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When I Fell From the Sky
She was 17-years-old on a Christmas Eve flight 40 years ago to join her father for Christmas when the unimaginable happened. The Lockheed L-188A Electra, on the way from Lima to Pucallpa, flew directly into a thunderstorm. A strike of lightning left the plane incinerated, and Juliane Diller (Koepcke), still strapped to her plane seat, fell through the night air two miles above the Earth. Her survival is unexplainable and considered a modern day miracle. Her mother was among the 91 dead and Juliane the sole survivor. For 11 days she crawled and walked alone through the jungle, fighting for her survival again with hunger and despair her only companions as maggots ate their way into her wounds.
Juliane ultimately survived and went on to live an inspiring life as a scientist continually drawn back to the terrain that threatened to take her. On the 40th anniversary, she shares not only the private moments of her survival and rescue but her life in the wake of the dramatic true story.
Juliane ultimately survived and went on to live an inspiring life as a scientist continually drawn back to the terrain that threatened to take her. On the 40th anniversary, she shares not only the private moments of her survival and rescue but her life in the wake of the dramatic true story.
227 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 414 reviews
May 2, 2017
Trigger warnings: plane crash, loss of a parent, horrifying descriptions of wounds and maggots.
3.5 stars.
I found this story surprisingly compelling and interesting, but it definitely wasn't what I expected based on the title.
Basically, Juliane Koepcke grew up in Peru with her naturalist parents. As a teenager, they moved to a nature reserve in the middle of nowhere. She subsequently returned to Lima to attend high school. On Christmas Eve of 1971, she and her mother were flying to the closest airport to the nature reserve on a commercial flight, which was struck by lightning and crashed. Juliane was the only survivor. With a broken collarbone, cuts and bruises, and a torn up knee, she somehow managed to a) survive in the jungle alone for nearly two weeks and b) follow the creeks and rivers of the Peruvian Amazon until she came across a boat and was rescued.
So I was expecting the bulk of the book to be about the crash and her staggering through the rainforest trying to find help.
Instead, there were only really a couple of chapters dedicated to that. Probably half the book is about her life after the crash - how it impacted her relationship with her father, how it felt having the press follow her everywhere, how she was really in shock over what happened for years - as well as her adulthood and what she ended up doing with her life. It's about how she returned to the rainforest, about the documentary that was made in which she returns to the crash site, about how she ended up following in her parents' footsteps and studying the fauna of the Peruvian rainforest.
So it was definitely interesting, particularly seeing how well she's remembered in parts of Peru. But it wasn't what I was expecting, that's for sure.
3.5 stars.
I found this story surprisingly compelling and interesting, but it definitely wasn't what I expected based on the title.
Basically, Juliane Koepcke grew up in Peru with her naturalist parents. As a teenager, they moved to a nature reserve in the middle of nowhere. She subsequently returned to Lima to attend high school. On Christmas Eve of 1971, she and her mother were flying to the closest airport to the nature reserve on a commercial flight, which was struck by lightning and crashed. Juliane was the only survivor. With a broken collarbone, cuts and bruises, and a torn up knee, she somehow managed to a) survive in the jungle alone for nearly two weeks and b) follow the creeks and rivers of the Peruvian Amazon until she came across a boat and was rescued.
So I was expecting the bulk of the book to be about the crash and her staggering through the rainforest trying to find help.
Instead, there were only really a couple of chapters dedicated to that. Probably half the book is about her life after the crash - how it impacted her relationship with her father, how it felt having the press follow her everywhere, how she was really in shock over what happened for years - as well as her adulthood and what she ended up doing with her life. It's about how she returned to the rainforest, about the documentary that was made in which she returns to the crash site, about how she ended up following in her parents' footsteps and studying the fauna of the Peruvian rainforest.
So it was definitely interesting, particularly seeing how well she's remembered in parts of Peru. But it wasn't what I was expecting, that's for sure.
September 2, 2013
There is no doubt that Juliane Koepcke has an incredible story to tell. To survive a fall from 10,000 or so feet by landing in a thick, uninhabited jungle in Amazonian Peru is, by itself, a true miracle. But then to survive 11 days in that jungle, and finally to find her way back to civilization, is yet another truly miraculous event and one that makes for a great story. The descriptions of her fears and shock at discovering that she was the sole survivor of the 1971 plane crash, and the sad loss of her mother in that crash, as well as her guilt at being alive when so many others died, is truly heartrending.
The title and all the promotion surrounding this book would have you believe that the book is all about the crash and its aftermath. However, only 2 of the 19 chapters deal with these events in any detail. The majority of the rest of the book is about Panguana, a section of jungle in Peru which Juliane is attempting to establish as a nature preserve. This appears to be her true agenda in writing this book. Juliane also writes at length about her parents, their biological and zoological studies of the jungle, and her relationship with her father, post-crash. In other words, the story about the crash and her incredible trek through the jungle would have made an excellent article in the Readers' Digest Magazine. Period. See, this is why I don't much care for non-fiction; too many details and diversions. I'm just not that interested in the long chapters about her studies or her family or the native customs unless they directly pertain to the story at hand. Which should have been the crash and her survival.
