Tag Archives: Biographies

Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough

June 13, 2018Book ReviewBiographies, conservation, David Attenborough, Non-fictionskyebjenner

Title: Adventures of a Young Naturalist: The Zoo Quest Expeditions
Author: David Attenborough
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Conservation, Non-fiction
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Two Roads
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: We had constructed a large cage for the peccary from thin saplings bound together with strips of bark, and this was wedged in the bows of the boat.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

In 1954, a young David Attenborough was offered the opportunity of a lifetime – to travel the world finding rare and elusive animals for London Zoo’s collection, and to film the expeditions for the BBC for a new show called Zoo Quest.

This is the story of those voyages. Staying with local tribes while trekking in search of giant anteaters in Guyana, Komodo dragons in Indonesia and armadillos in Paraguay, he and the rest of the team battled with cannibal fish, aggressive tree porcupines and escape-artist wild pigs, as well as treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather, to record the incredible beauty and biodiversity of these regions. The methods may be outdated now, but the fascination and respect for the wildlife, the people and the environment – and the importance of protecting these wild places – is not.

Written with Attenborough’s trademark wit and charm, Adventures of a Young Naturalist is not just the story of a remarkable adventure, but of the man who made us fall in love with the natural world, and who is still doing so today.

I love David Attenborough. So it’s not really a surprise that I love this book. Although I’ve seen him live, and talking about the years in which he travelled around filming and catching for Zoo Quest, it was a lot more fun to read about it. Or at least, to read about three of his adventures. It was completely unexpected, quite funny in spots and just a fascinating journey to be swept away on.

This journey starts with an introduction – it tells you a little about the background of Zoo Quest and how it all came about. Then you begin in Guyana. Each chapter is its own little adventure, and the three completely different journeys are structured and separated in a way that you almost pause and take a break in between. Much like Attenborough would have as he travelled on such a crazy whirlwind.

One of the things that really stuck out at me throughout this novel is how dramatically everything has changed. I highly doubt you could go on such an adventure anymore. And it’s even less likely that many of the animals that were found, filmed, and in some cases, captured are roaming about the wilderness anymore. This might be where Attenborough’s career really took off, but it is also a poignant reminder of the myriad of ways in which conservation practices and wilderness has changed in the last sixty years.

<- Life on Air Review

Journeys to the Other Side of the World Review ->

Image source: Blackwell’s

Rejected Princesses by Jason Porath

February 23, 2018Book ReviewBiographies, Easy Reading, Feminism, History, Jason Porath, Non-fictionskyebjenner

Title: Rejected Princesses
Author: Jason Porath
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Easy reading, Feminism, History, Non-fiction
Pace: Slow
Format: Non-fiction
Publisher: Dey St.
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: Suddenly, Ka’ahumanu was running things on her own.

100 women from the pages of history, literature, and folklore. Fearless, bold, fierce, these are the… Rejected Princesses.

I loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved, loved (okay, you get the point) this book! I even informed my partner that this is a perfect book from what to select (our entirely theoretical) future baby girls name from.

The things that I loved about this book:

The pictures – it was so pretty and beautifully laid out!
The entries were graded – I knew what sensitive topics / maturity levels I was getting into before I started the entry
It was short and pithy – every tale got to the point, but was engaging straight away
There was no sugar-coating it – these women were tough, and had some interesting stories, but they weren’t princessed up.
My mind is opened to the women of history

Not only was this book a great look at some of the amazing women of history (and even how they’ve shaped our futures), it was also just a really fun and beautiful read. The entire message behind this collection is that women are strong and can do anything. But it wasn’t preachy, it was fun, and delivered in such a way that you could give this to the younger generation of girls. Something that can allow us to see that we can all be whatever we want to be.

