The Elephant's Secret Sense: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa

Book Description

While observing a family group of elephants in the wild, Caitlin O'Connell, a young field scientist, noticed a peculiar listening behavior. A matriarch she had been watching for months turned her massive head and lifted her foot off the ground. As she scanned the horizon, the other elephants followed suit, all facing the same direction. O'Connell soon made a groundbreaking discovery: the elephants were "listening through limbs," feeling the ripples of the earth's surface for approaching friends and enemies. Through their feet, toenails, trunks, and other, subtler modes of communication, these enormous animals were communicating to one another, demonstrating the vital importance of social relationships in their lives.

Yet this grand revelation about the intelligence of wild animals is also a story of the relationship between humans and elephants as neighbors, vying for the same resources of an increasingly crowded continent. For when O'Connell was first contracted by the Namibian government to develop new methods to deter elephants from raiding villagers' crops, she was unprepared for what she would encounter -- political upheaval, tribal disputes, inhumane poachers, and a fundamentally ineffective approach to wildlife conservation. Despite these setbacks, she came to know and love each of the fascinating, unique elephants under her watchful eye, while at the same time witnessing a change in attitude and policy, providing hope for the elephant's future.

An unforgettable journey of scientific discovery, The Elephant's Secret Sense takes you deep into the wilds of Namibia, from the tops of isolated, desert observation towers to the jaws and claws of ravenous lions to aerial expeditions and dusty highways, where the naturalists do their difficult work in a troubled land threatened by expanding human populations and unstable politics. Resonant with the powerful calls of the mysterious elephant, this is a story about the resilience of nature and the inspiring, astonishing, and often heartbreaking places where humans and wild animals come together.

Customer Reviews:

Not Animals in Translation..........2007-05-20

I was expecting a book similar to Temple Grandin's Animals in Translation. Unfortunately, this book is very much unlike that book. I expected the bulk of this book to focus specifically on elephant communication, but that is not the case. Much time is spent on African conservation in general and the history of certain African areas where she was stationed. When I bought the book, it was not to read about local tribes or their politics, it was to read about elephant communication. Not saying the other topics aren't interesting, but if I wanted to read about those, I would have bought a book specifically on that. Making things worse, her style of writing is very disjointed and skips around.

There are not many books that I don't finish reading, but this was one of them. I was very much looking forward to reading this book based on the reviews. Not sure why there was such a disconnect. Maybe it's expectations. If you are expecting a more in-depth book specifically on elephant communication, with lots of scientific detail, this isn't it.

Who Knew Elephants Hear With Their Toes!.......2007-05-13

Anyone who is interested in African elephants and their rich and amazing lives will find this an interesting read. Caitlin has added hugely to the body of knowledge about Elephant communication. It is part adventure story, as most intrepid young scientists who venture into Africa for their PHD theses discover. It tells of the beauty and terror and difficulties of this most diverse land and her rich wildlife.

Caitlin's book tells of her discoveries, elephant communication research, years of working with people in the Caprivi region to combat Elephant/Human conflict as well as her memorable times in hides stalked by lion and all the other adventures.

The book is well written for the most part, does lose some momentum toward the end of the book but this would appraer to be editing rather than Caitlin's writing. I thoroughly reccomend it.

A must for animal lovers, host of Animal Tails.......2007-04-28

An intricate balance exists between humans and nature that undergirds even the most basic experiences. Ecological researcher, Caitlin O'Connell has spent her professional life exploring the lesser-known aspects of this relationship through her study of elephant behavior in sub-Saharan Africa, shedding light on their value within society and promoting the need for continued conservation and outreach. In THE ELEPHANT'S SECRET SENSE: The Hidden Life of the Wild Herds of Africa , O'Connell uncovers the fascinating and complex communication system of elephants, and conveys the deeper importance of this astounding discovery on modern African society.

An absolute page-turner.......2007-04-06

This book is a fascinating look into the world of elephants and the scientists who study them. I was humbled by Caitlin O'Connell's courageous, intelligent, and compassionate approach to working with these complex animals and the people who must learn to share the land with them.