Juliane did mention a couple of films based on her story, both of which I found on YouTube: "Wings of Hope", Werner Herzog's documentary featuring Juliane herself speaking about the events of the crash. (Interesting side note: Werner Herzog himself was almost a passenger on that same ill-fated flight.) Also, "Miracles Still Happen", a 1974 movie about the crash (not a very good movie, but still more interesting than the book, IMO.)
The title and all the promotion surrounding this book would have you believe that the book is all about the crash and its aftermath. However, only 2 of the 19 chapters deal with these events in any detail. The majority of the rest of the book is about Panguana, a section of jungle in Peru which Juliane is attempting to establish as a nature preserve. This appears to be her true agenda in writing this book. Juliane also writes at length about her parents, their biological and zoological studies of the jungle, and her relationship with her father, post-crash. In other words, the story about the crash and her incredible trek through the jungle would have made an excellent article in the Readers' Digest Magazine. Period. See, this is why I don't much care for non-fiction; too many details and diversions. I'm just not that interested in the long chapters about her studies or her family or the native customs unless they directly pertain to the story at hand. Which should have been the crash and her survival.
Juliane did mention a couple of films based on her story, both of which I found on YouTube: "Wings of Hope", Werner Herzog's documentary featuring Juliane herself speaking about the events of the crash. (Interesting side note: Werner Herzog himself was almost a passenger on that same ill-fated flight.) Also, "Miracles Still Happen", a 1974 movie about the crash (not a very good movie, but still more interesting than the book, IMO.)
June 18, 2012
Story is about a woman who writes about how she survived 11 days in the jungle when the plane she was on crashed. It is told like she is speaking to you and jumps from the present day to the time when she was in the jungle. At some times it seems awkward but by writing in this way, the reader is able to get an understanding of what her life was like before the crash, background on her parents, what she did in the jungle for those days, after the crash, and the present. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I like how Juliane also wrote about what she did after the crash and her continued interest in Panguana (place where her parents did research) and making it into a nature reserve for research but also including the locals to understand the importance of such an area. Eventhough this book is about her, it reads very differently since it is not written in a way in which she is only talking about herself but rather mentions many people throughout the book and how they have impacted her life in different ways.
December 23, 2016
Juliane after her 11 days in the jungle
I finally finished it last night. Wow this one took me ages to read but I do think it was not just the book but also my state of mind or lack of mind is the better expression because I was just too tired to read.
One negative thing was the annoyingly the constant jumping around in time. In one example she had told us her grandmother had died and the next chapter she was staying at her grandmother.
The story about what happened during the crash and the 11 days of her in the jungle getting out is just a small part of the book.
That being said I did find the other stuff interesting as well. I never knew that as a student you can go pick a subject and go travel to a place in the world and start to research. She wrote about other researchers coming there and I was curious who pays them. I also was interested about the world there in Peru. Weirdly I liked the second half more. One person that intrigued me the most was Juliane's mother. Tried to find out more about her and what she did. Very interesting pair of parents she Juliane had.
Juliane's parents
Not the best book about survival but if you are interested in another way of living you might like it.
January 6, 2019
I was expecting to read her story about how she survived the plane crash and how she made her way back to civilization through the forest. I expected to get answers for, what she ate? How she kept herself safe from wildlife? How she managed to keep clam and psychologically strong for 11 days in forest along the river. But, I am disappointed, none of them are answered.
January 15, 2012
The true story a the German/Peruvian 17 year old who was the only survivor of a plane that crashed in Peru while crossing the Andes at Christmas time. She lost her mother in the accident which also claimed 90 other lives. Juliane tells her own story 40 years after the crash and her amazing eleven day journey out of the Peruvian rain forest. It is also a story of her love of the jungle where she had been raised with her German zoologist parents and her struggle for survival of the Amazonian rain forest.
I had not heard of this book when a friend loaned it to me because she knew I had traveled in the Amazonian part of Peru. I enjoyed reading it and found the author's description of the area beautiful and her thoughts about survival guilt very thought provoking. 3.5 stars.
I had not heard of this book when a friend loaned it to me because she knew I had traveled in the Amazonian part of Peru. I enjoyed reading it and found the author's description of the area beautiful and her thoughts about survival guilt very thought provoking. 3.5 stars.
January 15, 2021
Was expecting more detail of the actual 11 day journey, based on synopsis and title, but I think her entire story is worth telling, and the past and present is woven together pretty well in my opinion - plus with her condition and time blurring together, plus the trauma, I don't blame her at all if she didn't have enough material from strictly her time walking out from the crash to make an entire book. This is her story as she wishes us to know it, and it's a great read for that.
February 3, 2022
A really interesting read!
I've noticed a few readers leaving comments saying how the book wasn't what they expected.
For me, it was really fascinating and interesting to learn all about Juliane's childhood, her parents, the crash and Panguana. I feel Juliane is telling her story the only way she knows how to and perhaps for some people it doesn't make sense or fit their expectations.
I loved her honesty and matter of factness especially when describing her interactions with the journalists. It was really special to read about her parents love of nature and Juliane's too. A lovely quote from the book - "My parents never instructed me; they imparted to me their respect for nature as a matter of course".
Admittedly, for me the translation wasn't as smooth as it could have been. There were a few passages where I had to re-read to make sense of it.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and would recommend to people.
