Following the prologue, the reader is launched into an African storyworld revealing insights, danger and revelation.

What a lucky herd to have been given the chance to live at Thula Thula and to have an advocate on their side when no one else wanted them. As Lawrence battled to create a bond with the elephants and save them from execution, he came to realise that they had a lot to teach him about love, loyalty and freedom. While Anthony and his loving French partner, Francois were accustomed to a wide variety of African wildlife, they'd never encountered elephants nor had any of the local Zulu tribes. The accounts you can read of the mourning by the elephants after the passing of Lawrence Anthony, show us how animals have feelings often as deep as that of humans, and their attachments to both other animals and their human friends. I chanced upon a reference to the book “The Elephant Whisperer” by Lawrence Anthony (with Graham Spence) while reading an article on the internet.As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the troubled elephants and persuade them to stay on his reserve, he came to realize what a special family they were, from the wise matriarch Nana, who guided the herd, to her warrior sister Frankie, always ready to see off any threat, and their children who fought so hard to survive. The entire book was informative, not only about elephants, but about other animals, including snakes, vultures, baboons, insects, dogs and more. As the rover rumbled through the bush, we first encountered a pride of lions lying about, obviously full after a recent kill.

We learn of how the elephants would come out in a herd to greet Lawrence, and would actually start their procession when he was on the way back to the reserve. Very interesting reports on the smarts elephants have although the story leaves things out that I wanted to know about. Before the move was complete the elephants broke out again and the matriarch and her baby were shot, the remaining elephants were traumatised, dangerous, and very angry.Well, they oget out Of the fence and head for home, but why they wanted to go home I'll never know since they were abused there. That life force, the vital ingredient of existence – from an acacia to an elephant – can it be quantified? Its matriarch had raided nearby neighborhoods and was put to her death prior to transport of the herd. But on his death, the herd inexplicably trudged for miles in a solemn funereal procession to pay their respects at his house. For me it one of those books that as soon as I had finished reading it I wanted to learn more about it and tell others about it.