David Attenborough: The Early Years Collection cover art

David Attenborough: The Early Years Collection

The BBC Collection

Preview
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free
Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm GMT.
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Just £0.99/mo for your first 3 months of Audible.
1 bestseller or new release per month—yours to keep.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
Auto-renews at £8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

David Attenborough: The Early Years Collection

By: David Attenborough
Narrated by: David Attenborough
Get this deal Try Premium Plus free

£8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel monthly. Offer ends December 16, 2025 11:59pm GMT.

£8.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £3.99

Buy Now for £3.99

Only £0.99 a month for the first 3 months. Pay £0.99 for the first 3 months, and £8.99/month thereafter. Renews automatically. Terms apply. Start my membership

About this listen

David Attenborough, Britain's voice of natural history, narrates his early adventures in Indonesia, New Guinea and Northern Australia.

David Attenborough first appeared in front of a television camera in the 1950s when, together with London Zoo's Curator of Reptiles, Jack Lester, he persuaded the BBC to mount and film an animal-collecting expedition. The result was Zoo Quest. Specially recorded for audio, David Attenborough's early adventures are sometimes life-threatening, often hilarious and always totally absorbing. The warmth and enthusiasm that have made him a broadcasting legend are instantly apparent here as he recounts this magical journey.

This collection includes three volumes from Attenborough's chronicles of his early expeditions:

In Zoo Quest for a Dragon, Attenborough tells of the crew's hazardous boat trip with a gun-smuggling captain and the terror of erupting volcanoes. He also depicts for the listener some of the incredible sights he and his team witnessed - breathtaking butterflies, taking tea with Charlie the orangutan and the voyage to the little-known island of Komodo to capture the elusive Komodo dragon.

Quest in Paradise describes his next animal collecting and filming trip to New Guinea, home of the exotic birds of paradise. David tells of his adventures during the trip: being an onlooker at a formal lovemaking ceremony, seeing the skills of ritual ax making, trying to master pidgin English and witnessing a 'sing sing' at which hundreds of tribesmen came together from all parts of the country.

In Quest Under Capricorn, David Attenborough ventures to the Northern Territory of Australia. In his first expedition to the other side of the world, he meets Aborigines, goes walkabout in the bush, and learns the craft of the artists of Arnhem Land.

Also included is David Attenborough in His Own Words, a collection of interviews taken from the BBC radio and TV archives.

©2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2014 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd
Biological Sciences Biology Professionals & Academics Science Science & Technology Witty Funny Early Explorers

Listeners also enjoyed...

The Trials of Life cover art
David Attenborough's Life Stories cover art
Living Planet cover art
David Attenborough - Life on Air cover art
Life on Earth cover art
David Attenborough in His Own Words cover art
Journeys in the Wild cover art
A Zoo in My Luggage cover art
Tomorrow Will Be a Good Day cover art
Beasts in My Belfry cover art
The Peregrine cover art
The Aye-Aye and I cover art
Tweet of the Day cover art
The Adventure of English cover art
Captain Tom's Life Lessons cover art
Journeys to Impossible Places cover art
All stars
Most relevant
OMG! This is the most relaxing narration EVER!!! I love listening to Sir David Attenborough when I go to sleep. He relieves me of stress and anxiety and makes me deal safe when I am asleep. ❤️ Sir David Attenborough and thank you so much 🙏

Hail to Sir David Attenborough

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Listening to this was like cosying up on the sofa with a favorite uncle or your grandpa, whilst he recounts his wondrous stories

It is always a joy to listen to this humble man. David’s early years were so interesting as he recounts various events from far flung places around the world. His. unique voice is a joy to listen to and his accents for those he has met along the way are superb.

Yes, I know I am very bias but he is an extra ordinary man.

David Attenborough for the Nobel peace prize…. Absolutely.

Archived tales from our national treasure.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Amazing book I have listened to this book 3 times and will be listening to it again

Amazing

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This contains 3 accounts of David Attenborough's Zoo Quest filming expeditions, all narrated by him. Assorted interviews are included as well. His accounts of travelling to far flung destinations in the 1950's are fascinating and inspire awe. His narration is soothing.

Fascinating Accounts of Travels

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Having recently listened to Sir David's "Life on Air" there seemed to be a lot of overlap in the content here - so I would recommend avoid listening to these two in close succession. Otherwise very good.

Good but a lot of overlap with Life on Air

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews