So don't let the "whisperer" title make you think it's just another of those "sappy animal lover reads". But perhaps the most important lesson I learned is that there are no walls between humans and the elephants except those we put up ourselves, and that until we allow not only elephants, but all living creatures their place in the sun, we can never be whole ourselves. After a lovely dinner and then drinks by the fireplace, in the twilight Hermann escorted us, rifle a-ready, to our cabins. When Lawrence passed away, the elephants he rescued and nurtured came visting to his house to pay their last respects.

In his book, Lawrence Anthony, recounts the story of how he took in a rogue herd that otherwise was going to be shot. Anthony does a magnificent job of sharing his story of settling a herd of seven wild elephants on his 5,000 acres of bush in Zululand, South Africa. He agreed, but before arrangements for the move could be completed the animals broke out again and the matriarch and her baby were shot. But, most of all, we had come to this land, “beautiful beyond the singing of it” (Alan Paton), to go on safari.I greatly regret that I have this on audiobook and did not to get to see the great pictures that everyone is referencing as being part of the book, still, what I lacked in actual photos the author (and the narrator, Simon Vance was wonderful) were able to paint very vivid images of Thula Thula and the herd of escapist, mistreated, rogue elephants that Anthony would eventually win over. Hermann drove and was accompanied by a local tracker, who could read any footprint or pile of scat on the trail. Lawrence Anthony (17 September 1950 – 2 March 2012) was a South African conservationist, environmentalist, explorer and bestselling author. As the herd slowly adapted all were illuminated by an animal consciousness never before experienced. Happily, Anthony seemed to understand that a calming presence and personal connection with the lead elephant could make a difference to the herd’s peace of mind.

As soon as they arrived at Thula Thula they started planning their escape making life for Lawrence even harder and more difficult for him to create a bond with the elephants and save them from execution. That understanding and generosity of spirit is alive and well in the pachyderm kingdom; that elephants are emotional, caring and extremely intelligent; and that they value good relations with humans. Anthony freely admits that he had to learn their language and also that it is a great shame that these elephants even had to be rescued from humanity by humanity.Okay, part of this book with learning about the intelligence of the elephants And how much they cared for they're own. Yet, it was when we were driving down the paved road of Kruger, in another rover, that to our right and left we saw elephants knocking over trees----crack, crack---and then, with amazing dexterity, pick up the fallen fruit and put it into their mouths.