An astounding achievement and truly riveting story.......2007-03-16

I read this whole book from start to finish on a series of flights that I took recently and I was totally taken with the story and the science behind it. I couldn't put it down and I haven't read a book in 10yrs! From a phenomenal underlying technological journey merges the principles of many scientific disciplines ranging from zoology, biology, acoustics, geophysics, chemistry, mechanics, electronics, mathematics, not to mention anthropology.

As a physicist, I loved the explanation of acoustic coupling and aliasing, a very impressive bridge, making connections between fundamental processes that are essential in tying together a very complex phenomenon.

There were tragic elements to the story that were horrific and left me in tears, but at the same time, a remarkable account of caring and human bonding. Congratulations to the author. I can't wait for her next book!

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

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Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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Great Book!
Oh decepcion!!
Blend of magic and fantasy with realism
a really great book, though maybe not as good as the ones before it
Excellent trilogy

Forest of the Pygmies
Isabel Allende
Manufacturer: Rayo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060761989
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Book Description

Alexander Cold and Nadia Santos reunite for their final adventure in Isabel Allende's celebrated trilogy. This time they are heading to the blazing plains of Kenya, where Alex's grandmother Kate is writing an article about the first elephant-led safaris in Africa. Days into the tour, a Catholic missionary approaches the camp in search of companions who have mysteriously disappeared.

As the group investigates, they discover a clan of Pygmies and a harsh world of corruption, slavery, and poaching. Alexander and Nadia must trust in the strength of their totemic animal spirits as they launch a spectacular struggle to restore freedom to the Pygmies and return leadership to its rightful hands.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!.......2007-02-20

I really enjoyed this book. It is written for adolescents but I am 24 and reading it for grad school for a literature for adolescents class. There are two that come before that I am going to read also.

Oh decepcion!!.......2006-02-25

Hace poco terminé de leer este libro el cual a diferencia de La ciudad de las bestias y El reino del dragón de oro me tardé en leer más de dos semanas, y no porque lea muy poco o muy lento, sino porque jamás logró pescar mi interés y atención como lo hicieron los otros dos libros, de verdad que quedé terriblemente decepcionado en la forma que la señora Isabel escribió y dio fin a la que yo pensé sería una muy buena trilogía, había momentos en que me parecía estar leyendo el libro de un neófito escritor, de plano me dio tanta pereza leerlo que ni ganas me dieror de volver a leer El zorro y otros dos o tres libros que todavía no he leído de ella.

Espero que su creatividad y lo que me hizo interesarme por sus libros no haya muerto todavía y que pronto nos sorprenda con un nuevo libro como La hija de la fortuna, Retrato en sepia o el mismo La casa de los espíritus que tanto amé.

En serio que si la trilogía estaba dirigida hacia un público lector adolescente o infantil yo no se lo daría a leer a ninguno de mis sobrinos.

Blend of magic and fantasy with realism.......2006-01-13

The finale of the acclaimed trilogy, that began with Kingdom of the Golden Dragon, has had a lot to live up to. Alex, now 18, along with his grandmother and friend, Nadia, travel to Kenya on an elephant safari. Like the previous two books, things do not exactly happen simply, and the trio encounter a whole host of problems such as after a plane crash, they end up trying to help save primitive Pygmies from slavery. A mixture of magic, adventure, and a sensous surrounding gives this book an edge that many children's books do not have.

Having read a few of Isabel Allende's books I was certainly looking forward to this one, as I thoroughly enjoyed reading the first two. However, by the time I got around to reading this one, I realized something was missing; it may have been that I was older and a more experienced reader, for it has been a while since I have read the first two. The character's still amused me, and the magic they possesed created something far more interesting than the trilogy would have been had they not had it. However, I found myself bored with a long drawn out plotline that, although had twists, followed the same basic outline as the first two. Despite my problems with it, and my need for a change, I feel that many people will enjoy it, and I am certainly going to reread the first two books. The blend of magic and fantasy with realism, and an amazing setting, certainly gives this book a head start to many children's books.

