The Elephant Whisperer

My Life with the Herd in the African Wild

By: Lawrence Anthony, Graham Spence

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins

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)

Very good

Very interesting and very good. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great listen. I wasn’t sure when I purchased this if I would enjoy it but very much enjoyed it.

Beautiful Story!!

Loved everything. Story, performance, took me away from everyday nonsense and focused me on the wonders of life. Just a wonderful story!!

Best Audio book I have heard

I loved every second of this listen and it made me think, love, and cry. I am grateful for this time with the Elephant Whisper. I am forever changed, thank you.

Can't say enough good things about this book

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Awesome book. I liked it so much I will buy his other books to see what they are like. I am also considering traveling to Thula Thula to visit the preserve after reading the history. This has also really raised my interest in elephants. Looks like I will have to take a trip to the zoo soon just to see the elephants. I cant say enough good things about the book. I have listened to about 25 audio books over the last year and this might be my favorite.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Nana

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

This is the third book that I have listened to that Simon Vance narrated. This is by far my favorite one.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I listened to this in my car and sometimes the story was so funny I laughed out loud. I am sure other people watching and wondered what was so funny. Other times is was so sad it was all I could do to prevent tears from streaming down my face.

outstanding

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

From the opening of this book, you could understand that you were going to have your assumptions about the natural world fundamentally changed. I am so thankful to Mr. Anthony for sharing and Simon Vance for his excellent delivery.

What did you like best about this story?

Descriptions of elephant community life

What does Simon Vance bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He tells the story with conviction.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I couldn't stop listening. It held me from start to finish.

An awesome story!

What did you love best about The Elephant Whisperer?

Everything is great- the story line, the narrator's voice and his performance, the spirit of Zulu land.

What did you like best about this story?

Learning about these magnificent animals and their way of life, their habits, sensitivity and way of communicating with us.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

All of them.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me do both.

Any additional comments?

I knew by all the previews that it would be a great book. However, it surpassed my expectations.

A beautiful story! Wonderful!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It was so inspiring to hear about this mans life and how he managed to make a difference in the world.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The elephants!! They were so intelligent, gentle and beautiful.

Which character – as performed by Simon Vance – was your favorite?

All!

Great narration for a wonderful story

What made the experience of listening to The Elephant Whisperer the most enjoyable?

I listened to the audiobook version of this, and loved it! It was a great story. While the title is "The Elephant Whisperer" I'd say at least 50% of the book was not about elephants, but about the ups and downs of running a game reserve in Africa. Things like dealing with poachers, flash floods, and the local Zulu tribes, as well as the decision to accept paying guests and how to keep your pet dogs safe. I do feel that at times, I wondered when we would get back to the elephants, and the last chapter or two barely mentioned them until the very end. Even then, it felt like it was put in there to wrap up the book by keeping in spirit of the title, not because it was needed to complete the story.

What other book might you compare The Elephant Whisperer to and why?

I often felt it was in the spirit of "The Gentle Jungle"

What about Simon Vance’s performance did you like?

The narrator read it well (much, MUCH better than the last audiobook I listened to) and really did his best to pronounce the Zulu words correctly, at least I think he was pronouncing them correctly. He was able to talk matter of factly, as the owner/operator of a large facility dealing with wildlife would sound. Nothing was over-dramatic in his inflections or emotions, which really added to my enjoyment of this selection.

Any additional comments?

Its about so much more

Wow. Broke my heart, filled my heart. Story of a refuge that takes in elephants labeled rogue. But really, it's about a man, his love for African wildlife and living in the bush. It's about the politics, it's about the economy, it's about love, it's about death...fascinating and riveting.

The Elephant Whisperer

This is an excellent book full of real life in the African terrain. Drama so intense sometimes that it could have been a fiction page turner. There were certain parts of the African life that I found unpalatable culturally and also from a Christian perspective but references to these were minute. Anyone can tell that this man loved animals and what he learned from them is masterfully portrayed in this book.