<- Black Saturday Review

Tough Mothers Review ->

Image source: Amazon

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterley

February 14, 2018Book ReviewBiographies, Feminism, History, Margot Lee Shetterley, Memoirs, scienceskyebjenner

Title: Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of the African Women Who Helped Win the Space Race
Author: Margot Lee Shetterley
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Feminism, History, Memoirs, Science
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: William Collins
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: If Dorothy Vaughn had been able to accept Howard University’s offer of graduate admission, she likely would have been Claytor’s only female classmate, with virtually no postgraduate career options outside of teaching, even with a master’s degree in hand.

GENIUS HAS NO RACE. STRENGTH HAS NO GENDER. COURAGE HAS NO LIMIT.

The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, some of the brightest minds of their generation, known as ‘human computers’, used pencils and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War and the Space Race, Hidden Figures is a powerful, revelatory tale of race, discrimination and achievement in the modern world. Now a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst and Kevin Costner.

I bought this book because I’ve seen the ads for the movie. I, as always, wanted to read the book before I watched the movie – there’s just something far more satisfying about reading the words before watching the adaptation. And I was not disappointed in the slightest. Although this is a pretty heavy going book. At least for someone like me, who has almost no knowledge of American history and, more specifically, the challenges faced by African-Americans throughout the past.

I love the world of science and maths, you don’t agree to do an undergrad and postgrad degree in the area if you don’t! NASA, however, has always been a bit of an abstract interest – I’m more into the environmental aspects of science than the physics. But, after reading this, I want to find out more about the contributions that NASA has provided the rest of the world. The fact that it was a great way to break down social and racial stigmas kind of made it all the more appealing. And this is including the role of Langley and its conception in WWII.

One of the things that I loved about this book was that it didn’t just focus on one or two women. Rather, there was a whole slew of women who contributed to the space race, and this is reflected by the telling of their stories. Although three main women continued to appear again and again, there were a number of other individuals who were mentioned and illuminated throughout this story.

For anyone with an interest in politics, equality, science, maths, or just really likes a good story, I would definitely recommend this novel! It certainly opened my eyes (and my mind).

<- The Upside Review

Wild Review ->

Image source: Amazon UK

Walk in My Shoes by Alwyn Evans

January 5, 2018Book ReviewAlwyn Evans, Australian Authors, Biographiesskyebjenner

Title: Walk in My Shoes
Author: Alwyn Evans
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Biographies
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin Books
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: Not wanting to disturb Zahra again, I didn’t speak, but carefully rolled onto my side, untwining myself from her clinging arms and legs, and willing sleep to rescue me.

A powerful and moving story of one family’s courageous journey. An inspiring novel for all Australians.

We walked off the ferry along the wide, sloping gangplank, and when my feet hit the firm wooden planks of the juetty I staggered, legs suddenly feeling like jelly… Taking Mum’s hand, I whispered, ‘Are we really safe, here?’

After a perilous and terrifying escape from war-torn Afghanistan, Gulnessa and her family find themselves in Australia, a place they know nothing about. They are exhausted and traumatised, but so full of hope. At last, somewhere safe to call home.

But their struggle isn’t over yet. They are confined in a detention centre for asylum seekers and forced to prove their refugee status. As days drag into weeks and months, Gulnessa is determined to stay strong. She must keep her family together, and fight for her friend Abdul – with whom she has secretly fallen in love. She cannot give up hope for a second chance at life, and the opportunity to build a future in a new land.

I remember reading this book when I was a younger kid. I remember loving it and being a little more aware of the world around me as I read this. However, having reread this story as a more educated adult, I was a little uncomfortable. Which is a good thing, I’m far more socially and politically aware now, and this is a story about refugees and refugee camps in Australia. I think if it doesn’t make you at least a little uncomfortable as a person, or even an Australian, you’re maybe not getting the point of the story…

Although this is a fictional biography, it is based on true events. Evans spent years researching and interviewing refugee experiences in Australia and the camps. The politics, which I was, quite honestly, unaware of are horrific and far-reaching, the experiences worse than anything that I could imagine. Which is where the uncomfortable feelings come from. Yet, for all of the fact that this is quite a scary retelling, this personal story is filled with hope and love. Nessa is able to retell her tale with a sense of joy. Her tale is horrifying, and she talks about her suffering, but she is also able to find her golden memories and keep those. She tells of her hope for the future and a better life. And her love for Abdul.