Reviewed by a student reviewer for Flamingnet Book Reviews
www.flamingnet.com
Preteen, teen, and young adult book reviews and recommendations

a really great book, though maybe not as good as the ones before it.......2005-07-18

I really liked this book, although it was a bit slow at the start, and i didn't think it was quite as good as the two books before it.
I love the Alex and Nadia trilogy, there's a twist at the end of each excellent book and i always finish each book wanting to hear more from Alex and Nadia. Isabel Allende is, i think, a fantastic children's author.
I think in this book Alex and Nadia didn't really seem to use their totemic powers, and i wish they had, because for me, that was what separated this trilogy from the other children's books.
I guess i was a little bit disapointed, as i was expecting more from isabelle allende, but this book is still one of the best i have ever read.

Excellent trilogy.......2005-07-11

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the rest of the trilogy by Allende. The entire story of Alexander was my first introduction to Allende's writing and has made me want more young adult fiction by this author.

Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa (Library of African Adventure, Vol 3)

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Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa (Library of African Adventure, Vol 3)
Arthur H. Neumann , J. G. Millais , and E. Caldwell
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0312104588

Elephant Destiny: Biography of an Endangered Species in Africa

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Beautiful, heartbreaking, and compelling
If only it was more about the elephants themselves.
PACHYDERMS ARE PRECIOUS...
The Romance of the Elephant

Elephant Destiny: Biography of an Endangered Species in Africa
Martin Meredith
Manufacturer: PublicAffairs
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ASIN: 1586480774
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Book Description

This concise, richly illustrated biography of the African elephant--from ancient Egypt to the most recent discoveries about elephant society and communication--is also a passionate plea to preserve the species.

The relationship between elephant and man has been dominated by brutality and persecution. Centuries of exportation, unabated hunting for ivory, and shrinking habitat have left only five countries in Africa with sizeable elephant herds. Corrupt governments and lawless poachers are currently flouting what little protection the elephant has.

What will be the African elephant's destiny? Will it soon be relegated to zoos and nature preserves? Martin Meredith lays out the history of this majestic animal from the Egyptian pharaohs' first ivory expeditions 2500 years ago to today, and explores the elephant's role in literature and popular culture. He shares recent extraordinary discoveries about the elephant's ability to communicate, its sophisticated family and community structure, and the ways--rare in the animal world--in which elephants show compassion and loyalty to each other. Meredith also illuminates how the legacy of colonialism in Africa--and unrelenting poverty, disease, and civil war--affects the elephant's fate. Can Africa find a way to preserve its most enduring symbol of freedom? Readers of national bestsellers including Silent Thunder, Elephant Memories, and When Elephants Weep will want to read this urgent, illuminating book.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful, heartbreaking, and compelling.......2007-07-21

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the fate of endangered wildlife, not just elephants. And to anyone interested in Africa, for it is the story of much more than the elephant. Meredith has written a beautiful, captivating, and often heartbreaking and enraging account of the African elephant's encounter with mankind, and how the species has suffered from man's insatiable greed, in particular for the ivory of this beautiful animal. There is also an excellent account of efforts to reverse the catastrophic decline in the African elephant population, due to the ivory trade.

As readable as a fine novel, this book also offers a great introduction to the unique nature of the elephant--the largest land mammal, and yet one of the most intelligent, sensitive, and emotional. If you do not know much about elephants, you will never look at an elephant the same way again.

If only it was more about the elephants themselves........2005-04-26

As other reviewers have pointed out, most of this book is not about the elephants themselves. I knew this going in, but as I enjoyed looking at history from the perspective of salt (Mark Kurlansky, "Salt"), I was hoping I would enjoy "Elephant Destiny" more than I did. The chapters on the elephants are toward the end (chapters 18-22), and are fascinating: it would be hard for them not to be, the social life of elephants is so interesting. For those of you who are not going to read this book, or parts of it, the two main researchers into elephant behavior are apparently Cynthia Moss and Joyce Poole, and Katy Payne has a book on elephant communication. Meredith mentions elephants swimming across rivers. Fossils of pygmy elephants have been found on some Asian islands, and it is speculated their ancestors actually swam to the islands.

