Marty Essen is an American naturalist, author, photographer, and professional speaker. He has written seven books, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet: Exploring the Seven Continents, Endangered Edens: Exploring the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica, the Everglades, and Puerto Rico, Time Is Irreverent, Time Is Irreverent 2: Jesus Christ, Not Again! Time Is Irreverent 3: Gone for 16 Seconds, Hits, Heathens, and Hippos: Stories from an Agent, Activist, and Adventurer, and Doctor Refurb. [1][2][3]
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Essen was born in Duluth, Minnesota, United States.[4] He attended Duluth East High School and University of Minnesota Duluth.
Essen worked as a radio announcer at WEBC-AM[5] and KQDS-FM.[6] In 1982, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he ran two music talent management agencies, National Talent Associates[5] and Twin City Talent.[7] In 1996, Essen moved to Victor, Montana to found Essen Communications Corporation, a local telephone company, and later became an author and a college speaker.[citation needed]
His first book, Cool Creatures, Hot Planet, became a Minneapolis Star-Tribune Top-10 Green Book.[8] He performs a live college show, Around the World in 90 Minutes, based on Cool Creatures, Hot Planet.[9] One adventure, documented in both his first book and his live show, is surviving a hippo attack in Zimbabwe.[10][11]
Essen's nature photography is featured prominently in his books and live show. His outdoor photographs are also in Deb Essen's book, Easy Weaving with Supplemental Warps: Overshot, Velvet, Shibori, and More.[12] Magazines publishing his photos include Reptiles Magazine[13] and Handwoven Magazine.[14]
Essen's three nonfiction books advocate for protecting endangered species and the environment, and his four fiction books are science-fiction political-comedies that advocate for the protection of human rights and the environment.[citation needed]
Essen resides in Victor, Montana and is married to weaving designer and author Deb Essen.[15]
Essen has been touring the United States, performing Around the World in 90 Minutes, at hundreds of colleges since 2007.[26]