I've noticed a few readers leaving comments saying how the book wasn't what they expected.
For me, it was really fascinating and interesting to learn all about Juliane's childhood, her parents, the crash and Panguana. I feel Juliane is telling her story the only way she knows how to and perhaps for some people it doesn't make sense or fit their expectations.
I loved her honesty and matter of factness especially when describing her interactions with the journalists. It was really special to read about her parents love of nature and Juliane's too. A lovely quote from the book - "My parents never instructed me; they imparted to me their respect for nature as a matter of course".
Admittedly, for me the translation wasn't as smooth as it could have been. There were a few passages where I had to re-read to make sense of it.
All in all, I did enjoy the book and would recommend to people.
January 3, 2019
Oh dear. I was so looking forward to this, and even though Koepcke's eleven days getting out of the jungle after a plane crash is not actually that dramatic, she does have an interesting story to tell. The daughter of two zoologists she spends many years in Peru before going 'home' to Germany to become a zoologist herself. But it felt as though Koepcke knew that her survival story wasn't strong enough to hang a whole book around and so she mixes it with going back to Peru with her husband to try and get her parents' land recognised as a nature reserve (but this isn't her first time back, and she doesn't really succeed, so that story is weak too), as well as mentioning the time she was taken back to the jungle by Werner Herzog to film a documentary (nothing much to say here either).
And, unfortunately the writing is at times excruciatingly poor.
And, unfortunately the writing is at times excruciatingly poor.
December 20, 2016
On Christmas Eve 1971, Juliane’s plane flew into a thunderstorm that was so great that the plane broke up in mid-air. Still strapped into her seat, she fell two miles, crashing through the dense jungle canopy into the Amazon rainforest. Waking up alone and injured, she spent the next eleven days fighting her way through a “green hell�, desperately hoping that, as she had survived, then so must have the others. “When I Fell From the Sky� tells the story of how Juliane gained the skills that enabled her to survive in such a dangerous and inhospitable place. It also describes her life in the aftermath of the crash � her rescue, the devastation of discovering that she was the sole survivor and that her mother was lost to her, the media frenzy, and her aspirations for the future. An inspiring read.
September 29, 2016
2.5 stars
terrible structure
terrible structure
July 25, 2023
It was okay. Less than a quarter of the book was about the disaster, the rest was about this woman's life. If you're looking for an exciting read, this isn't it.
April 22, 2025
Don’t get me wrong � Juliane’s story is incredible and honestly super tragic. Growing up with parents who were scientists and conservationists was pretty interesting. But I picked up this book expecting to really dive into the intensity of what it was like for her to survive the plane crash, what she went through during those 11 days alone in the jungle, and how all of that shaped her life afterward. Instead, it felt like there was way too much filler and not enough of the actual story I was hoping for.
August 24, 2019
When I Fell From the Sky: The True Story of one woman’s miraculous survival is by Juliane Koepcke. Although this incident occurred during my lifetime (In fact, I am only 4 years older than she), I do not ever remember hearing of her story. Her story is frightening as well as brave and incredible. Luckily, she had been trained in knowing the jungle and surviving in it by her parents. This knowledge definitely played its part in her story. Simple luck also played its part.
Juliane was brought up in Germany and in Lima, Peru by her parents who were both world renown German Zoologists. Her Mother studied birds and her Father studied life forms of animal and plant life. They spent a great deal of time in the jungle of Peru. Until she was in her early teens, her parents lived mainly in Peru, although they intended to return to Germany. When she was a teen, she and her parents moved to the jungle at Panguano. There they set up the beginnings of a reserve where they studied animal and plant life. Juliane was homeschooled at this time; but kept up with the curriculum her peers were getting by keeping in touch with a friend who sent her the information.
Her Father had gone back to Panguano while she and her Mother stayed in Lima so she could graduate. Juliane convinced her Mother to stay an extra day so she could go to a graduation party. So, instead of traveling on an airline her Father preferred, they traveled on LANSA airlines on what was their last plane. All others had crashed, although this was not known to them at the time. What was an hour flight would turn into a disaster for them! The plane flew into a storm and something happened, no one is sure, and the plane began to fall out of the sky. Juliana remembers looking down and seeing the front of the plane below her. She heard her Mother quietly say, “Now it’s all over.� Then she found herself dropping towards the ground in her seat. No one else was in sight. How she stayed alive after falling ten thousand feet is still unknown; but she did and lived with only a cut arm and scratches. She is all alone in the jungle and has no idea where she is. She must get to civilization and help on her own. How will she manage this? What will her life be after this?
The book is compelling once you get started with it. It is truthful and filled with lovely people and her best friends. It shows what you can do when you really want it bad enough. It is an inspiration to others.
Juliane was brought up in Germany and in Lima, Peru by her parents who were both world renown German Zoologists. Her Mother studied birds and her Father studied life forms of animal and plant life. They spent a great deal of time in the jungle of Peru. Until she was in her early teens, her parents lived mainly in Peru, although they intended to return to Germany. When she was a teen, she and her parents moved to the jungle at Panguano. There they set up the beginnings of a reserve where they studied animal and plant life. Juliane was homeschooled at this time; but kept up with the curriculum her peers were getting by keeping in touch with a friend who sent her the information.
