A beautiful homage to the work Lawrence Anthony began in the making of a wildlife refuge in the South African Zululand. After his death in 2012 his wiA beautiful homage to the work Lawrence Anthony began in the making of a wildlife refuge in the South African Zululand. After his death in 2012 his wife Francoise picked up the reins and has carried on and expanded upon his dream, providing a true sanctuary for the magnificent animals for whom this is their natural habitat. Reading any of Lawrence's or Francoise's books gives the reader a greater appreciation for the importance of protecting all of nature, while doing our part to conserve what is so very fragile before it is too late....more
A wonderful follow-up to Lawrence Anthony's "The Elephant Whisperer," written by his widow. The story that each tells is inspiring and beautiful and aA wonderful follow-up to Lawrence Anthony's "The Elephant Whisperer," written by his widow. The story that each tells is inspiring and beautiful and an homage to the magnificent creatures this couple has dedicated their lives to saving. ...more
The problem I have with reading a fictionalized account of someone is that I am continually wondering where truth ends and fiction begins. Did this acThe problem I have with reading a fictionalized account of someone is that I am continually wondering where truth ends and fiction begins. Did this actually happen? Did she say/feel/think that? Some accounts are handled better than others. This one left me frustrated....more
The inspiring story of one man's efforts to revive and preserve the natural order of this piece of Zululand and in the process to reintroduce wild eleThe inspiring story of one man's efforts to revive and preserve the natural order of this piece of Zululand and in the process to reintroduce wild elephants to an area that had not seen them in almost 100 years. I loved what he said about this amazing place:
"I fell in love with it from the moment I went walkabout. It's something I still do, jump in the Land Rover and drive out onto the open savannahs or into the thickest, most thorn-scrubbed veldt I can find, and go for a walk. There is nothing more energizing than inhaling the tang of wilderness, loamy after rain, pungent with the richness of earth shuddering with life, or taking in the brisk dry cleanness of winter. In the outback, life is lived for the instant. The land thrums with exuberance when everything is green and lush and is stoically resilient when it isn't. In the bush, simple acts give intense atavistic pleasures, such as sliding a sprig of grass into the tiny slot of a scorpion hole and feeling a tug that pound for pound would rival a game fish. Even today that triggers memories of my born-free adolescence as vividly as a lovelorn youth recalling his first heart-thudding kiss."
And this, "But perhaps the most important lesson I learned is that there are no walls between humans and the elephants except those we put up ourselves, ant that until we allow not only elephants, but all living creatures their place in the sun, we can never be whole ourselves."
"Wild. If there is one thing I disapprove of it's the unnatural capture and taming of wild animals, whether an elephant or a bird. To me, the only good cage is an empty cage."
It would be difficult to find a better writer of contemporary literature today than Alexandra Fuller, who is such a gifted writer that her prose nearlIt would be difficult to find a better writer of contemporary literature today than Alexandra Fuller, who is such a gifted writer that her prose nearly becomes poetry. Who but a poet could write, "Where the clouds had ragged apart, the sky reached back until the beginning of time, black poured on black." Absolute perfection in her choice of words!
But the story, oh, my, the story. It was/is awful. I couldn't wait to finish it. I need to read something light and chick-lit-ey to take away the images this book impressed on me. This is a story of war - war with no heroes, no soaring patriotism, just horror after horror. She writes:
"Those of us who grow in war are like clay pots fired in an oven that is overhot. Confusingly shaped like the rest of humanity, we nevertheless contain fatal cracks that we spend the rest of our lives itching to fill."
I had enjoyed two of Fuller's previous biographies, Don't Lets go to the Dogs, and Cocktail Hour, and was eager to read Scribbling. This was such an unpleasant story, but oh, so well written!
"If I peel back the corner of memories of that place, what races in is too big for me to feel at one sitting--no mere piece of land can be responsible"If I peel back the corner of memories of that place, what races in is too big for me to feel at one sitting--no mere piece of land can be responsible for that."
Alexandra Fuller's second "awful book" is a beautiful tribute to her parents (especially her mother) and illustrates perfectly that even within the most flawed families what really abides and counts is love and loyalty. A gem of a book, containing much of the recent history of the central African continent, written with lyrical prose. ...more
A thoroughly engaging book about the joyous and unconventional upbringing the author's parents provided for their children.
Twenty Chickens is reminisA thoroughly engaging book about the joyous and unconventional upbringing the author's parents provided for their children.
Twenty Chickens is reminiscent of Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight, though more light-hearted. At the same time it offers a rather realistic view of living in Botswana in the 1980's and 90's.
Scott also provides background into the early days of the AIDS epidemic which proliferated in Botswana, as her doctor father confronted his patients' refusal to submit to testing and treatment....more
A book this well written is rare, and definitely to be cherished. You can read any synopsis of Cutting for Stone, and know it could be an absorbing stA book this well written is rare, and definitely to be cherished. You can read any synopsis of Cutting for Stone, and know it could be an absorbing story, but only by reading it yourself can you appreciate the remarkable talent Abraham Verghese has. Each word has been carefully chosen, and if much of the medical terminology left me clueless, I was nevertheless completely enthralled from the opening paragraph to the last....more
This was a slow starter for me - very reminiscent of Alexander McCall Smith, which I have always found a little too cute. However, the further I got iThis was a slow starter for me - very reminiscent of Alexander McCall Smith, which I have always found a little too cute. However, the further I got into Baking Cakes the more it (and Angel) grew on me. Beneath the humor and sweetness is a very moving story of tragedy and the ability of the human spirit to rise above it....more