This story is split into two parts – Nessa’s time in the camp (and flashbacks to their journey to Australia) and her life after the camp. It gives a clear distinction to the experiences of refugees – there is the horror before and during their stay in camps, and then the confusion and feeling of uncertainty that is forced upon them afterwards. Not only are they two different worlds in which Nessa and her family struggle to find their place and learn the new ‘rules’, but they are systems of personal anguish that work at controlling their experiences and dehumanising them to others.

I loved this book, but I think that what I loved most about it was it helped me to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. It’s a great way to experience something that I myself will never experience and enhances the feeling of compassion and care that we should all strive to feel for others.

<- The Happiest Refugee Review

The Freedom Writers Diary Review ->

Image source: Goodreads

Yami by Yami Lester

October 30, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Biographies, Indigenous Australians, Yami Lesterskyebjenner

Title: Yami: The Autobiography of Yami Lester
Author: Yami Lester
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Biographies, Indigenous Australians
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Jukurrpa Books
Year: 1993
5th sentence, 74th page: Tjitji kungkatja.

This is Yami Lester’s story: from stockman to stirrer. Beginning in the heart of the Western Desert, Yami tells of his early years learning the country and the Law from the Ones Who Know. Of his years as a stockman, learning his trade on the vast, unfenced cattle stations of the Centre. Of this years living in the world of white people. And of the childhood memories stirred by a voice on the radio – memories of the day when the ground shook and a black mist came up from the south and covered the camp. Of the sickness that followed, and the blindness that changed his life for ever. Yami’s is a unique life of challenge and change, courage and humour. From the remote Centralian outback to the handback of Uluru, from bomb tests at Maralinga to the Royal Commission in London, Yami’s memories are aout the making of modern Australian history.

It was suggested that I read this because of my course in Indigenous Australians in environmental management and my interest in what our First Nation people have experienced. And let me tell you, I am so incredibly glad that I did. This story is just awe inspiring and fascinating. It not only entails part of our history, but also shows the strength, compassion and drive of people who have, quite frankly, not been treated as they should have been.

If you’re interested in Australian history, and more specifically, Indigenous history, this is certainly a book that is worth reading. I was kind of expecting a story that highlighted all of the many negative things that happened when white man decided to declare terra nullius, but this story was nothing like that. Yami’s love for the country and his people is clear. His experiences are told across the board and there is this really beautiful hope and care for the country and its people. All of its people.

The main reason that I decided to buy this story was because of Yami’s presence during the Maralinga bombings. What I didn’t realise was that he was instrumental in the fight to find out what truly happened there. Actually, he was very involved in a few moments in our past that I hadn’t expected – land rights movements, Indigenous education and health… he fought for a lot of things and, in many cases, he succeeded (or at least, he did mostly).

Yami takes you on an adventure through his life. Starting with the early years in central Australia and his work as a stockman, he took me on a journey through his life. One that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

<- Scar Tissue Review

The Blind Side Review ->

Image source: Black Mist Burnt Country

Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham

May 6, 2017Book ReviewBiographies, Easy Reading, Lauren Graham, Memoirs, Non-fiction, True Storiesskyebjenner

Title: Talking As Fast As I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls (and Everything in Between)
Author: Lauren Graham
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Easy reading, Memoirs, Non-fiction, True stories
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Virago
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: ‘When I co-wrote a pilot about an aspiring late night talk show host, played by me, I had my character (me) speak to a photo of Joan she keeps on her dressing room mirror.

