The Elephants of Thula Thula

by Françoise Malby-Anthony Narrated by Roshina Ratnam

Overview

"Roshina Ratnam gives a lively performance of Françoise Malby-Anthony's stories of the joys and trials of sustaining the land of the Thula Thula conservancy in South Africa...engrossing and performed with enthusiasm." - AudioFile Magazine

Françoise Malby-Anthony's The Elephants of Thula Thula is a powerful, gripping story about an extraordinary herd of elephants and the woman dedicated to keeping them safe.

`Somehow, the elephants got into my soul, and it became my life's work to see them safe and happy. There was no giving up on that vision, no matter how hard the road was at times.'

Françoise Malby-Anthony is the owner of a game reserve in South Africa with a remarkable family of elephants whose adventures have touched hearts around the world. The herd's feisty matriarch Frankie knows who's in charge at Thula Thula, and it's not Francoise. But when Frankie becomes ill, and the authorities threaten to remove or cull some of the herd if the reserve doesn't expand, Françoise is in a race against time to save her beloved elephants . . .

The joys and challenges of a life dedicated to conservation are vividly described in The Elephants of Thula Thula. The search is on to get a girlfriend for orphaned rhino Thabo - and then, as his behaviour becomes increasingly boisterous, a big brother to teach him manners. Françoise realizes a dream with the arrival of Savannah the cheetah - an endangered species not seen in the area since the 1940s - and finds herself rescuing meerkats kept as pets. But will Thula Thula survive the pandemic, an invasion from poachers and the threat from a mining company wanting access to its land?

As Françoise faces her toughest years yet, she realizes once again that with their wisdom, resilience and communal bonds, the elephants have much to teach us.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press.

Editorial Reviews

MAY 2023 - AudioFile

Roshina Ratnam gives a lively performance of Françoise Malby-Anthony's stories of the joys and trials of sustaining the land of the Thula Thula conservancy in South Africa. Its variety of endangered animals includes elephants, rhinoceri, and more. Ratnam lightly distinguishes the accents of European and Zulu members of the Thula Thula community. It's rather strange that Malby-Anthony, with her heavy French accent, would be voiced in Ratnam's crisp English accent. However, Ratnam still captures the concern and love that Malby-Anthony and her staff exhibit for the animals in their care. Descriptions of managing during the Covid lockdown, forging alliances needed to keep the elephant herd together, and surviving times of violent civil unrest are engrossing and performed with enthusiasm. S.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

From the Publisher

Praise for The Elephants of Thula Thula:

“A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Malby-Anthony blends the beauty of the African bush with the nuts and bolts of running a game preserve in this welcome continuation of the story of Thula Thula.” —Booklist

"Malby-Anthony’s story is a model of what an individual can do when united with a community, fueled by a dream and a passion for animals, toward rewilding a small part of the world." —The Explorers Journal

Praise for An Elephant in My Kitchen:

"A moving and often amusing account of a life filled with compassion and resolve." —Wall Street Journal

"Malby-Anthony offers a book of great inspiration and wide appeal to nature-loving readers." —Publishers Weekly

"Full of vivid descriptions that place readers in the middle of the action...An engrossing eye-opener on the fragility of South Africa's fauna." —Kirkus Reviews

Library Journal

03/24/2023

Conservationist Malby-Anthony (An Elephant in My Kitchen) shares what it's like to operate Thula Thula, a game reserve in South Africa that's open to tourists. She lovingly describes the preserve's elephants and rhinos and their distinct personalities. The author includes stories about Thula Thula's monkeys, giraffes, cheetahs, hippos, and venomous snakes as well. The author's many dogs are also mentioned in some of the tales. Malby-Anthony writes of her challenges, such as protecting the rhinos and elephants from often heavily armed poachers; COVID, which shut down tourism and vital income; the unrest that occurred in South Africa in 2021; and the frustrating permit application processes that nearly led to the reduction of Malby-Anthony's elephant herd. Influxes of funds at crucial moments, however, and the addition of land parcels to the reserve arrived just in time. Readers interested in conservation, African wildlife, and the joys and sorrows of running a wildlife sanctuary will relish this title. VERDICT Malby-Anthony brings Thula Thula and its inhabitants—humans and animals—to the forefront in this beautifully descriptive work that demonstrates the importance of protecting wildlife and their natural habitats while sharing their space with tourists.—Sue O'Brien

MAY 2023 - AudioFile

Roshina Ratnam gives a lively performance of Françoise Malby-Anthony's stories of the joys and trials of sustaining the land of the Thula Thula conservancy in South Africa. Its variety of endangered animals includes elephants, rhinoceri, and more. Ratnam lightly distinguishes the accents of European and Zulu members of the Thula Thula community. It's rather strange that Malby-Anthony, with her heavy French accent, would be voiced in Ratnam's crisp English accent. However, Ratnam still captures the concern and love that Malby-Anthony and her staff exhibit for the animals in their care. Descriptions of managing during the Covid lockdown, forging alliances needed to keep the elephant herd together, and surviving times of violent civil unrest are engrossing and performed with enthusiasm. S.G. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2023-02-23
The third volume in the Elephant Whisperer series.

In this follow-up to An Elephant in My Kitchen, Malby-Anthony continues her loving portrait of the Thula Thula wildlife reserve, which she co-founded in 1998 with her late husband, South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony, who published the first book in the series, The Elephant Whisperer, in 2009. Following his death in 2012, Malby-Anthony sought to honor his legacy by continuing his vision “to create a massive conservancy in Zululand, incorporating our land and other small farms and community land into one great big game park.” At the same time, the elephants gave her “a sense of purpose and direction.” In the Zulu language, thula means quiet, and though the author consistently seeks to provide that calm to her charges, peace and tranquility are not always easy to come by at Thula Thula. In this installment, Malby-Anthony discusses many of the challenges faced by her and her staff, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. These included an aggressive, 2-ton rhino named Thabo; the profound loss felt by all upon the death of their elephant matriarch, Frankie; difficulty obtaining permits and the related risk of having to relocate or cull some of their animals; the fear of looting and fire due to civil unrest in the region; and the ongoing and potentially deadly struggles with poachers. Throughout, the author also shares many warm, lighthearted moments, demonstrating the deep bond felt among the humans and animals at the reserve and the powerful effects of the kindness of strangers. “We are all working in unity for the greater good, for the betterment of Thula Thula and all our wildlife….We are humbled by the generosity and love, both from our guests and friends, and from strangers all around the world,” writes the author. “People’s open-hearted support kept us alive in the darkest times.”

A heartwarming and inspiring story for animal lovers.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175644716
Publisher:	Macmillan Audio
Publication date:	04/25/2023
Series:	Elephant Whisperer , #3
Edition description:	Unabridged

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