The Boiling River

By: Andrés Ruzo

Narrated by: Andrés Ruzo

In this exciting adventure mixed with amazing scientific study, a young, exuberant explorer and geoscientist journeys deep into the Amazon—where rivers boil and legends come to life.

When Andrés Ruzo was just a small boy in Peru, his grandfather told him the story of a mysterious legend: There is a river, deep in the Amazon, which boils as if a fire burns below it. Twelve years later, Ruzo—now a geoscientist—hears his aunt mention that she herself had visited this strange river.

Determined to discover if the boiling river is real, Ruzo sets out on a journey deep into the Amazon. What he finds astounds him: In this long, wide, and winding river, the waters run so hot that locals brew tea in them; small animals that fall in are instantly cooked. As he studies the river, Ruzo faces challenges more complex than he had ever imaged.

The Boiling River follows this young explorer as he navigates a tangle of competing interests—local shamans, illegal cattle farmers and loggers, and oil companies. This true account reads like a modern-day adventure, complete with extraordinary characters, captivating plot twists, and jaw-dropping details—including stunning photographs and a never-before-published account about this incredible natural wonder. Ultimately, though, The Boiling River is about a man trying to understand the moral obligation that comes with scientific discovery —to protect a sacred site from misuse, neglect, and even from his own discovery.

Surprisingly entertaining

Thought I’d learn some cool geological information about an unusual thermal phenomenon, but also went on a wild ride of wise old shaman that’s in communion with the plants, trees, people and probably the galaxy. Still left very curious about this spectacular feature of our planet, hope we learn more. My uneducated money is on an ancient meteor strike.

Quedé con ganas de más

Muy entretenido, apasionado, místico y científico, mezcla perfecta. Buen narrador. Quiero saber más, quiero ir al río, quiero sentir esa experiencia. Gracias Andrés

The modern and the ancient

A very nicely done combination of personal discovery, scientific discovery and scientific field work. These are combined with a powerful message of preservation of the unique Amazon ecology which is under continuous and voracious attack by both poachers and modernity. The audio book is read by the author who is quite skilled at this and the personal inflections are a valuable contribution to the impact of the story. Get the Kindle book and follow along for both the place names and for the well chosen images in each chapter.

Passionately written and read!

I loved the storytelling in this book. Andrés begins with a legend he heard as a child as well as talking about his relationship with his great grandfather. Throughout the narrative, he speaks about the people, the land, and scientific study with such passion, exuberance, and respect that it’s difficult not to fall in love with this story and Peru. It’s a short read/listen that is informative as it is entertaining and it leaves you feeling good about the world. Highly recommend this amazing title!

Fantastic story about the Peruvian Amazon.

Every once in a while the right person arrives at the right time. Bravo Andrés!