored All Things Breathe Alike: A Wildlife Anthology, and is the co-editor of Tales of the River. Happiness does find us, she says. We just have to slow down and lighten our load a little. Only when we give ourselves space, do we discover the wonder and awe in our natural world, and in the process gain a true sense of who we are, why we are here, and where we are heading.

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