On Assignment: Memoir of a National Geographic Filmmaker

Larison reflects on his decades-long career producing nature documentaries for National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and PBS in his exhilarating debut. He describes his explorations, sometimes working solo, other times alongside his wife, Elaine, and their two young children: “We went to these places and we did these things because we wanted to share our love of wilderness with others.” Larison recalls the extremes he went to in order to capture the right footage, withstanding intense cold and going on glider flights, as well as frightening and exciting encounters with snakes in Manitoba (“thousands of them... carpeted the cave floor”); heavy snow near Banff, Alberta, (“we were, by this time, in a near whiteout”); and run-ins with octopi and sharks in the Great Barrier Reef. Later sections focus on the Larisons’ environmental advocacy and film projects dealing with “the biological health of planet Earth.” Along the way, the author expresses his gratitude for the life he and his wife have led, from the early days of their marriage, when they were “just two eighteen-year-old kids with vivid dreams and insufficient experience.” Fans of the great outdoors will appreciate this introspective and sentimental outing. (Nov.)