This book contains some stories from my life: the awkward growing-up years, the confusing dating years, the fulfilling working years and what it was like to be asked to play one of my favourite characters again. Also included: tales of living on a houseboat, meeting guys at awards shows and that time I was asked to be a butt model. A hint: all three made me seasick.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book. Mostly, I just bought it because I am a huge fan of Gilmore Girls, and every interview or article I have read on Lauren Graham is favourable. Beyond that, I really didn’t know what to expect from this novel, and even if it was going to something that I enjoyed reading. But let me tell you – it was one of the best non-fiction reflective pieces that I have ever read!

Combining Lauren Graham’s quirky sense of humour and unique (at least to me) perspective on Hollywood and acting, with her beautifully written prose created an unexpected, beautiful retelling that I look forward to reading again and again and again. Every moment of Graham’s incredible journey is filled with crazy tangents and humorous anecdotes that had me giggling throughout. I loved that she writes the same way as she speaks on screen – both in Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. It is quick, witty and impossible to put away.

Talking as Fast as I Can touches upon so many different aspects of Lauren’s journey and makes her question whether she really ‘made it’. From her first days of acting, to the first days on the set of Gilmore Girls, the story follows a kind of symmetry, with the final words returning to the Gilmore Girls reboot. Providing fantastic insight into Lauren’s life and career is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, one that I plan to repeat again.

<- The Gap

The Longest Trip ->

Image source: Gamers Sphere

Gogo Mama by Sally Sara

February 21, 2017Book ReviewAustralian Authors, Biographies, Feminism, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Sally Sara, Strong Women, True Storiesskyebjenner

Title: Gogo Mama
Author: Sally Sara
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Australian authors, Biographies, Feminism, Memoirs, Non-fiction, Strong women, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Year: 2006
5th sentence, 74th page: If you go to fetch for water or firewood and people start running, you have left your children and run alone.

I’M SITTING IN A $30 HOTEL ROOM IN UGANDA WONDERING WHAT THE HELL I’VE GOT MYSELF INTO. THIS IS DAY ONE OF GOGO MAMA. I DON’T EVEN KNOW ALL THE NAMES OF THE TWELVE WOMEN WHO WILL FILL THIS BOOK; ONLY THE JOURNEY WILL REVEAL THEM.

Gogo Mama is a journey of discovery into the lives of a dozen very different African women. They include the survivor of a brutal attack by Ugandan rebels; an Egyptian belly dancer turned movie star; an escapee from slavery in Ghana; Zanzibar’s most famous living diva; a former child soldier from Liberia; a grandmother fighting AIDS in South Africa; and a pioneering midwife from Timbuktu. They speak with complete candour both about their astonishing experiences and about the way they live now, in some of the most hostile and exotic parts of the continent.

While introducing these inspiring women, award-winning journalist Sally Sara takes us on a trip across Africa, in all its complexity – from the frenetic townships of Johannesburg, to a clifftop village in Mali; from the horror of the frontline of war in Sudan, to the glamour of Cairo nightclubs.

Gogo Mama is a vivid, illuminating and haunting composite picture of an extraordinary land, in the words of the people who know it best.

This story left me feeling… humbled. Just humbled. These twelve women will touch you in a way that you can’t imagine, and their lives set amidst the beauty of Africa are guaranteed to linger in your mind’s eye for years after you close the cover. It is just an incredibly powerful, moving and honest set of stories. The truth is met unflinchingly and without hesitation. Yet, in all of Sara’s interviews, there is no anger and bitterness, rather, a simple acceptance for what has been suffered and an optimism for what they may face in the future.

From a survivor of the Rwandan genocide to a world-famous belly dancer, each of these twelve stories is different and unique. They are insights into another country, another world. One which I can’t even fathom. The range of stories, from the downright depressing, to the uplifting are a fantastic window through which to view such a varied continent. There is no feeling of repetition or even judgement throughout the stories. Sara manages to shine the light on every single experience, use the nuances and feelings from every single interview to weave a textured tale that you will never forget.

