Author: James Alexander Currie with Bonnie J. Fladung

ISBN: 0990766004

ISBN-13: 978-0990766001

South Africa is a place for travel enthusiasts. We all have read so much about wildlife safaris that most of us dream of seeing wildlife in action at least some point in our lives.

But, for those of us in lockdowns this now seems a very distant dream, fortunately, we have an insider account that transports a person to this far-off world.

While the book is amazing, what is simply breathtaking are the bits of the Author’s own thoughts which allows the reader to ask thought-provoking questions.

AIDS and Apartheid get covered in this and add to the depth of the reading.  

US President Theodore Roosevelt respected a hunter, the debate over the position on canned lion hunts, and the views on non-vegetarians criticizing hunts, may make some of us uncomfortable but those are indeed necessary questions.

These points help in making a reader’s experience worthwhile because the book stays with us long after we have gulped it down.

But my favorite bits come from India’s countryside. The man-eating leopards, especially the infamous one from the scenic Rudraprayag finds a mention here. These little additions make it great to watch on Television.

Another great aspect of this book is the fine editing. I could not find anything which can anywhere be deemed unnecessary.

The tone of the book is very eager and also employs easy language for readers of all ages and nationalities.

This is an adventure that everyone would enjoy but it is like a trove of wildlife information and would often require one to devote more time than fiction.

But like I mentioned earlier, despite easy vocabulary and earnest efforts, the book does demand from the reader to ponder over important aspects here and there.

Some of this can be unpalatable because we do not like to see our stated positions crumble in front of hard questions, that too when done so unsubtly.

If that is something that one can overcome, then this is one of the best books to read in lockdown.