An unforgettable true story of a restless mind, a lifelong obsession with apes, and the wild places that finally feel like home.

As a boy, a single photograph of a mountain gorilla ignites a hunger that pulls Robert Louis DeMayo across nearly a hundred countries, from the mist‑shrouded Virunga volcanoes to the jungles of Sumatra. Chasing encounters with gorillas,
orangutans, gibbons, macaques, and monkeys, he slowly discovers that these animals are not just curiosities, but mirrors reflecting his own fears, longings, and capacity for connection.

Along the way, Pithecophilia threads in the hidden history of our relationship with apes—from early explorers and big‑game hunters to modern conservationists and institutions like The Explorers Club and the American Museum of Natural
History. Imbued with wry humor, touching memories, and sometimes terrifying close calls, this collection of intimate travel adventures becomes more than a wildlife book: it's a meditation on love, loss, partnership, and what it means
to step out of your own head and see the world with wonder again.

Pithecophilia is part of the Wayward Travelogues series. Other stand-alone journeys include The Wayward Traveler, The
Road to Sedona, and American Literary Nomads.

What Readers of Pithecophilia Have To Say…

★★★★★ -“This book would make an inspiring gift for any young person who is a fan of Steve Irwin, David Attenborough—or Indiana Jones.”

★★★★★ -“Insightful and informative […] It made me want to pack up and travel the world!”

★★★★★ -“One can live vicariously through DeMayo in the comforts of home with a mind extended into the wild, courtesy of a wonderful book that was difficult to put down.”