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The Elephant Whisperer  By  cover art

The Elephant Whisperer

By: Lawrence Anthony, Graham Spence
Narrated by: Simon Vance
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Publisher's summary

Audie Award Winner, Biography/Memoir, 2014

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them. 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.

The Elephant Whisperer is a heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, it is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

©2009, 2012 Lawrence Anthony and Graham Spence (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"An inspiring, multifaceted account, Anthony's book offers fascinating insights into the lives of wild elephants in the broader context of Zulu culture in post-Apartheid South Africa." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Elephant Whisperer

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Amazing inspiring story!

A hard to put down book. Engrossing sometimes heartbreaking it always thoroughly enjoyable. A tale of a herd of traumatized elephants saved by a man with a heart as big as Africa, and a game preserve born. The reader is mesmerizing in clarity and tone and in the Zulu words and elephant song. I highly recommend this book and will in fact listen to it again.

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Powerful!

I've always believed there is much more to communicating with animals than we realize and The Elephant Whisperer captures these incredible moments with exhilarating beauty, intense drama, and powerful emotion. Congratulations on exceeding my expectation!

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lovely wilderness

i was enthralling by the story of the elephant herd and what was learned from them.

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Tear jerker but uplifted me

I loved this book. The storytelling has many ups and downs and not like life we get many important lessons learned from the author’s amazing time with the herd, other animals and the African range. How strange the bond with animals can be just as strong or even stronger than with humans. Would recommend to all, especially animal lovers.

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Incredible Story

What few reservations I have about this book I can dismiss for the soul of it, which I loved: the tale of a true conservationist helping animals because they are living creatures just like us, and the joy (and lessons) his defense of them brought to him in return. The story was admittedly more action-packed than I expected and I was never bored. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will absolutely read this author again. The narrator was excellent, reading in a number of different voices and dialects, both men and women.

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Mesmerizing

Enthralling story with a wonderful narrator. A binge listening pleasure. The characters and story come alive as if the reader is experiencing it as it unfolds.

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one of the best books i have heard on audible

one of the best books i have heard on audible, will definitely listen to again

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Enjoyable Escape into an African Adventure

An enjoyable Escape into an African Adventure saving elephants and connecting with the local community

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Highly recommend

Excellent reader! A moving adventure, full of joy and heartbreak. This is my first time listening to a Lawrence Anthony book and I look forward to hearing his others.

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amazing book!

I got this book on a two-for-one sale. It looked interesting, but I had no idea how much I would love it. Totally fascinating, heartwarming, tragic - it had all the elements of just an amazing novel - but it's true. Loved the narration. I would highly recommend listening to this fabulous story. I rarely give a book an all five star rating.

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