Her Father had gone back to Panguano while she and her Mother stayed in Lima so she could graduate. Juliane convinced her Mother to stay an extra day so she could go to a graduation party. So, instead of traveling on an airline her Father preferred, they traveled on LANSA airlines on what was their last plane. All others had crashed, although this was not known to them at the time. What was an hour flight would turn into a disaster for them! The plane flew into a storm and something happened, no one is sure, and the plane began to fall out of the sky. Juliana remembers looking down and seeing the front of the plane below her. She heard her Mother quietly say, “Now it’s all over.� Then she found herself dropping towards the ground in her seat. No one else was in sight. How she stayed alive after falling ten thousand feet is still unknown; but she did and lived with only a cut arm and scratches. She is all alone in the jungle and has no idea where she is. She must get to civilization and help on her own. How will she manage this? What will her life be after this?
The book is compelling once you get started with it. It is truthful and filled with lovely people and her best friends. It shows what you can do when you really want it bad enough. It is an inspiration to others.
June 25, 2024
Двійки мені не дозволяє поставити лише захоплива історія життя головної героїні. Книжку дочитала наперекір внутрішньому grammar nazi, який майже невпинно, м'яко кажучи, дивувався, як можна так погано перекласти книжку. Безсумнівно, цього перекладача я надалі оминатиму десятою дорогою для власного спокою - в мене склалося враження, що оригінал пропустили крізь гугл-транслейт, у випадкових місцях докинули абсолютно невідповідних сполучників та вставних слів і доправили все це олів'є численними українськими фразеологізмами, які здебільшого виглядають в тексті дуже негармонійно. Так, ніби читача щосили хотіли переконати, як майстерно володіє перекладач соковитою солов'їною - не повірила ні на мить. Загалом - поганий та невідредагований переклад страхітливо псує враження від книги, тому моя оцінка більше, на жаль, саме за переклад.
January 12, 2020
I found this book after looking at something on the Internet. I just had to read it. Yes it’s the horrible story of a plane crash in the Amazon Jungle and yet it’s much more than that. The author’s 11 day survival journey back to civilization is nothing but amazing. The more detailed story is her parents being research zoologists after WW2 and setting up a research area in the jungle near Lima, Peru. Well put together. Poignant. Author is a gentle soul.
December 13, 2021
I read somewhere about this 17yo girl who lived through a commercial plane crash, falling two miles and making her way for over a week alone in the rainforest. When I heard she wrote a book, I had to read it. This was FASCINATING. A lot of the book covers her work for the rainforest since her crash, but she covers the whole thing here, and I was riveted by her story.
May 15, 2023
Very interesting story, but not the most interesting book.
A teenager is the only survivor of a terrible plane crash in the Peruvian jungle, and she must find her own way out as the rescue crews can't find the crash site beneath the dense forest. Unfortunately only two chapters actually deal with the crash and survival, the rest is a memoir of the survivor. She talks about her childhood, what made her the person she was when she crashed and what allowed her to survive. The majority of the book is after the crash and how she went on, and what she did. Wasn't the most interesting, but the author is very intelligent and had some interesting memories and perspectives.
Was frustrating to read something with so few details about the crash and recovery. Certainly as this was written by a survivor, I shouldn't have expected it to be perfect, but it turns out there were a lot of unanswered questions all around, including how this one person survived falling 10k feet out of the sky.
Werner Herzog actually tried to get himself and some of his crew onto this actual flight back then, but wasn't able to, saving his own life. He also went on to make a documentary about the crash, and I think I'll try to check that out.
It seems clear to me that this survivor didn't want her life to be defined by this one event, even though everyone else was trying to do just that. I think she wrote this book mostly to bring awareness to her conservation efforts in the rainforest, and I really can't fault her for that. Wasn't the best book though.
A teenager is the only survivor of a terrible plane crash in the Peruvian jungle, and she must find her own way out as the rescue crews can't find the crash site beneath the dense forest. Unfortunately only two chapters actually deal with the crash and survival, the rest is a memoir of the survivor. She talks about her childhood, what made her the person she was when she crashed and what allowed her to survive. The majority of the book is after the crash and how she went on, and what she did. Wasn't the most interesting, but the author is very intelligent and had some interesting memories and perspectives.
Was frustrating to read something with so few details about the crash and recovery. Certainly as this was written by a survivor, I shouldn't have expected it to be perfect, but it turns out there were a lot of unanswered questions all around, including how this one person survived falling 10k feet out of the sky.
Werner Herzog actually tried to get himself and some of his crew onto this actual flight back then, but wasn't able to, saving his own life. He also went on to make a documentary about the crash, and I think I'll try to check that out.
It seems clear to me that this survivor didn't want her life to be defined by this one event, even though everyone else was trying to do just that. I think she wrote this book mostly to bring awareness to her conservation efforts in the rainforest, and I really can't fault her for that. Wasn't the best book though.
August 7, 2023
Einfühlsam, beeindruckend, mitreißend und eine spannende Geschichte des Leben von Juliane Koepcke.
Eine lebenslange und wie man im Falle von Julianes Eltern sieht - auch über den Tod hinaus - Aufgabe den Schutz und Erhalt des Regenwaldes. Ihre Erzählung gibt einem einen ganz anderen Einblick auf die Welt und das Leben im Urwald. Generell das Leben in einem anderen Teil der Erde.
