Wed 11 June / Book Launch and Conversation with Dr Rosa Vasquez Espinoza

Writing Nature is a series of events highlighting local/global writing on the natural world; our love for wild places, growing & eco systems, caring for land & sustainability, from Devon to the Amazon rainforest. The third event in this series, join us for the launch of The Spirit of The Rainforest by Dr Rosa Vasquez Espinoza, as she uncovers one of the most unexplored regions on the planet.

Dr Rosa is no stranger to the Amazon. Growing up with the rainforest as her back garden, she learnt the lessons of the rainforest from her grandmother, a native healer in natural medicine. She went on to pursue a classical education in science, gaining a PhD in the US, but has always been pulled back to the heart of the Amazon. As a leading biologist in her field, Rosa continues to explore the region through a unique blend of scientific inquiry and ancient insight.

In this debut, you'll learn about Dr Rosa's journeys in the Amazon: her treacherous encounters with a boiling river, her conservation work with stingless bees, her experience of taking ayahuasca as a natural psychedelic - and all the amazing biodiversity of the rainforest. At the heart of Rosa's expedition is her passion to combine science with the indigenous knowledge of the Amazon. She shares her experience of learning from the indigenous communities that she visits, and shows what they have to teach us - stretching beyond the realm scientific knowledge. In this book, Rosa celebrates the richness of Amazonian culture, the wonders of biodiversity, and the enduring spiritual connections between humanity and the natural world.

The evening will consist of a conversation with the author, audience Q&A and book signing at the end of the event.

The event will take place in Bookbag, McCoys Arcade on Fore Street from 7:00 - 8:30 pm.