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gymbeannz's review
4.0
Can I call this a leobiography? I think it is technically an autobiography, however it doesn't feel right to say so, since we learn very little about Joy and her husband.
In some ways, Joy's writing is refreshing, as it's almost completely about Elsa and her cubs. Never once does Joy complain about her living conditions or dwell on her disappointments; even after.
Although in saying that, Born Free is a much more human story than I was expecting. Bar the fact that Elsa had some very human, relatable characteristics, her relationship with Joy was almost too familiar for comfort.
I'm thinking specifically at a time in the story when
I learnt a lot about lions, and the African wilderness in general. And I loved it.
I get so caught up in myself and the world around me, that I forget about the world that isn't outside my doorstep. And I don't just mean my surroundings and country, but the entire Western culture too. For example, it was so insanely refreshing to hear biological words in their natural non-sexualised context. When words like 'siring' and 'love making' stopped making me giggle after a while, I pondered whether I spend too much time consuming immature internet content. It got so far as to be initially aghast that the word 'bitch' was used, only to remember it had another non-derogatory definition.
In some ways, Joy's writing is refreshing, as it's almost completely about Elsa and her cubs. Never once does Joy complain about her living conditions or dwell on her disappointments; even after
Spoiler
Elsa's deathAlthough in saying that, Born Free is a much more human story than I was expecting. Bar the fact that Elsa had some very human, relatable characteristics, her relationship with Joy was almost too familiar for comfort.
I'm thinking specifically at a time in the story when
Spoiler
Elsa starts to look for a mate and when she's in early parenthood. Although Joy is very matter-of-fact about it all, reading her go through Elsa's priority change when it came to courtship and mothering was heartbreaking. It's like having to share your best friend with someone new and becoming second fiddle to everything, even though Joy is completely aware that it's good for Elsa to seek this independence. It's that selflessness that I admired. Although I know it's easier to do with an animal than a real human friend, letting go is a difficult thing to do.I learnt a lot about lions, and the African wilderness in general. And I loved it.
I get so caught up in myself and the world around me, that I forget about the world that isn't outside my doorstep. And I don't just mean my surroundings and country, but the entire Western culture too. For example, it was so insanely refreshing to hear biological words in their natural non-sexualised context. When words like 'siring' and 'love making' stopped making me giggle after a while, I pondered whether I spend too much time consuming immature internet content. It got so far as to be initially aghast that the word 'bitch' was used, only to remember it had another non-derogatory definition.
kiararose's review against another edition
2.0
I'll start with what I liked about this book: the pictures.
Now, I don't know what you're looking for in a book. But to warn you, this book is mildly racist, scatterbrained, and boring at some parts. One paragraph she'll be telling this one story and then she'll get off track and tell a different story without summing up the first one or giving the second relevance or importance. Some areas I zoomed through reading and others I practically fell asleep at. I thought it would be interesting because it was about a lion... I guess lions can be boring, too.
My last issue with this book is when she beat Elsa for mauling the donkey and when she would say she "didn't like to kill animals." Whenever she said she didn't like killing animals, she would follow it up with some story of why they 'had' to kill an animal. Her husband would randomly kill animals and she would talk about how it was 'necessary.'
Now, I don't know what you're looking for in a book. But to warn you, this book is mildly racist, scatterbrained, and boring at some parts. One paragraph she'll be telling this one story and then she'll get off track and tell a different story without summing up the first one or giving the second relevance or importance. Some areas I zoomed through reading and others I practically fell asleep at. I thought it would be interesting because it was about a lion... I guess lions can be boring, too.
My last issue with this book is when she beat Elsa for mauling the donkey and when she would say she "didn't like to kill animals." Whenever she said she didn't like killing animals, she would follow it up with some story of why they 'had' to kill an animal. Her husband would randomly kill animals and she would talk about how it was 'necessary.'
theoclarke's review against another edition
4.0
On LibraryThing I wrote: 'Heartwarming account of the raising of an orphaned lion cub and her return to the wild in 1950s Kenya illustrated with a plethora of contemporary photographs. Predicated on a belief that humans and wild animals are peers, this book was an important milestone in raising awareness of animal conservation.'
veronicachp's review against another edition
2.0
This book created some mixed feelings in me. On the one hand, I love animals. I love animal stories, I love animal pictures, I love stories about animals overcoming adversity to thrive. On the other hand, this book is an account of some seriously unethical and problematic human behavior. I understand that it was a different time, when the extinction rates of large african mammals weren't so high and people generally just cared less about animals, but to read about the casual killing of animals, many of whom are now so rare, left a bad taste in my mouth. I recognize and appreciate Joy Adamson's contributions to the naturalism and biology, but at its heart this book is about the irresponsible killing of a lion mother, and then the reckless taming of one of her cubs, raised as a pet, and then booted back into the wild, and I can't condone that. It's remarkable that she was successfully reintroduced, its remarkable that she didn't eat the author or her husband, and its remarkable that the situation turned out mostly okay, but also it's definitely the exception to the rule. So this book was kind of cute, the stories about the lioness were interesting, but at the heart of it nothing in this book should be imitated, and it should instead be a sort of cautionary tale.
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