PACHYDERMS ARE PRECIOUS..........2004-06-28

This is a wonderful, well written, illustrated book about elephants and their role throughout history, as well as their present state in the world. I confess, I did not know much about elephants before reading this book. I now feel I know something about them, and what I have discovered is fascinating. I did not realize how complex and intelligent these magnificent creatures are, nor how dangerously close to extinction they have become. It would, indeed, be tragic were that to happen, for elephants are sociable, sentient, and intelligent.

The author takes the reader on a tour throughout history, describing the elephant's interaction with humanity and its role in the affairs of mankind and its impact on the environment. The book traces the influence of the elephant and the various uses to which mankind has put this great creature. From being used as a conveyance in times of war, to being paraded as an object of wonder and curiosity, to being hunted down mercilessly for its ivory tusks, the elephant has had a somewhat checkered history in terms of its interaction with human beings.

The author also carefully relates the elephant's own social structure, which is a sophisticated and complex one. Their mating rituals, their family life, and their handling of death are all addressed by the author, who paints a picture of a multi-faceted and remarkable society of elephants. It is only in the twentieth century that its complexity has begun to be understood by man. It is hoped that this is not a case of too little, too late.

Unfortunately for the elephant, however, its positive qualities have taken a backseat to its value as a commodity. Elephant tusks may eventually bring about the demise of the entire species, if the world does not take heed. A portion of this book is devoted to the ivory wars that have decimated the great elephant herds of Africa, turning elephants into an endangered species. Were elephants to be driven to extinction by pure, unadulterated greed, it truly would be tragic. This book effectively drives that point home.

The Romance of the Elephant.......2003-11-16

The subtitle is slightly misleading. This book is definitely a biography of the African elephant, but not from the point of view of the elephant, but of man's relationship with the African elephant. So note. This means that the science of the elephant is not the main thrust of this book, in fact, the biology, zoology, and ecology of the elephant is maybe a fourth of this book. So if you are looking solely for science, this book will disappoint you.

Bottom line first: If you are a fan of the elephant, or if this is your first book on the elephant, than this is a good book. If you know a lot about the science of the elephant, and want to know more about the culture of the elephant, this is a good start. Those wanting more science or more about the craft of ivory art, look else where.

Now, that is it, but read on for more details, if you like. This book is -rather- the history of man's relationship with the African elephant. It's quite romantic, tragic, and greedy at the same time. Meredith presents us with many facets of the elephant. From it's mythology in the ancient world, symbolizing both wisdom, and power. To the greed of the ivory trade which has happened several times in the past and has almost lead to the extinction of the elephant each time. There are plenty of color pictures showing the elephant as well as some nice illustrations peppered throughout the book.

So it starts right away with ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. And just how the elephants were used in these societies. Mostly for war, and for ivory. So, we see the history of elephant use in wars, from Alexanders first encounter with them, to Carthage's valiant attempt to overthrow Rome.

Meredith has almost captured the romance and the allure of Africa, from a colonial European viewpoint. Here, we are introduced to fabled lands of Punt, of Zanzibar. He even shows us the ties between the elephant and the Arabian nights. There are plenty of stories of the hunt, and of legendary hunters and their big adventures which included not only hunting elephants, but discovering such places as the source of the Nile.

There are some exciting passages of just how the elephant was hunted. From hunters that would to hang by an elephant tail, and bring it down, to spear hunters, to eventually gunmen.

Now, I say, from a colonial European viewpoint, because the ivory trade is intimately tied to both gold and slavery, and Meredith isn't shy to report these things too. The terrible greed is presented with some really vivid stories. One of them is about Arab merchants killing women's babeis to help the women better carry the ivory.

Throughout all the mayhem, Meredith shows the elephant as a very intelligent, gentle, and dare I say wise being. The stories are quite heartbreaking. Hunters doing mortal wound experiments finally notices the down elephant tearing, and puts it out of its misery. A calf cries in help after being stuck in a hunters trap. It's family tries to pull it out, but is scared away by hunters. Later, another troop comes, and the calf is adopted. Siblings knotting their tusks in intimate family bonding. In some ways, elephant families are more intimate than human ones.

