An Elephant in My Kitchen

What the Herd Taught Me About Love, Courage and Survival

By: Françoise Malby-Anthony, Katja Willemsen

Narrated by: Roshina Ratnam

An Elephant in My Kitchen is a captivating memoir of love, loss, and the unbreakable bond between humans and the majestic elephants of South Africa's Thula Thula wildlife reserve.

Françoise Malby-Anthony's life changed forever when she fell in love with conservationist Lawrence Anthony. Together, they founded Thula Thula, but after Lawrence's untimely death, Françoise faced the daunting responsibility of running the reserve alone. Poachers attacked their rhinos, their security team wouldn't take orders from a woman, and the authorities threatened to cull their beloved elephant herd, led by the feisty matriarch Frankie.

In this heart-warming and moving book, Françoise describes her fight to protect the animals and make her dream of building a wildlife rescue centre a reality. She cares for a lost baby elephant, offers refuge to traumatized orphaned rhinos, and befriends a hippo called Charlie. As she learns to trust herself and understand Frankie, Françoise emerges as a powerful advocate for the creatures of Thula Thula.

An Elephant in My Kitchen is a gripping story of conservation, courage, and compassion that will appeal to animal lovers and fans of inspiring memoirs alike.

©Françoise Malby-Anthony and Katja Willemsen 2019 (P)2019 Macmillan Publishers International Ltd

Critic reviews

"The most magical book about the African bush since Born Free." (Daily Mail)

Enjoyable and educational

I found the structure a little confusing as it seemed to jump around a bit but soon forgave it for the fantastic stories of animals and evocative descriptions of their quirks and idiosyncrasies. Overall really enjoyed it.

review

I enjoyed the story, could feel the stress and exasperation with regards to the attack on the orphanage. so well done to the narrator. I just felt sometimes the narrator was too rushed.

A never press stop type of book...

You hold onto every word, every chapter, not wanting the humorous and detailed account of Life in Thula Thula with Elephants and Rhino on every page and around every Corner to stop.

Loved this book

fabulous read, I was transported to Africa and the inside of preserving wild life.
I can't wait to meet the amazing lady who wrote this book. I have become a big fan.
from start to finish I was totally hooked, I highly recommend it. one of the best books I have read.
This lady has such a big heart fro baby elephants, rhinos and all animals.
She is brave and a real surviver

Faith in Humanity

What a heart warming story. I enjoyed every moment. It is so well narrated and had me clutching the steering wheel as I drove to work, experiencing the story as it is so vividly explained, the struggles and the victories. A great listening experience to encourage my soul and restore faith in humanity who dedicate their lives to helping those without a voice.