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Tim Ferriss

Margaret Atwood and Boyd Varty (#763)

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This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the last decade. I could not be more excited.

The episode features segments from episode #573 “Margaret Atwood — A Living Legend on Creative Process, The Handmaid’s Tale, Being a Mercenary Child, Resisting Labels, the Poet Rug Exchange, Liminal Beings, Burning Questions, Practical Utopias, and More” and #571 “Boyd Varty — The Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life.”

Bios of guests may be found at tim.blog/combo.

Please enjoy!

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Castbox, Amazon Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast platform.

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#763: Margaret Atwood and Boyd Varty

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What was your favorite quote or lesson from this episode? Please let me know in the comments.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

SHOW NOTES

  • [05:11] Notes about this supercombo format.
  • [06:14] Enter Margaret Atwood.
  • [06:48] What drives Margaret’s ability to craft engaging speculative fiction?
  • [10:52] The downsides of raising a family isolated in the woods.
  • [15:44] Factors that nudged young Margaret toward poetry.
  • [21:54] How limited options led Margaret to her current vocation.
  • [24:07] How long it took for writing to pay off, and its benefits in the meantime.
  • [30:34] Life lessons learned by teaching.
  • [34:18] Enter Boyd Varty.
  • [34:42] Setting the scene.
  • [37:00] Origins of Londolozi Game Reserve and Boyd’s childhood influences.
  • [39:17] Why Boyd’s family kept the seemingly useless property.
  • [41:23] Boyd’s experiences with The White Knuckle Charter Company.
  • [50:00] Transforming scrubland into a safari business with help from Ken Tinley and Shangaan trackers.
  • [56:04] Shangaan trackers’ lineage and wildlife trust in Londolozi’s caretakers.
  • [59:46] Renias Mhlongo’s supreme tracking skills and work ethic.
  • [1:05:18] Hardest animals to track at Londolozi.
  • [1:08:30] Safety measures in Londolozi’s unpredictable environment.
  • [1:10:21] “I don’t know where we’re going, but I know exactly how to get there.” —Renias Mhlongo
  • [1:12:26] Boyd’s tracking evolution: from childhood to trauma recovery.
  • [1:30:30] Definition of Ubuntu.
  • [1:32:40] Boyd’s 40-day tree-dwelling experience.
  • [1:45:47] Bees, birds, and hive algorithms.
  • [1:57:07] Interacting with lions in the wild.
  • [2:01:41] Death conversations, ancient myths, and inexplicable animal movements.
  • [2:07:30] Comparing trauma recovery paths within Boyd’s family.
  • [2:11:08] Ceremony work for trauma healing.
  • [2:14:06] An authentic life as activism.
  • [2:19:27] The impact of Byron Katie’s Work on Boyd and me.
  • [2:23:55] Boyd’s first sweat lodge experience in Arizona.
  • [2:29:18] Feelings. Nothing more than feelings.
  • [2:31:48] What a close encounter with a beautiful predator taught Boyd about Ubuntu.
  • [2:40:53] The therapeutic value of spending time with animals.
  • [2:45:22] Contrasting lion roar descriptions: van der Post vs. Boyd.
  • [2:49:40] Invitation to Londolozi and parting thoughts.

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Margaret Atwood:

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Connect with Boyd Varty:

Website | Twitter | Instagram

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COYOTE is an addictive card game of hilarity, high-fives, and havoc! Learn it in minutes, and each game lasts around 10 minutes.

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