Later chapters, present the science of the elephant. And since I'm a science fan, I found these chapters the most interesting. Meredith points out the differences between African savannah and forest elephants, and that of Indian elephants. He also writes about how elephants communicate, and their mating behaviors. But, by far the most interesting chapter in the entire book had to do with death. It is speculated that elephants 'know' of death, just as much as we do. They seem to grieve. They bury their dead. The look after the bones of their ancestors. In one story, an elephant breaks into a compound, retrieves the bones of a downed elephant, and places them back at the site where the downed elephant was shot.

Now let's get on with the negatives. Meredith focuses too much on the destruction of the elephant. Instead of having one chapter about how elephants were decimated by colonial europeans, we have several chapters each focusing on a particular region of Africa. And for each chapter, the story is much the same: an explorer finds a route into a region, a trade route is established, tusks, slaves, gold, rubber come out of the region.

It is a sad tale, and the story deserves it space, but I would rather they had focused on other things. For instance, he could have discussed more about the luxury of ivory. What makes it so alluring for people. We could have pictures of some of the items he talks about, like the chyrselephantine that are statues made of ivory and gold. With people more sympathetic to the elephant, it is hardly understandable today why anyone would want to kill an elephant to make a trinket.

Also, there are many questions unanswered that I wish Meredith will address in his next edition. What was man's pre-historical relationship with the elephant? Native Africans seemed to have lived with the elephant peacefully, it was the outsiders and ancient cultures that had a thirst for elephants. Meredith please speculate! Also, Elephants can have a powerful influence on the environment, turning jungles into savannahs. Could it be that the elephant had some influence on the expanding Sahara desert?

This is the biography of the African elephant, but I would have loved to have known the fate of Indian elephants. What about the species of elephants that lived on Greece which were only 3 feet high?

Finally, the illustrations, and pictures were a nice edition, but some key photos/drawings should be added to the next edition. In particular, is the comparison of the African savannah elephant to the African forest elephant to the Indian elephant, comparing the visible differences between these three species.

Amazon.com

Alexander McCall Smith, best-selling author of the celebrated No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, connects with an entirely new audience with his beginning chapter book series featuring a young African boy fiercely devoted to the conservation of his animal friends. Akimbo lives on the large African game reserve where his father works, and is constantly on the lookout for an opportunity to see or learn something new. In Akimbo and the Elephants, the resourceful Akimbo helps foil an elephant poaching ring by secretly taking ivory seized by the park wardens and offering it to known poachers. When the poachers take the bait and invite Akimbo along on their illegal hunt, the boy slips away from the men and alerts the authorities. In Akimbo and the Lions, Akimbo helps raise a lion cub that is accidentally caught in a farmer's trap and learns the true meaning of sacrifice when he must release his beloved Simba back into the wild. While Akimbo occasionally comes close to real danger, (an angry bull elephant charges towards him; a cornered lioness threatens him and his father) Smith always brings his small but determined hero safely out of harm's way, having both learned a valuable lesson and gone on a great adventure. First published in the UK in 1990, resourceful Akimbo is being introduced to an American audience for the first time, and will undoubtedly be warmly welcomed by young fans of Ann Cameron's Julian stories, and Paula Danziger's Amber Brown books. --Jennifer Hubert

Book Description

Ten-year-old Akimbo lives on a game preserve in Africa. His father is the head ranger, and Akimbo is eager to help him whenever he can—even if it means getting into some pretty dangerous situations.

In Akimbo and the Elephants, ivory poachers are killing grown elephants for their tusks and leaving the calves to die. When the authorities fail to turn up new leads, Akimbo sets out to save the elephants by posing as a hunter himself.

Customer Reviews:

Great for the classroom.......2007-08-20

Another great book in Alexander's delightful style. This one is a great book to have in the classroom in order to open dialogue on conservation, preservation and other related topics.

akimbo and the elephants.......2007-05-07

delightful; one problem: i didnt realize it was for children but nontheless i enjoyed it and would recommend it for children of all ages.