Jeder Aspekt dieses Buches ist interessant, ob nun Vergangenheit/Erinnerungen oder die aktuellen Lebenslagen. Das einzige was mich beim Lesen gestört hat: Es war manchmal nicht gleich eindeutig ob es Erinnerung oder aktuell ist. Manchmal hätte ein „Flashback� geholfen.
Trotzdem absolute Leseempfehlung 😊
Eine lebenslange und wie man im Falle von Julianes Eltern sieht - auch über den Tod hinaus - Aufgabe den Schutz und Erhalt des Regenwaldes. Ihre Erzählung gibt einem einen ganz anderen Einblick auf die Welt und das Leben im Urwald. Generell das Leben in einem anderen Teil der Erde.
Jeder Aspekt dieses Buches ist interessant, ob nun Vergangenheit/Erinnerungen oder die aktuellen Lebenslagen. Das einzige was mich beim Lesen gestört hat: Es war manchmal nicht gleich eindeutig ob es Erinnerung oder aktuell ist. Manchmal hätte ein „Flashback� geholfen.
Trotzdem absolute Leseempfehlung 😊
July 9, 2021
3.5
I enjoyed this inspirational and informative memoir. The first half of the book was confusing because the chronological order was all over the place. Juliane exemplifies courage and curiosity.
I enjoyed this inspirational and informative memoir. The first half of the book was confusing because the chronological order was all over the place. Juliane exemplifies courage and curiosity.
December 28, 2014
Bereits als Kind übte diese einzigartige Überlebensgeschichte der damals 17jährigen Juliane Koepcke eine große Faszination auf mich aus. Am 24. Dezember 1971 gerät das Flugzeug, in dem sie gemeinsam mit ihrer Mutter sitzt, in schwere Turbulenzen. Es stürzt ab und Juliane trudelt festgeschnallt an ihrem Sitz tausende Meter in die Tiefe, um im peruanischen Dschungel bruchzulanden. Verletzt und ohne Kontakt zu anderen Passagieren und Menschen sucht sie den Weg zum Fluss, um dort auf Hilfe zu stoßen, was ihr nach 11 Tagen gelingen soll. Dort erfährt sie nach und nach, dass sie die einzige Überlebende ist.
Ihr unsagbares Glück bestand offenbar darin, dass ihre Eltern seit drei Jahren eine biologische Forschungsstation in diesem Dschungel aufbauten und sie somit über überlebenswichtiges Wissen und Verhaltensmaßregeln verfügte und dass sie sich trotz des tiefen Sturzes in einem passablen körperlichen Zustand befand.
Vierzig Jahre später schreibt Juliane Koepcke, verheiratete Diller, endlich diese Erlebnisse nieder, die ungefähr die Hälfte des Buches einnehmen. Außerdem schildert sie ausführlich die Arbeit und das Lebenswerk ihrer Eltern, beides angesehene Zoologen, die zu Beginn der 50er Jahre Deutschland verlassen, um sich in Peru biologischen Forschungen zu widmen. Auch die Autorin wird sich der Biologie, Zoologie und Ökologie verschreiben und sich als erwachsene Frau aktiv für den Umweltschutz im Peruanischen Dschungel engagieren. Dies setzt für einen umfassenden Lesegenuss natürlich ein gewisses Interesse für die Pflanzen- und Tierwelt sowie für Land und Leute in Peru voraus.
Ihre Schilderungen sind kurz und sachlich. Manche mögen sie vielleicht auch im ersten Moment als überraschend distanziert empfinden. Allerdings ist immerfort zwischen den Zeilen eine große Liebe zu ihrer Familie, zu Peru und vor allem zur Natur spürbar. Jener schicksalhafte Weihnachtstag veränderte ihr Leben von Grund auf und prägt es bis heute. Dennoch zeigt sie keinerlei Selbstmitleid oder Wut, sondern schaut optimistisch nach vorn.
Auch wenn dem Buch einige aussagekräftige wie interessante Fotos angehangen sind, empfand ich es als wunderbare Ergänzung Werner Herzogs Dokumentarfilm von 1998 parallel dazu zu sehen, für den er mit Juliane Koepcke-Diller und ihren Mann nach Peru reiste und die Unglücksstelle aufsuchte.
Ihr unsagbares Glück bestand offenbar darin, dass ihre Eltern seit drei Jahren eine biologische Forschungsstation in diesem Dschungel aufbauten und sie somit über überlebenswichtiges Wissen und Verhaltensmaßregeln verfügte und dass sie sich trotz des tiefen Sturzes in einem passablen körperlichen Zustand befand.
Vierzig Jahre später schreibt Juliane Koepcke, verheiratete Diller, endlich diese Erlebnisse nieder, die ungefähr die Hälfte des Buches einnehmen. Außerdem schildert sie ausführlich die Arbeit und das Lebenswerk ihrer Eltern, beides angesehene Zoologen, die zu Beginn der 50er Jahre Deutschland verlassen, um sich in Peru biologischen Forschungen zu widmen. Auch die Autorin wird sich der Biologie, Zoologie und Ökologie verschreiben und sich als erwachsene Frau aktiv für den Umweltschutz im Peruanischen Dschungel engagieren. Dies setzt für einen umfassenden Lesegenuss natürlich ein gewisses Interesse für die Pflanzen- und Tierwelt sowie für Land und Leute in Peru voraus.
