Stranger in the Forest cover

Stranger in the Forest

by Eric Hansen

This is a fascinating book about an American who learns standard Indonesian and barters his way from Sarawak to Sabah through the rainforest. He trades shotgun shells and tobacco for tribal guides. He falls frequently, gets bitten by leeches and ends up having to rest his battered feet after 3-4 months in the Jungle. This has been a primer for me. I will visit Sabah for a month in few days. This is a great adventure by a crazy guy who really immerses himself in the culture.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?