African Adventure for Children.......2006-01-25

"Now, in his first books for children to be published in the U.S., he takes readers deep into the heart of Africa, where the grass grows taller than a man, and where lions and great elephants still roam. There, ten-year-old Akimbo lives with his father on the edge of a game reserve. Akimbo loves to join his father when he patrols the reserve because there is always something exciting to see. But when it comes to wild animals, excitement can also mean danger..." (description from publisher's website)

The Ethics and Morality of Ivory Poaching.......2005-10-21

In this short children's book, McCall Smith is as usual interested in ethics and morality. The book centers on Akimbo, a child of about 7 or 8 years of age. Akimbo becomes aware that there are people that poach Ivory, by killing elephants illegally and taking the tusks. Akimbo learns this when he and his father, a park ranger come upon a dead elephant and a live calf. Akimbo is bothered greatly by this situation. Not only is he bothered by the dead mother, but also by the calf left behind.

In discussing this with his father, Akimbo discovers that it is very, very difficult for poachers to be caught and brought to justice. He hatches a plan to do just that. His plan is to find out who the poachers are, and get proof of their illegal activity. Then to turn this information over to his father so the poachers can be brought to justice.

In effectuating his plan, Akimbo is exposed to considerable personal danger. Nonetheless, he decides that the unethical behavior of the poachers is worth the risk to his person. The story tells how Akimbo achieves this objective. The book is an excellent story for children and teaches not only ethics and morality, but also something about Africa and elephants and Ivory. It should be considered by all parents trying to show examples of ethical and unethical behavior to their young children. In addition, it shows the concept that one has the choice to act ethically, or to just sit it out and watch. Akimbo chooses the former rather than the later.

Lovely Story for Boys and Girls.......2005-10-07

My 6 year old enjoyed this chapter book so much that we had to read the whole book in one sitting. Truth be told, I would have finished it that evening anyhow. This is a great story about a little boy who takes great personal risks to save elephants from poachers. Like other McCall-Smith books, it is filled with local culture and really gives one the feeling of being there...enjoy....

The adventures of Shadrek: Southern Africa's most infamous elephant poacher

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The adventures of Shadrek: Southern Africa's most infamous elephant poacher
Ron Thomson
Manufacturer: Safari Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1571571337

Elephants and Ivory: True Tales of Hunting and Adventure (Resnick's Library of African Adventure)

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Elephants and Ivory: True Tales of Hunting and Adventure (Resnick's Library of African Adventure)
John Alfred Jordan , John Prebble , and Mike Resnick
Manufacturer: Alexander Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Shooting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1570901848

Book Description

Jordan's true story will make you nostalgic for an Africa that once was and will never be again.

Bashi, Elephant Baby (Viking Kestrel Picture Books)

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Bashi
Gorgeous illustrations, gripping story

Bashi, Elephant Baby (Viking Kestrel Picture Books)
Theresa Radcliffe , and John Butler
Manufacturer: Viking Juvenile
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0670870544

Book Description

As the sun rises over the African plain, a mother elephant and her newborn calf, Bashi, follow their herd down to the watering hole. But they are not alone, for the water has drawn some lionesses to the edge to drink and they are looking hungrily at Bashi. John Butler's carefully researched, stunning illustrations bring to life this dramatic story of survival in Africa. Another eye-catching presentation from the creators of Shadow the Deer

Customer Reviews:

Bashi.......2002-07-26

Having spent a year in Africa, I can assure you that the illustrations so beautifully painted by John Butler, recreate the African plain. Most of the colors are yellows and oranges, with the brown mud. Bashi is born into an elephant family whose young females all protect and mother him, as is the norm. It is a good thing they do so, because Bashi's natural enemies are out there awaiting an opportunity. Unfortunately, they almost find one when little one day old Bashi is caught in the mud by the water hole. Luckily, his mother digs out around and under his feet and finally gets him free. The reader gets the idea of just how hard it is for the wonderful little creature to survive his first day of life on the African plain. Children loved it at a recent storytime I did.