Ihre Schilderungen sind kurz und sachlich. Manche mögen sie vielleicht auch im ersten Moment als überraschend distanziert empfinden. Allerdings ist immerfort zwischen den Zeilen eine große Liebe zu ihrer Familie, zu Peru und vor allem zur Natur spürbar. Jener schicksalhafte Weihnachtstag veränderte ihr Leben von Grund auf und prägt es bis heute. Dennoch zeigt sie keinerlei Selbstmitleid oder Wut, sondern schaut optimistisch nach vorn.
Auch wenn dem Buch einige aussagekräftige wie interessante Fotos angehangen sind, empfand ich es als wunderbare Ergänzung Werner Herzogs Dokumentarfilm von 1998 parallel dazu zu sehen, für den er mit Juliane Koepcke-Diller und ihren Mann nach Peru reiste und die Unglücksstelle aufsuchte.
June 20, 2021
UFF, read this impulsively after reading the recent NY Times article about this story. I'd seen the Herzog documentary and now want to rewatch it. God, such a crazy, stressful story! I liked how the book had so many passages that emphasized her love for the jungle. I don't really know if it needed all the parts about the bureaucratic wrangling, trying to turn her parents' home into an official nature reserve, or all the parts where she described the crazy ways journalists got her story wrong (admittedly these were interesting to read). Overall, a fun read, but the highlight is by far the survival story, which as you can imagine is very intense.
April 3, 2021
When I purchased this book, I thought it was going to be about Juliane's 1971 ordeal of being the sole survivor of a plane crash and her miraculous survival for eleven days in the Amazon rainforest. But it was more than that. It was about her, and her parents, their research center in Panguana, Peru and her and her father's dream of having Panguana declared as a conservation area. Turns out only a couple of chapters were devoted to the crash and her survival, but I enjoyed the entire book. It's always interesting and informative to read something of which you know nothing about - definitely a learning experience. The first thing I did after finishing the book was to go to Wikipedia to see if Juliane was successful in her endeavor to protect Panguana. Happy to report that she was -- in 2011, the same year that she published her book.
August 3, 2020
"When I Fell From The Sky" was an incredible story of a 17-year-old who survives a 10,000 foot fall from a plane after it explodes or is hit by lightning and she is still strapped to her seat, AND survives life afterwards... there was no "therapy" for this, or it wasn't widely resorted to in times of trauma. The book describes how she continues on to find her way and choses to continue her parents' research work in the jungles of Peru. Quick read. Available at the St. Louis County Library.
July 19, 2020
So little of this book focuses on Juliane's struggle to survive and was we the jungle. Instead the writer spends more time taking about her life as an adult and carrying o. Her parent's work in the jungle. Not what I expected....I skimmed a lot to get through it.
September 25, 2021
Very interesting story (that I have no memory of) and story arc.
Translation at a few points leaves a little bit to be desired.
But it is a quick, easy, and interesting read which gave me at least as much information about the Peruvian rain forest as anything else.
Translation at a few points leaves a little bit to be desired.
But it is a quick, easy, and interesting read which gave me at least as much information about the Peruvian rain forest as anything else.
December 22, 2024
Absolutely incredible story. Her appreciation for nature, wildlife preservation, and the jungles of Peru are admirable and incredibly valuable considering what she’s been through. This has to be one of my favourite survival stories that I’ve ever read because the author has gone on to do such fundamental work in the natural world and has been a pioneer in her own right. I appreciate her frankness about the accident and can see that she’s come to terms with it in her own way over the years. To heal and move on from such a highly publicized incident is no small feat and I can’t even imagine the frustration, harassment, and survivors guilt that she felt in the years immediately afterwards.
I love the way she spoke about her parent’s research and the specific details she gave about certain birds and animals. When she spoke about her father’s journey from Germany to Peru post world war 2, at first I was like what the heck does this matter to the story? But then after reading the tale I was desperately hoping that her father had written a story about his travels so that I could read that as well! Sad to see that he passed before he was able to finish and publish a book about his own life.
Overall, this was an amazing story despite its obviously tragic inspiration. There were so many elements that I wasn’t prepared for and wasn’t expecting. The authors perseverance (even her desire/ability to get on planes ever again) is incredible and truly showcases survival and human spirit. Now it’s time to read-up on how Panguana is doing today.
As a side note, I will mention that it’s funny and ironic to me that so many of the other reviews criticize the story for not being exciting enough. I didn’t feel misled by the description, title or idea of the book at all but I can understand why some people felt that way. However, the irony is that Juliane specifically mentions in so many parts of the book that media outlets, newspapers, movies, etc. inaccurately depict her story because it just wasn’t juicy enough and they had to enhance and alter things. The reality of a story like this is that it isn’t glamorous, it isn’t like she fell down from the sky in some superhero fashion and knew all the right things to do blah blah blah. She was a child, she was severely injured, she had a concussion which clearly impedes her ability to think straight and she was simply trying to survive. There’s no glamour in that no matter how badly people wish there would be. She’s very upfront about how she just did the things she did in order to survive. People who read the book and complain about it being boring have missed the mark completely. If you want an extravagant tale with all of answers handed to you and an explanation for every little thing then fiction stories probably aren’t for you.
