The Elephant - Our Spirit Animal and a Great Book

The Elephant Whisperer by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence tells the tale of Anthony’s journey as he makes the choice to take on a herd of belligerent elephants. The tale begins the day he makes that fateful decision and follows with tales of tried mental, physical, emotional, and even spiritual capacity. Painted with personable prose of life in the African bush—with tones of both terror and reverence—Anthony beautifully expresses what these animals have taught him about them, about the world around him, and most importantly, about himself.

What I appreciated most about Anthony’s words was the fact that he didn’t hold back. Nothing is ever perfect, especially when it comes to the animal kingdom. This book holds gruesome stories of vicious monkeys and deadly snakes right alongside intimate, beautiful moments with his new elephant family. He tells of the trials and triumphs of how he came to be part of that familial unit. Anthony writes like a friend telling you about his life’s passion. Of course he gives you the facts, but he also etches his personal, loving ideas into the masterpiece he’s made for you to hear.

If you love nature, if you love animals, if you love listening to people talk about the things they are most passionate about, The Elephant Whisperer is the book for you. If you’re even just a casual admirer of nature, this book is a fantastic gateway to gaining better insight into the world around you. Anthony does a great job at explaining his work without losing you in jargon. He makes it clear that he is not a scientist, but just someone who is awed by the world around him. And in the process of him telling you this, you find yourself in awe too.

-Jazmin