“Where Madness Follows” is about the present-day gold rush in the Amazon jungle of Brazil. It tells the story of the extraordinary and sometimes insane lives of the garimpeiro — the gold miner. It is about the impact the search for gold has had on the people of the Amazon and how it has changed not only their land, their rivers and forests, but also their way of life.

It is also about adventurers, road builders, missionaries, Indians, colonists, traders, doctors, river-dwellers, prostitutes, pilots, prophets, explorers, farmers, rubber-tappers, women and children — all caught in the wake of the advancing gold rush. Finally, it is a true-adventure story about the daring and courage of men, women and children armed with nothing more than their wits and an unshakable faith. That and the dream of striking it rich.

I believe the book would be very successful: It is a rich blend of imagery and words, combining exceptional photography with unconventional captions — not simply descriptive, but authentic quotes — powerful words spoken from the mouths of the gold miners and people of the Amazon. This will give the reader a strong sense of immediacy and intimacy with the story and subject matter. It is a timeless story about the search for the world’s oldest precious metal in the world’s oldest and largest tropical rain forest. Finally, it is a story full of adventure which unfolds in a place of almost mythical proportion, yet it is a story which is very pertinent and accessible, an engaging human story which I believe would be of interest to people of diverse backgrounds, interests and ages.

I think the book would be very unique: Although there have been several publications on the Amazon, to my knowledge there is no publication about the Amazon from this unusual perspective. I also do not believe anyone has produced an illustrated book on the Amazon which spans so much time and distance — from the era of the TransAmazonic Highway when the first agrarian settlements were carved out of the virgin jungle in the early seventies to the discovery of gold in vast quantities in the Serra Pelada in the eighties to the gold rush which continues today throughout the entire region. This is a rare treat and a remarkable look at what is perhaps the greatest and last gold rush of the millennium.

Additionally, the photography is done : I have over 22,000 color and black & white images on file and a tentative manuscript is available. But this is only a start. What’s necessary now is the expertise of the publisher in producing and packaging a final, marketable product.

I would be pleased to send you any other information, including my resume, at your request. Please click below to send me email.