A memoir of a long-time wilderness trek leader and game preserve employee in South Africa that dwells on how much nature gives us. With some loose biographical events that have occurred through his career, Mbatha talks about how the natural world in his rural surroundings is valuable and valued. Recommended if you are looking for stories about the African flora, fauna, and climate, where there is a great deal of detail, and if you want to see a new perspective on respecting the gifts of nature. ( )

A long overdue review. I finished the book months ago and wanted to let it simmer for a bit before responding. Overall I enjoyed it. It’s a memoir about a young man coming of age in South Africa and feeling the pull of nature. He longs to find work on a reserve but a lack of funds means that he cannot finish the schooling needed to get there. The book is in part his journey to fulfil his dream and in part a treatise on the importance of maintaining and protecting our connection with our natural environment. Unfortunately, it felt like he was writing two different books and things didn’t really mesh together well. His memoir lacked a lot of details while his ode to nature became rather repetitive. Good effort overall though. ( )

I really struggled to get into this book. Its mostly a panegyric about the iMfolozi nature preserve and nothing really happens. The bits where Mbatha shares stories of his own life are interesting but there's not enough of them to push the narrative along. I agree with the author that nature's awesome and I would much rather enjoy it first-hand than read about it.

Thank you to the publisher who sent me a free copy for review.

This is an autobiography of a Zulu man who became a wilderness guide and the many life lessons he learned along the way. He wants everyone to understand that they need to connect with nature in order to heal and have peace of mind. There are fascinating stories of encounters with dangerous animals but it's the lessons he passes on that make this book worth the time to read. ( )

Upon reading this book, one fact became evident: the author, a game-ranger in South Africa, is a natural-born nature genius. By this I mean that he has a special ability or connection with nature itself; the way he interprets, experiences and interacts with nature and animals is something rare and extraordinary. Thus I use the term genius.

How fortunate then, that he finds work to honor this. In the book he begins with an encounter with a certain lion. This sets the tone, for we see this genius beginning to manifest; all through the narrative is this same thread weaving in and out, albeit in different settings.

And that brings me to my experience as a reader. I was thrilled in the true sense of the word to read from a man whose mind is so obviously rare. The communion with wild animals is a fascinating topic to me and I'm an avid follower of Kevin Richardson, the Lion Whisperer, for this reason. However, in this book the tone becomes repetitive at the cost of enduring interest in the tale itself.

I do not want to go on a negative note because I truly want many many people to read it. The rate of de-environmentalization, if I may use this fanciful term, is dreadful. Any and every human who is trying to right the balance needs applause and genuine support. So please, go and read this. There's a good chance you will be enthralled, and I will have done my job as a reviewer. ( )