Yet, it isn’t just the tales of Sara’s journey and the women whom she had the pleasure of encountering that makes Gogo Mama such an enthralling novel. It is the vivid descriptions of the African countryside, the daily activities that are undertaken in some of the most picturesque landscapes in the world. Picturesque, yet war-torn. The vividness and beauty of the countries plays a haunting note to the tales which are spun by women who, against all odds, have triumphed in their own lives and found a way to carve out their own reality.

<- My Fight / Your Fight

The Upside ->

Image source: Goodreads

Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah

February 17, 2017Book ReviewAdeline Yen Mah, Biographies, Non-fiction, True Storiesskyebjenner

Title: Falling Leaves
Author: Adeline Yen Mah
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Non-fiction, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin books
Year: 1997
5th sentence, 74th page: Forget the Kung Fu masters and martial arts and all that foolishness.

Adeline Yen Mah’s childhood in China during the civil war was a time of fear, isolation and humiliation. The cause of this was not political upheaval but systematic emotional and physical abuse by her step-mother and sibling, and rejection by her father. Falling Leaves is the story of a ‘Fifth Younger Daughter’ and her determination to survive the pain of a lonely childhood.

It is honestly difficult to believe the depths of despair and tragedy which some people experience, and although it was an incredibly sobering experience reading of this in Falling Leaves, it was also a fantastic journey full of hope and strength. Not only did Falling Leaves remind me to never take anything for granted, but it was also a reminder that if you persevere, it is only you that can ultimately save or destroy your own future. Granted, some, like Adeline, definitely have all of the cards stacked against them – I can’t imagine the kind of life that she has led. But, in spite of all of this difficulty in her life, she managed to triumph and the woman who shines from the pages of this book is not only shrouded in her honesty and humility, but a light that can never possibly be dimmed.

There is something about true stories that bring out the most terrifying villain. The worst villains created in fantasy and fiction cannot hold a light to the characters that you know truly existed. Niang in Falling Leaves fits this bill perfectly. Her maliciousness and ability to manipulate others was somehow one of the more sinister things that I have read – the lasting imprint that she leaves on Adeline’s life and that of her family furthers the feeling of unease that lingered throughout my reading of this epic journey.

I’m not someone who knows much about history, especially the political history of most of the world. It isn’t something that has drawn my attention, so it was really nice to discover the upheavals of China in the recent past in a way that was both enlightening but also dramatically interesting. The use of Chinese proverbs and quotes throughout the text, and within the chapter headings helped to illuminate the world in which Adeline was raised.

<- Chinese Cinderella

I Am Malala ->

Image source: Book Douban

Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah

January 26, 2017Book ReviewAdeline Yen Mah, Biographies, Non-fiction, True Storiesskyebjenner

Title: Chinese Cinderella: The Secret Story of an Unwanted Daughter
Author: Adeline Yen Mah
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Non-fiction, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Puffin Books
Year: 1999
5th sentence, 74th page: Big Sister and our two older brothers knew her better than I did.

‘Tell me what my real mama looked like. I can’t picture her face.’
‘There are no photographs of her,’ said Aunt Baba… ‘Your father ordered all her photographs destroyed.’

When Adeline Yen Mah’s mother died giving birth to her, the family considered Adeline bad luck and she was made to feel unwanted all her life. Chinese Cinderella is the story of her struggle for acceptance and how she overcame the odds to prove her worth.

If you want a happy, cheerful biography that has some mild ups and downs, but in the end is a tale of happiness and love… this isn’t for you. Quite frankly, it’s depressing. But in this brutally honest, depressing tale, there is light, hope and strength. It is a stark reminder that regardless of the horrors of childhood, we can be true to ourselves. Regardless of what others want and expect from us. For some, it is impossible to break them, even though they are bent until they almost snap.

