Born Free

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All the photographs are full page, or half page; a generous size as this book is larger than an average hardback. Never once does Joy complain about her living conditions or dwell on her disappointments; even after Elsa's death. Millions have also come to know and love Born Free through the immortal film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers. First edition bound in tan cloth with a gold lion on the front cover and gold lettering and decorations on the spine. Fifty years ago Joy Adamson first introduced to the world the story of her life alongside Elsa the lioness, whom she had rescued as an orphaned cub, and raised at her home in Kenya.

It was translated into several languages, and made into an Academy Award-winning 1966 film of the same name. I was set back the most when a resident crocodile was shot in it's habitat purely because they wanted Elsa to cross the river without fear - a clear indication that their definition of conservation was narrow minded. You saw the movie, you sang the song, you begged mother for the vinyl, and she bought you the book as a surprise. Nonetheless a wonderful story - both about Elsa and the cubs and also about Joy and George, who dedicated their lives to the protection of East African wildlife. From seeing herself as the busy ant, Katharine realised she actually wanted to be like the lioness: ‘resting and yet fully alert, attentive to the moment, ready to jump up and go the distance at a second’s notice’.I also enjoyed Living Free and Forever Free although not quite as much, but it would have been impossible for me to not read those sequels as I would have been painfully curious about how the story continues. Katharine leads on Care for the Family’s policy agenda representing the organisation at government level. Originally penned in 1960, it is the touching tale of how they raised an orphaned lion cub named Elsa and she grew to be their nearest and dearest friend - she was family. Joy Adamson was cremated and her ashes were buried in Elsa the Lioness's grave in Meru National Park in Meru, Kenya. Packed with ancient wisdom and modern insight, this book suggests we can indeed flourish in the midst of our demanding lives.

It may take a bit to get used to the style, but once you immerse yourself, there's no resurfacing till you've reached the last page.After some time living together, the Adamsons decided to set Elsa free rather than send her to a zoo, and spent many months training her to hunt and survive on her own. With this one, we felt it was extra special and pushed the boat out – the paper is creamy and thick; the cover is olive green Wibalin®, gold blocked on the spine; the endpapers are printed to match the jacket design. After heavy negotiating the Adamsons eventually found a place in the Serengeti Reserve in neighbouring Tanganyika where the cubs resettled. But she also grew more independent, and began to show signs of wanting them to leave her alone, and her transition from family pet to wild lioness was successful.