The Elephant Whisperer

Okay, I confess this is the same story as the recommendation above, The Elephants Come Home, but this is written by the actual guy, Lawrence Anthony, who undertook this effort.

Also, instead of a picture book, it is a 380-page tale told by the person who lived it. If you love The Elephants Come Home, you’ll want to read Elephant Whisperer as well.

I found myself exclaiming again and again over the stories that Anthony tells of life on the sanctuary.

I loved the recollections of Lawrence Anthony as he takes ownership of a wildlife refuge in Africa. He describes in rich detail the many challenges he faces. He adopts a family of elephants who have been “difficult” to keep from escaping. It was either he took the elephants, or they would be killed.

This wonderful story brings the reader along on his journey as Lawrence learns about the distinctive personalities of each elephant and how to gain their respect. Every chapter describes one of the ways he is faced with a seemingly unsolvable dilemma. This is a true story of… show more.

The author has a passion for his life and choices. He cares enough to take risks and he shares His feeling with you, pulling you into the dangers and pleasures of living. I have no interest in Africa or its history but Spence showed me a wonderful way of living differently with courage and promise.

This is probably one of the best known/best loved books about wild animals and those who care for them, and kept me almost literally on the edge of my seat wondering whether devoted animal conservationist Lawrence Anthony would succeed in rehoming a wild herd of “rogue” elephants. Along the way, he forges a bond with the animals, and soon realizes there is much he can learn from them about life, loyalty, and what it means to be free. But will his efforts result in success? Can he find a middle-ground on which elephants and humans can co-exist, or will Anthony… show more.

The Elephant Whisperer is a fast-paced, easy-to-read story about one man’s desire to create a safe and comfortable place in Africa for threatened wildlife species. The author’s quest is turned upside down when he acquires an aggressive, traumatized, and unmanageable elephant herd. He is forced to use his intuition to form a bond with the herd’s matriarch, to stop them from breaking out of enclosures and causing major damage to neighboring communities. It was a book I couldn’t put down; I highly recommend this book packed with information about the majestic, wild, African, elephant. As his plans frequently unravel the… show more.

I had no idea that this book existed when I wrote my novel. Then at book events, people approached me to ask if my book had anything to do with The Elephant Whisperer and told me how wonderful this non-fiction book was. I read it and couldn’t agree more. This South African man devoted his life to elephants and his book deserves my recommendation. I love how he sets everything aside to patiently help a herd of Elephants, traumatised by poachers, and how he connects with the animals at a deep level. Animals and African wild animals in particular react… show more.

The late Lawrence Anthony was not afraid to anthropomorphize about elephants and, if there is one creature on our planet where this could be justified, I think that this is deserving of elephants. This book is about a cross-species relationship between one man, his family, and a herd of elephants. It is witty, funny, and gives a fascinating insight into the fact that although elephants couldn’t look more different to us, it’s quite remarkable how similar they are to us. I would recommend this book to anyone with a love of Africa, its wildlife – particularly elephants – and anyone… show more.

Lawrence Anthony faced an unimaginable choice. Accept a rogue herd of elephants at his South African reserve or allow them to be shot. Although The Elephant Whisperer also comes in an adult edition, I chose the young readers adaptation (ages 10-14) because of the opportunity to share common interests with the children in your life. Kids will learn to protect the planet by following our example. Lawrence’s story will stick with you for a long time.