Before They Vanish

Nearly thirty years ago, explorer and author James Michael Dorsey traveled to Timbuktu to see its legendary manuscript libraries — and found himself swept into a race against time. As Al Qaeda's presence grew in northern Mali, his Tuareg guide, Halis al Moctar, recruited him to help evacuate centuries-old manuscripts before the extremist group could destroy them. On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podcast, James shares what it was like to pack and smuggle manuscripts by camel caravan across the Sahara, hiding them under slabs of salt to slip past Al Qaeda patrols, and distributing them to nomadic families who buried them in the desert for safekeeping. He also talks about the Tuareg "Blue Men" of the Sahara, explorer Ernst Aebi's strange attempt to build a luxury resort in the dying village of Araouane, and the ongoing effort to digitize what manuscripts remain today. 📖 Read James's full feature, "Libraries Beneath the Sand," at Hidden Compass: https://hiddencompass.net/story/libraries-beneath-the-sand/  🎙️ Listen to more episodes of Before They Vanish:  https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/p/before-they-vanish-podcast  🌍 Learn more about James Michael Dorsey and his books: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/ 

In this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podcast, award-winning author and explorer James Michael Dorsey shares unforgettable stories from his acclaimed book, "Baboons for Lunch: And Other Sordid Adventures."  From joining the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania on a baboon hunt to unexpected cultural experiences in China, Dorsey reflects on the humor, risks, and life lessons that come from immersing himself in remote cultures around the world. The conversation explores why he seeks out vanishing societies, how these experiences have shaped his writing, and what he's learned about storytelling, spirituality, and living in the present. James also offers a preview of his upcoming journey to Mongolia, where he'll live with nomadic eagle hunters in the Altai Mountains. James Michael Dorsey is an award-winning author, photographer, explorer, and cetacean specialist who has traveled extensively through 56 countries. His work focuses on documenting remote cultures, endangered traditions, and marine wildlife through books, photography, lectures, and personal narratives. Learn more about James Michael Dorsey: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/  Listen to Big Blend Radio's "Before They Vanish" Podcast: https://before-they-vanish.podbean.com/ 

Welcome to the launch of "Before They Vanish," a Big Blend Radio podcast hosted by explorer, author, and naturalist James Michael Dorsey and produced by Lisa D. Smith. In this debut episode, James takes us on a journey through a lifetime of extraordinary adventures — from his first trip to Kenya where a chance meeting with a Maasai elder sparked a 30-year obsession with vanishing tribal cultures, to sleeping in caves in Tanzania, being used as baboon bait by the Hazda people, and feeding his dinner to a feral cat at a Chinese Air Force base.  Along the way he reflects on what it means to give a voice to cultures that may not exist much longer, why he taught himself photography to prove his stories were real, and how a pension from the post office set him free to explore the world. James has visited over 60 countries, documented more than 100 tribal and indigenous cultures, published nearly 1,000 essays, and authored four books. In our Getting to Know You segment he shares his spirit animal, his worst and best meals in the field, what he'd put in a 500-year time capsule, and the one superpower he'd choose to keep exploring as he gets older. Books by James Michael Dorsey: — The Lagoon: Encounters with the Whales of San Ignacio — Baboons for Lunch and Other Sordid Adventures — Vanishing Tales from Ancient Trails — Tears, Fear and Adventure Learn more about James and his books at https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/  New episodes of Before They Vanish air every 4th Monday at 4pm PST on Big Blend Radio. Subscribe from our favorite platform: https://before-they-vanish.podbean.com/  More about Big Blend Radio at https://www.bigblendmediahouse.com/ 

As part of Big Blend Radio's "Book Blitz Month" programming (Jan. 2026), award-winning author, explorer, photographer, and cetacean specialist James Michael Dorsey shares stories from a lifetime of global exploration.  Having traveled through 60 countries, Dorsey discusses his work documenting remote cultures, endangered languages, and oral traditions, as well as his experiences studying and interacting with whales in some of the world’s most remote marine environments. He reflects on the urgency of cultural preservation, noting that when the last speaker of a language is lost, an entire library of knowledge disappears. From encounters with the Hadzabe people of Tanzania to time spent observing cetaceans, this conversation explores storytelling, responsible travel, and the deep connections between humans, wildlife, and place. 🔗 Learn more about James Michael Dorsey, his books, and work: https://jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com/ 

What does an explorer actually eat in Africa? In this episode, author and explorer James Michael Dorsey joins host Lisa Smith to talk food, survival, and culture across nine African countries — from drinking fresh goat blood with the Maasai, to eating baboon with the Hazda hunter-gatherers of Tanzania, to discovering that spaghetti is the staple food of Tuareg nomads deep in the Sahara Desert. Along the way, James shares the story of being used as baboon bait — and living to tell about it. This segment is excerpted from Big Blend Radio's "Taste of Africa" episode (Dec. 2025). James Michael Dorsey is an award-winning author, explorer, and conservationist who has traveled to over 60 countries documenting vanishing tribal and indigenous cultures. "Before They Vanish" is hosted by Dorsey and produced by Lisa Smith for Big Blend Radio. Learn more about James and his books at jamesmichaeldorseyauthor.com