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Africa

Book Review: The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild



Review by Jill Hedgecock

The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence (2012, St. Martin’s Griffin, paperback, 384 pages, $10.63) is the fascinating true account of Lawrence Anthony’s experiences after introducing a small herd of rogue elephants into his Thula Thula game reserve, an area of approximately 5,000 acres of pristine bush in South Africa. The adventure does not start well when the elephants break out of their enclosure. Anthony gets in a helicopter to track them down while his wife takes to the road. As Anthony’s wife, Francois, desperately questions the locals on whether they’ve seen these giant animals, the tribes people have no idea what she’s asking. Elephants had been extirpated from this area before they were born. The runaways are rounded up, but are in imminent danger of being killed if they break out again, so Anthony, whose original intention was to discourage human-elephant interaction, is forced to befriend the herd.

In addition to heart-rending and occasionally terrifying accounts of Lawrence’s encounters with these three-ton beasts, the book explores the politics of running a game reserve, the delightful as well as idiosyncrasies of Zulu culture, the darkest consequences of trophy hunting and poaching practices, and the mysterious beliefs surrounding native witchcraft. Along the way, readers experience the hazards of South African weather, snakes and crocodiles.

Throughout the narrative, Anthony’s absolute respect and love for the animals of Thula Thula, both wild and domestic, shines through the pages. But it is the elephants that captivate. From this book I learned the extent of how sensitive and tactile these creatures are. How intention and the sound of a human voice can transform these intelligent giant animals from an emotional state of malevolence and distrust to a condition of utter gentleness.

At the end of this book, I was left with the absolute conviction that to be a true advocate for the wildlife in Africa is to commit acts of heroism again and again and again. In 2003, Anthony founded The Earth Organization, a non-profit group with a mission to reverse the dwindling spiral of plant and animal kingdoms through education and action. To learn more and to see a video of Anthony interacting with an elephant, visit www.earthorganization.org. Lawrence’s other books include Babylon’s Ark : The Incredible Wartime Rescue of the Baghdad Zoo (2007) recounting his efforts to help the zoo animals during the Iraq war. He received the UN’s Earth Day award for this work in Baghdad. His last novel, The Last Rhinos: My Battle to Save One of the World’s Greatest Creatures (2013), was published after his untimely death from heart failure on March 2, 2012. Fortunately, his voice will live on through the books he left behind and his nonprofit organization. The Elephant Whisperer is one of those books that takes ahold of you and leaves behind lasting vivid memories. The audio version of this book, which was how I read it, was an Audie Award Winner in the Biography/Memoir category in 2014.

Click here to buy the book:

https://amzn.to/4bvr9Es

Note: I receive a small commission if you purchase from this link.

Filed Under: Africa, Book Review, Books, books to read, Reading, Travel Tagged With: #bookrecommendations, African safari, books about Africa, elephants, game reserve, memoir about Africa, memoir about safari, memoir with animals, memoir with elephants, memoir with wild animals, wildlife

10/16/24 SPEAKING EVENT: San Pablo Rotary Club Rhino Conservation Presentation and Book Signing

San Francisco Bay Area folks, I will be speaking on the topic of Acting Locally and Globally for Rhino Conservation on October 16, 2024, 12:00 PM.

Open to the public, no cost. I would love to see you there!


San Pablo Rotary Club
2215 Church Ln, San Pablo, CA

Filed Under: Africa, Bay Area, Book Signing, Events, Publishing, rhino, rhino in the room, rhino poaching, Travel, wlidlife Tagged With: book signing event, Care for Wild, rhino conservation, rhino orphanage, rhino presentation, rhino volunteer, San Pablo Rotary Club, upcoming speaking events

Queen of the Rhino Now in Audiobook

I was invited to be part of Amazon’s beta testing of their Virtual Voice, a computer-generated narration. I chose a a woman’s voice and I was surprised at how good it sounds. You can check out a sample of the narration here:

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Rhino-African-Wildlife-Thriller-ebook/dp/B0B998FH2V
Or buy the ebook or paperback:
https://smile.amazon.com/Queen-Rhino-Jill-Hedgecock/dp/1732241562

I’m currently reviewing the audio file for Rhino in the Room. I’ll send an update when the audiobook is available for that book.

Filed Under: Africa, audiobook, Books, books to read, extinction, Publishing, Reading, rhino, suspense novels, Travel, wlidlife, Writing, YA books Tagged With: audiobooks, book gifts, keepthefivealive, rhinos, safari, safari danger, safari gone wrong., savingrhinos, teen books, wildanimals, wildlife, YA novels, YA suspense, YA travel

Act NOW! Queen of the Rhino on SALE!

Act fast!! Amazon had put Queen of the Rhino is on sale!! Normally, $12.99, the paperback is just $6.61. That’s a 49% discount.

A teen suffering from PTSD. A trip to a remote African safari camp to fund a rhino foundation. Will her presence protect the rhinos or endanger them all?

Get your copy today:



https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732241562

Filed Under: Africa, Books, Reading, rhino, suspense novels, Travel, wlidlife Tagged With: book sale, bookdeal, bookdiscount, booktok, discountedbook, mustread, safari books, suspensenovel, YA books, YAsuspense

3/26/24 Walnut Creek Rotary Event and Book Signing: Rhino Conservation

I will be speaking on the topic of Acting Locally and Globally for Rhino Conservation
Walnut Creek Rotary Club
Assistance League of Diablo Valley Conference Room
2711 Buena Vista Avenue, Walnut Creek
March 26, 2024, 12:30 PM, Doors Open at Noon

Filed Under: Africa, Bay Area, Book Signing, Events, rhino, rhino in the room, rhino poaching, Travel Tagged With: book signing event, Care for Wild, rhino conservation, rhino orphanage, rhino presentation, rhino volunteer, upcoming speaking events, Walnut Creek Rotary Club

January 23, 2023 Travel Writing Event

Sacramento/Central Valley Friends and Fellow Writers (Zoom available): Come learn about travel writing and muse boards in the New Year. #authorlife #sacramentowriters #travel #travelblogger Zoom is also an option. #speaker #speaking #writingcommunity

https://www.cwcsacramentowriters.org/2022/monthly-meeting-january-2023-travel-writing/

Filed Under: Africa, Events, muse board, Writing, Writing tips Tagged With: California Writers Club, Jill Hedgecock events, muse board, travel writing

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Event: June 21, 2025 Book Reading and Scavenger Hunt at Reasonable Books

San Francisco Bay Area people please come to this fabulous event. Win the scavenger hunt and get a huge gift basket! Don’t forget to RSVP! Hope to see you there!

May 10th Speaking Event: Mount Diablo California Writers Club Writer’s Table

SF Bay Area Writers: Please come join me at the May 10th Meeting of the Mount Diablo Branch of the California Writers Club. Writer’s Table starts at 11:15 am and goes until noon. The featured speaker, Allison Landa will follow from 1 to 2 pm and will speak on What Can We Learn About Writing […]

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