Although this story is horrifying in the abuse and mistreatment, the lack of love from Adeline’s father and step-mother is still offset by the love that her grandparents and aunt show her. The fact that eventually this is removed from her is another travesty in a life that is barely touched by light. However, at no point, is Adeline bitter or resentful, simply saddened. Her reflections of her childhood show a period of great loneliness and fear that plucks at every single heart string.

The story only ends when a brilliant young Adeline is finally able to attend University, and although the epilogue does reveal some of her eventual future, it leaves a lot of her later life open. Although you can feel the pain and isolation through her words, there is a need to know more about her adult life in England. Luckily, there is another book, Falling Leaves, that encompasses more of her life and tale.

<- The Autobiography of Malcolm X Review

Falling Leaves Review ->

Image source: Wikipedia

An African Love Story by Daphne Sheldrick

January 25, 2017Book ReviewBiographies, conservation, Daphne Sheldrick, Non-fictionskyebjenner

Title: An African Love Story
Author: Daphne Sheldrick
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Conservation, Non-fiction, True stories
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Penguin books
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Water, more precious than gold, had to be rationed, every drop carted from base.
Challenge: 2017 Bookworm Bitches Catch-Up Challenge

Daphne Sheldrick, whose family arrived in Africa from Scotland in the 1820s, is the first person ever to have successfully hand-reared newborn elephants. Her deep empathy and understanding, her years of observing Kenya’s rich variety of wildlife, and her pioneering work in perfecting the right husbandry and milk formula have saved countless elephants, rhinos, and other baby animals from certain death.

In this heartwarming and poignant memoir, Daphne shares her amazing relationships with a host of orphans, including her first love, Bushy, a liquid-eyed antelope; Rickey-Tickey-Tavey, the little dwarf mongoose; Gregory Peck, the busy buffalo weaver bird; Huppety, the mischievous zebra; and the majestic elephant Eleanor, with whom Daphne has shared more than forty years of great friendship.

But this is also a magical and heartbreaking human love story between Daphne and David Sheldrick, the famous Tsavo Park warden. It was their deep and passionate love, David’s extraordinary insight into all aspects of nature, and the tragedy of his early death that inspired Daphne’s vast array of achievements, most notably the founding of the world-renowned David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and the Orphans’ Nursery in Nairobi National Park, where Daphne continues to live and work to this day.

Encompassing not only David and Daphne’s tireless campaign for an end to poaching and for conserving Kenya’s wildlife, but also their ability to engage with the human side of animals and their rearing of the orphans expressly so they can return to the wild, Love, Life, and Elephants is alive with compassion and humor, providing a rare insight into the life of one of the world’s most remarkable women.

There are not enough words in the English language to describe how inspiring and touching this story was. At least to someone who is animal obsessed as I am… Daphne’s life was filled with tragedies and triumphs, mirroring the lives of some of her orphaned charges, and the reflective and honest way in which she looks back at these moments in her life is sweet and endearing, yet eye-opening to the plight of elephants.

Admittedly, I am a large fan of books around conservation efforts, but, where many of them focus on the sometimes incredibly negative impacts of the difficulty in this, the entirety of An African Love Story was positive. Even when talking about the immense slaughters that were carried out in Tsavo National Park, Sheldrick managed to still promote the love she felt for both her family and the land around her. It helped to beautifully offset such a tragic point in the Parks’ history, a horrifying act that is still being carried out today. Introducing us to her orphaned elephants, the many successes and even failures that passed through her hands helped to give a face to such a potent issue in the conservation world. The pictures throughout her story helped to further the emotional connection that all but those of the hardest heart will melt for.

That’s not to say that the only orphans featured in this story are the victims of the ivory trade – buffaloes, mongooses, antelope and warthogs all make their own special appearances on the page and in Sheldrick’s heart. Each of these short tales of mischievous and mayhem help to instil a love for Kenya and it’s animals that left a yearning in my heart to travel to this astonishing countryside.

<- Among the Pigeons Review

Born Free Review ->

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.