Gorgeous illustrations, gripping story.......2001-08-14

This book provides a magnificent escape, with its astonishing illustrations that somehow really do capture the flat, endless essence of the desert savannah, the world the elephants and their potential predators inhabit. There are ordinary books with ordinary illustrations, and then there are books like this, with perfectly executed lines and colors. When you close the book, it is almost as if you've been to Africa, or seen a film of it. I suppose it is somehow like storyboards of a film. Anyhow, it is a beautiful, distinctive book that adults will like as much or more than child readers will. In addition, its story includes a deep motherlove between adult and child elephant that is moving in a calm, realistic way. A really excellent book.

Average customer rating:

Wanted to Like it
The Holy Grail for Elephants with the Adventure
Profound
Elephant Epic
Strangely Disappointed

The White Bone: A Novel
Barbara Gowdy
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0312264127

Amazon.com

Barbara Gowdy has an utter affinity for the unconventional. In the title story of We So Seldom Look on Love, necrophilia is exquisite rather than execrable, and her wildly funny--and wildly affecting--novel Mister Sandman invites us into the hearts and minds of Toronto's least normal and most loving family. With The White Bone Gowdy continues her exploration of extraordinary lives, but this time human beings ("hindleggers") are on the periphery. And we're grateful when they're not around, since this gives her four-legged characters--elephants--a chance to survive.

The White Bone opens with five family trees. Gowdy's pachyderms include an orphaned visionary, She-Spurns (more familiarly known as Mud), and the "fine-scenter" She-Deflates, not to mention nurse cow She-Soothes and the bull Tall Time. (Though Gowdy's nomenclature may displease some readers, Dumbo wasn't exactly an inspiring name either.) Then, before her tragic narrative even begins, Gowdy offers a second feat of empathy and imagination, a glossary of elephant language. Afflicted by premonitions and obsessed with memory and safety, these animals have terms that range from the formal to the low, the metaphorical to the deeply physical: the "Eternal Shoreless Water" is oblivion, a "sting" is a bullet, and a "flow-stick" a snake. Of course, if you have "trunk," you possess "soulfulness; depth of spirit"--something every participant in Gowdy's fourth novel desperately needs. Initially, her characters' impressions of familiar objects are amusing, but bright comedy precedes dark tragedy. Witness Mud's take on jeeps: "On their own, vehicles prefer to sleep, but whenever a human burrows inside them they race and roar and discharge a foul odour." Needless to say, such speeding tends to precede a killing fest.

Alas, this is a book heavy with omens and slaughter, and Gowdy makes each elephant so individual, so conscious, that their separate fates are impossible to bear. When Tall Time, for instance, hears a helicopter, nothing, not even Gowdy's poetry, can save him: "The shots that pelt his hide feel as light as rain. It is bewildering to be brought down under their little weight." As the devastation increases, and her characters fail, and fail again, to find the magical white bone that should lead them to safety, the novel becomes a litany of pain and death. The only success is Barbara Gowdy's, in getting so thoroughly under the skin of her elephantine protagonists. --Kerry Fried

Book Description

A thrilling journey into the minds of African elephants as they struggle to survive.

If, as many recent nonfiction bestsellers have revealed, animals possess emotions and awareness, they must also have stories. In The White Bone, a novel imagined entirely from the perspective of African elephants, Barbara Gowdy creates a world whole and separate that yet illuminates our own.

For years, young Mud and her family have roamed the high grasses, swamps, and deserts of the sub-Sahara. Now the earth is scorched by drought, and the mutilated bodies of family and friends lie scattered on the ground, shot down by ivory hunters. Nothing-not the once familiar terrain, or the age-old rhythms of life, or even memory itself-seems reliable anymore. Yet a slim prophecy of hope is passed on from water hole to water hole: the sacred white bone of legend will point the elephants toward the Safe Place. And so begins a quest through Africa's vast and perilous plains-until at last the survivors face a decisive trial of loyalty and courage.

In The White Bone, Barbara Gowdy performs a feat of imagination virtually unparalleled in modern fiction. Plunged into an alien landscape, we orient ourselves in elephant time, elephant space, elephant consciousness and begin to feel, as Gowdy puts it, "what it would be like to be that big and gentle, to be that imperiled, and to have that prodigious memory."

