I have yet to decipher what the word `brave' truly describes, but one thing is evident to me, judging by the number of things that do scare me, I am no braver than the next person.

From his early days at Hartbeespoort Snake and Animal Park, to his military conscription during the late '70s and up to his internationally renowned TV shows on Animal Planet, herpetologist and wildlife photographer Austin Stevens takes us through his extraordinary encounters with some of the world's most dangerous creatures.

Be it staring down a black mamba or trying to retrieve an escaped chimpanzee, these accounts are often exciting and hilarious in equal measure as Stevens dispels the myths surrounding these widely-feared creatures.

Running Wild, Stevens's fourth book, is reflective and personal. He touches on his relationship with his wife Amy, and describes dealing with depression after suffering a string of terrible misfortunes including a horrific car crash, a vicious knife attack and his struggle to rebuild a shattered life.