I agree with other reviews that say Juliane is telling the story how she personally experienced it and how she wants it to be told. We are privileged to have read the true and real experience from the person who lived it as opposed to the sensationalizing news articles which aren’t even accurate.
***Sort of Spoiler**
Final side note: I was deeply disturbed by the information her father had uncovered in regard to her mother’s body being exhumed in Germany. I’m relieved and happy that Juliane was able to move past this (or at least says that she did) because I certainly would’ve been in the same despair her father was. What happened to her mother’s body? Did the body ever truly make it to Germany or was it disposed of in Peru? Why would anyone interfere with a body like this? Even if there was some nefarious, black market situation thing going on I can’t possibly imagine what anyone would want to do with a body that was already decomposing for days prior to being found. I know this all happened in the 70s but I’m horrified that no one was ever held responsible for this and that the true remains of Julianes mother are essentially missing to this day, despite having being intact and positively identified a few weeks after the crash� I also can’t believe no other reviews are talking about this!!! I can only imagine the suffering that Juliane’s father endured as a result of this. I’m glad he is at peace and reunited with his Maria once again.
I love the way she spoke about her parent’s research and the specific details she gave about certain birds and animals. When she spoke about her father’s journey from Germany to Peru post world war 2, at first I was like what the heck does this matter to the story? But then after reading the tale I was desperately hoping that her father had written a story about his travels so that I could read that as well! Sad to see that he passed before he was able to finish and publish a book about his own life.
Overall, this was an amazing story despite its obviously tragic inspiration. There were so many elements that I wasn’t prepared for and wasn’t expecting. The authors perseverance (even her desire/ability to get on planes ever again) is incredible and truly showcases survival and human spirit. Now it’s time to read-up on how Panguana is doing today.
As a side note, I will mention that it’s funny and ironic to me that so many of the other reviews criticize the story for not being exciting enough. I didn’t feel misled by the description, title or idea of the book at all but I can understand why some people felt that way. However, the irony is that Juliane specifically mentions in so many parts of the book that media outlets, newspapers, movies, etc. inaccurately depict her story because it just wasn’t juicy enough and they had to enhance and alter things. The reality of a story like this is that it isn’t glamorous, it isn’t like she fell down from the sky in some superhero fashion and knew all the right things to do blah blah blah. She was a child, she was severely injured, she had a concussion which clearly impedes her ability to think straight and she was simply trying to survive. There’s no glamour in that no matter how badly people wish there would be. She’s very upfront about how she just did the things she did in order to survive. People who read the book and complain about it being boring have missed the mark completely. If you want an extravagant tale with all of answers handed to you and an explanation for every little thing then fiction stories probably aren’t for you.
I agree with other reviews that say Juliane is telling the story how she personally experienced it and how she wants it to be told. We are privileged to have read the true and real experience from the person who lived it as opposed to the sensationalizing news articles which aren’t even accurate.
***Sort of Spoiler**
Final side note: I was deeply disturbed by the information her father had uncovered in regard to her mother’s body being exhumed in Germany. I’m relieved and happy that Juliane was able to move past this (or at least says that she did) because I certainly would’ve been in the same despair her father was. What happened to her mother’s body? Did the body ever truly make it to Germany or was it disposed of in Peru? Why would anyone interfere with a body like this? Even if there was some nefarious, black market situation thing going on I can’t possibly imagine what anyone would want to do with a body that was already decomposing for days prior to being found. I know this all happened in the 70s but I’m horrified that no one was ever held responsible for this and that the true remains of Julianes mother are essentially missing to this day, despite having being intact and positively identified a few weeks after the crash� I also can’t believe no other reviews are talking about this!!! I can only imagine the suffering that Juliane’s father endured as a result of this. I’m glad he is at peace and reunited with his Maria once again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2020
1971. aasta detsembris kukub Peruu džunglisse alla lennuk, mille pardal olijatest jääb ellu vaid 17-aastane Juliane, kellel kulub inimesteni jõudmiseks 11 päeva kurnavat teekonda. Üllataval kombel ei koosnegi see raamat peamiselt sellest teekonnast, vaid annab põhjaliku ülevaate ka Juliane elust enne ja pärast, sealhulgas tema perekonna loo. Ja see on tõesti põnev. Juliane isa, kellel kulub II maailmasõja järgsel ajal mitu aastat, et üldse Lõuna-Ameerikasse jõuda, sealhulgas lõputu ekslemine laeva otsides erinevates Euroopa riikides ja tuhandete kilomeetrite pikkune jalgsirännak läbi džungli. Juliane ornitoloogist ema, kes järgneb mehele kas või maailma otsa. Autori lapsepõlv teadlastega täidetud majas Peruu linna Lima uhkete villadega täidetud Miraflorese linnajaos, unistuste lapsepõlve loovad uurimisretked ja lõpuks teadlastepaari otsus kolida Amazonase džunglisse täiesti läbi uurimata alale.
