February 2018 Book Review

 I recently saw a bumper sticker that said "I like animals more than people."  My first thought was I needed one of those bumper stickers myself.  The book I’m reviewing this month is THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence and I would venture a guess that Mr. Anthony might share that sentiment as well.

The blurb on the back of the book says:  When Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of ‘rogue’ wild elephants on his reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse.  But he was the herd’s last chance of survival and in order to save their lives, Anthony took them in.

In the years that followed he became a part of their family.  And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom.  In The Elephant Whisperer, he tells of his heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures.

The main thread of the book is about his relationship with the elephants.  They had been badly treated and witnessed family members being killed in front of them so they were very distrusting of humans when they reached Anthony’s game reserve, Thula Thula.  They escaped the confines of the reserve not long after arriving and were aggressive enough that the townsfolk wanted them destroyed.  Anthony plead for their lives and managed to get them back to his game reserve but was told in no uncertain terms, if they escaped again they would be shot on sight.  As a result, Anthony took extra measures to ensure they didn’t escape again while also attempting to gain the trust of the matriarch of the herd, Nana, knowing the others would trust him if she did.

Through this story you get to know the animals and care for them.  But the story wasn’t just about elephants.  It was about life in Africa as well.  There were side stories about other animals and incidents and things he went through having to deal with poachers as well as African traditions, among other things.  It wasn’t a one note story.  The writing was fluid and there were parts where I laughed out loud and parts that were, as the description says, sad.  But it was very good book.

Actually, I absolutely loved this book.  I think anyone who loves animals or has an interest in African culture would also love this book.  I highly recommend it.

(In the interest of full disclosure, I read this book because it was the February choice for our zoo’s volunteer book club.)

For more reviews go to www.barriesummy.com.