Ep. 70 - Combating Corruption and Generating Change, with Nat Geo’s Bryan Christy

Bryan Christy's investigations as a reporter have led to police raids of ivory shops in Vatican City, the defrocking of a pedophile monsignor, the arrest and imprisonment of the “Pablo Escobar of wildlife trafficking,” and the closing of China's ivory market. What strategies did he use to track down criminals? What mistakes did he make? Why were his stories so effective at generating change? And why has he now chosen to use his journalistic crime-fighting experience as the basis for his debut novel, In the Company of Killers, a thriller about the major criminal forces connected to wildlife exploitation? Bryan discusses with Eve and Julie all this and more in this week's episode of Book Dreams. An investigative reporter and founder of the Special Investigations Unit at National Geographic, Bryan Christy is a National Geographic Society Rolex Explorer of the Year. His criminal investigations have been the subject of two award-winning National Geographic documentaries. He has worked as a mortician's apprentice, an international trade lawyer, a CPA, and NASCAR team consultant, a whitewater kayak instructor, and a television correspondent. His novel In the Company of Killers, was one of The New York Times Book Review’s “eight thrillers to read this summer” and a Crime Reads Editor's Choice. Bryan is also the author of the acclaimed non-fiction book The Lizard King: The True Crimes and Passions of the World’s Greatest Reptile Smugglers. Find us on Twitter (@bookdreamspod) and Instagram (@bookdreamspodcast), or email us at contact@bookdreamspodcast.com. We encourage you to visit our website and sign up for our newsletter for information about our episodes, guests, and more. Book Dreams is a part of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate network, a company that produces, distributes, and monetizes podcasts. For more information on how The Podglomerate treats data, please see our Privacy Policy. Since you’re listening to Book Dreams, we’d like to suggest you also try other Podglomerate shows about literature, writing, and storytelling like Storybound and The History of Literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Om Podcasten

Book Dreams is a podcast for everyone who loves books and misses English class. In each episode co-hosts Julie Sternberg and Eve Yohalem explore a book-related topic they can’t stop thinking about, everything from the genius of your favorite picture books to books bound in human skin. Julie and Eve are both award-winning authors, which allows them to come at interviews with an insider’s knowledge as well as all the wonder associated with storytelling.  Book Dreams is brought to you by The Podglomerate and is a member of Lit Hub Radio. New episodes run every Thursday. Find Book Dreams on Twitter (@bookdreamspod) and Instagram (@bookdreamspodcast), or email contact@bookdreamspodcast.com. Visit our website and sign up for our newsletter for information about our episodes, guests, and more.