Kui enne lugema asumist arvasin, et Juliane pääsemine oli puhas õnn ja juhus, siis selline kasvukeskkond andis talle üliolulisi teadmisi džunglis hakkama saamiseks. Jah, muidugi oli see ka õnn ja juhus, sest kui palju on neid, kes 3 km kõrguselt lennukist välja paisatuna ellu jäävad ja veel liikuda suudavad ja kui teatud inimesi ei oleks just sel ajal selles kohas olnud, siis ilmselt me seda raamatut siin ei loeks. Pärast õnnetust kirjeldab autor muidugi rohkem tundesegadust, millele aitavad kaasa isa leinaga toimetulematus ja raisakotkastest ajakirjanikud.
Kui enne kirjutasin, et õnnetuse kirjeldus ise ei moodusta raamatust üldse suurt osa, siis tegelikult on see kogu aeg kohal ja autori mälestused ekslevad sinna ka olevikuhetkel, kui ta peab oma missiooniks vanemate rajatud Panguana uurimisjaama säilitamist ja arendamist. Muidugi ma guugeldasin ja selgus, et tänaseks on Juliane saavutanud oma soovi teha sellest 10 km2 suurune looduskaitseala.
Mulle see raamat tõesti meeldis. Kuigi ise ei tahaks mingil juhul sellist asja läbi elada, siis mõnes mõttes ma kadestan Julianet tema võrratu lapsepõlve ja teadmise pärast, mida ta oma eluga peale hakata soovib. Kohati tundus lugedes, nagu räägiks ta mingist kadunud maailmast, mida meie vihmametsi hävitavas tänapäevas enam ei eksisteerigi. Muidugi polnud uurimisjaama elu toona meelakkumine, kuid siiski.
Kui enne lugema asumist arvasin, et Juliane pääsemine oli puhas õnn ja juhus, siis selline kasvukeskkond andis talle üliolulisi teadmisi džunglis hakkama saamiseks. Jah, muidugi oli see ka õnn ja juhus, sest kui palju on neid, kes 3 km kõrguselt lennukist välja paisatuna ellu jäävad ja veel liikuda suudavad ja kui teatud inimesi ei oleks just sel ajal selles kohas olnud, siis ilmselt me seda raamatut siin ei loeks. Pärast õnnetust kirjeldab autor muidugi rohkem tundesegadust, millele aitavad kaasa isa leinaga toimetulematus ja raisakotkastest ajakirjanikud.
Kui enne kirjutasin, et õnnetuse kirjeldus ise ei moodusta raamatust üldse suurt osa, siis tegelikult on see kogu aeg kohal ja autori mälestused ekslevad sinna ka olevikuhetkel, kui ta peab oma missiooniks vanemate rajatud Panguana uurimisjaama säilitamist ja arendamist. Muidugi ma guugeldasin ja selgus, et tänaseks on Juliane saavutanud oma soovi teha sellest 10 km2 suurune looduskaitseala.
Mulle see raamat tõesti meeldis. Kuigi ise ei tahaks mingil juhul sellist asja läbi elada, siis mõnes mõttes ma kadestan Julianet tema võrratu lapsepõlve ja teadmise pärast, mida ta oma eluga peale hakata soovib. Kohati tundus lugedes, nagu räägiks ta mingist kadunud maailmast, mida meie vihmametsi hävitavas tänapäevas enam ei eksisteerigi. Muidugi polnud uurimisjaama elu toona meelakkumine, kuid siiski.
December 1, 2024
I first saw the account of Juliane Koepcke on TV and was utterly amazed with her story. First off Koepcke is a German Peruvian woman who survived a plane crash in 1971. As a 17 year old child along with her mother she was on the plane, LANSA Flight 508, that was en route to Pucallpa, Peru to see her father for Christmas when it was struck by lightning and broke apart in mid-air.
If you've ever flown in a plane I know that the horrid thoughts of plane crashes have floated through your mind, at least they have mine. Juliane Koepcke was the sole survivor of the crash despite falling about 2 miles into the Amazon jungle while still strapped into her seat. She suffered a broken collarbone, a deep cut in her arm, an eye injury, and a concussion. Koepcke survived in the jungle for 11 days using the knowledge gained from her parents and her own will to survive this child made it to the Rio Yuyapichis in the Peruvian Amazon and floated down this river till she found a forest worker's camp and her rescue and reunited with her father. After all that she had been through after recovering from her injuries, Koepcke helped search parties find the crash site and recover the bodies of the victims. After all she went through she never lost her love for the Peruvian jungle.
A terrific read and an amazing child that grew into an amazing woman!
If you've ever flown in a plane I know that the horrid thoughts of plane crashes have floated through your mind, at least they have mine. Juliane Koepcke was the sole survivor of the crash despite falling about 2 miles into the Amazon jungle while still strapped into her seat. She suffered a broken collarbone, a deep cut in her arm, an eye injury, and a concussion. Koepcke survived in the jungle for 11 days using the knowledge gained from her parents and her own will to survive this child made it to the Rio Yuyapichis in the Peruvian Amazon and floated down this river till she found a forest worker's camp and her rescue and reunited with her father. After all that she had been through after recovering from her injuries, Koepcke helped search parties find the crash site and recover the bodies of the victims. After all she went through she never lost her love for the Peruvian jungle.
A terrific read and an amazing child that grew into an amazing woman!
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