Into the Rain Forest captures the way of life of a threatened people, the Achuar Indians, and shows the sophisticated lifestyle they have developed in order to live in a seemingly primitive manner.

Originally, simple curiosity led me to spending time with the Achuar to learn how they made their pots, baskets, and other articles for daily living. Most of my life I had made crafts and was eager to learn basic methods with materials straight from the earth. However, as I told people about my trip, friends urged me to write about the experience. My guide added more reasons for so doing by pointing out that very little has been written about the Achuar, they still live much in their ancient manner, and their ways needed to be documented. These arguments were capped by Walter, the head man of Suwa. He said that the community had been trying to find a writer to tell the world how they live for two reasons. One was to generate greater outside interest in preventing oil companies from drilling on Achuar lands. The other was to give the Achuar people pride in their heritage and encourage their youth to maintain their ancient way of life. I found the repeated messages compelling, and this book is the result.

Lucy Wendell-Thorpe

Praise for Into the Rainforest

"As I read your book it makes me feel as if I was there as well!"

- Ruth White

"I was fortunate to accompany Lucy Wendell-Thorpe in mid August to Ecuador, and the Kapawi Lodge in the Amazon rain forest. Lucy has a gift for respectful curiosity, a connectedness which overcomes the language barrier. She had copies of the book about the Community's way of life, Into the Rain Forest, for each family. They were so happy to see her again! They loved seeing their pictures in the book. Initially I had concerns about the effect of Lucy's book and our visit on the Community's subsistence way of life. But then I became aware that the outside world has already arrived thru solar powered computers the kids are using at the consolidated high school. I felt most privileged to spend the day engaged in the life of these gracious people.

- Carolyn Welch

"I finished reading your book about a week ago and am just getting around to telling you how much I liked it! I liked your straightforward description of your experience with individual people by name and personality (rather than simply making group generalizations). Reading it added a great deal to our own trip and I hope that it reaches more Kapawi visitors and, more than that, many that might not otherwise know about the ecolodge and the Achuar."

- Lowell Thing