Customer Reviews:

Wanted to Like it.......2007-05-05

I came read others' reviews because I couldn't believe how much I was dreading each page of this book when I'd expected to love it. Those who liked it, seem to have liked it from the first page and those who didn't like it, responded to it the way I have responded. I'm about a third of the way through the book and think it is time for me to find something to read that touches me. Much as I love elephants and as horrified as I am about their plight, this book is leaving me cold. In the hands of a good author, I'd be putty.

The Holy Grail for Elephants with the Adventure.......2005-11-06

Several women recommended this book to me quite highly - meaning you may enjoy it. I certainly didn't. The story was predictable and repetitive. Elephants suffering the atrocities of man wander around the plains aimlessly searching for each other, their holy grail (a white bone) and/or the promised land. The elephants kept getting killed or dying from exposure to the barren elements. It was written in a "matriarchal feminist style" that would very much have appealed to me in my early twenties but which I'm rather tired of now. It is unlikely this story will appeal to many men. I read through to the end expecting to find some meaningful take away. I didn't. It was just another story of the suffering and despair brought by human cruelty. If you already know this, don't torture yourself with a 327 page reminder of the fact.

Profound.......2005-01-02

A profound and inventive book. Gowdy's choice of speaking to the human condition through the medium of an extended family of elephants is unusual, to say the least, but ultimately rewarding. A challanging but deeply satisfying read. In my opinion, this is Gowdy at her best.

Elephant Epic.......2004-11-21

One way of looking at "The White Bone" is to think of as following the conventions of much of the best of epic fantasy. A threatened race, dependant on the hope of a youth born with superior powers, destined to find a sacred artifact that will lead her people from the monsters that prey on them, through turmoil and hardship to a promised land, encountering fascinating creatures along the way. However, "The White Bone" is not fantasy -it's a harrowing, tragic and dramatic story - and it's real. The characters may be made up, and certain plot points (like the sacred object: the fabled White Bone of the title) but the basics are true. The threatened race is the elephant race, the monsters that prey on them are human poachers, the journey the group treks on is through Africa, and the creatures they encounter are mongooses, rhinoceroses, ostritches, etc.

The heroine in the book, and one of the great heroines in all the field of novels, is Mud, a young elephant orphaned at birth. The elephants have their own religion, their own worldview, their own stories handed down through the generations. Through the book we also get briefer glimpses of the worldviews of other species. The worldviews of the enigmatic hindleggers (the elephants's term for humans) is unknown; for, although each group of elephants has a mind-talker who can communicate telepathically with most creatures, thus learning of their perceptions of the world and their thoughts and feelings, to share with the other elephants, the minds of humans are unreadable. The mind-talkers hear from certain other animals they can't communicate with only what is described as a 'faint chiming'; from humans though comes a hideous absolute silence that can be deeply traumatic to encounter. The mind-talker in the main group of elephants is Date Bed, a shy younger elephant who clings to Mud. These two, along with the bull elephant Tall Time, comprise the three central characters of the story.

It's hard to say how much of the elephant culture and worldview depicted in the novel paralells the minds of real elephants, but it's likely alot closer than the traditional scientific view (now thankfully being abandoned in whole or in part by many scientists) of elephants and all non-human creatures as basically automatons driven solely by biological instinct and completely or virtually devoid of thought or emotion. Whatever the case may be, this involving, vividly written, detailed and character-driven epic gives fascinating glimpses at how other lifeforms may view things; and a disturbing look at how humanity does indeed conduct itself amongst its fellow species.

Strangely Disappointed.......2004-04-14

Perhaps it was because I had been expecting more from this book {a bad idea, I know} but after reading this I felt let down. It was well written, but I just never felt myself really connecting with the characters. Now for the inevitable comparison . . . I loved `Watership Down'. I wanted to know more about what happened, if and how they would survive and so on. With `White Bone', I just did not find myself caring.
Overall, it's worth reading . . . maybe.

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