Zamba: The True Story of the Greatest Lion That Ever Lived – A Hollywood Story of Love, Affection Training, and an Eighteen-Year Bond

Having just finished reading "Modoc" by the same author, I began reading "Zamba" with high expectations, and was not disappointed. The story of Zamba carries a purposeful message: kindness and love in dealing with all animals, especially when training them. The story of Zamba offers details from the beginnings of a baby lion's bonding with his human companion and this effective bonding carries them not only through several hair-raising adventures in Africa where they have an elongated stay while filming a movie, but through some tragic and destructive events where any possible "good" seems to be far beyond reach. As our freedoms to raise lions or other wild animals have disappeared with overpopulation and the ever-more stringent laws that humans write to "save themselves" this story gave delightful details about the author and his family living, sleeping, and playing with Zamba. I delighted in the special bed built for Zamba, to allow him to sleep with his human. The patience, loyalty, and serenity shown by Zamba throughout his life show the powerful effect of true love and the respect it brings, not only between the human and lion, in this case, but an important, written account to testify to the world. I do think there is a better world ahead, and this book gives a glimpse of it.

I read this aloud to my husband and our almost-7yo daughter and we all loved it! We all were weeping by the end. It is a real page-turner, very difficult to read only one chapter a night! :) Zamba himself was an amazingly gentle lion all his life. It's stunning to realize that humans and animals could have such a strong connection -- truly communicating without words. The adventures in this book are truly jaw-dropping at every turn of the page! So many times, you want to hold your breath, wondering how things will turn out -- you almost have to keep reminding yourself that things must come out OK because there's still so much book left! FOR KIDS?? One caveat is that there are some sparse violent scenes that are not really appropriate for children (unless they're used to violent movies -- our daughter was not, so I skipped them as best as I could.) The first chapter will give you a sense of the level of violence that very rarely, but does show up in the book. Note that there's an abridged picture book by the same author more appropriate for kids. For adults, the rare violence is well worth the price for the joy and love and triumph throughout the book! From a writer's perspective, he is a little unpolished. The timeline of the book is disjointed and hard to follow. Also, he will tell you ahead of time something you need to know for the next paragraph -- almost like telling you the punchline before the joke. (I think he did a much better job with Modoc. He also got better as the book went on.) Just a nit-picky geeky writer thing -- your average reader will likely not care. Certainly the subject matter makes up a thousand times for unpolished writing. A note: I'm glad I read Modoc first, because she makes a cameo in Zamba, and I was literally balling my eyes out, knowing what that amazing elephant had been through by that time, and what a hero she continued to be. My husband and daughter had no clue and it didn't have the same impact. Also, Zamba is, I think, a deeper, more philosophical book, whereas Modoc was more an adventure story (the philosophy was there, but more in the background.) (I haven't read Beaty and the Beasts, or other similar books by members of his close family yet, but they are next!) In that sense, Zamba is a greater and deeper book than Modoc. I'm already buying a number of copies for friends!! Certainly I would recommend it!! One of my all-time favorite books!

This is a story about a friendship between a Lion and a Man. It is well written, but if you read it in hope of learning about the training methods that Ralph Helfer you will be dissapointed. The book oozes of Ralph Helfer's love for Zamba, for what he tries to do for and with the animals, perhaps sometimes even for him self. I have left me with a feeling of being touched in my soul by Zamba. Because even though it is mostly described out of what Ralph Helfer thinks, you (I think) will feel the empathy and compassion Zamba show his world. Perhaps you will appreciate your own animals even more and what they are cable of doing after you read this book and you should read it. So why did I not give this book 5 stars? Because it left me with some questions I think it should have been answered. I wanted to know more about how he trained Zamba? In the kindle version there is no pictures, why? I also wanted to know about the animals cages, how big were they? What did the trainers do enrich the animals day? Why did he not start a short prologue explaining how the affection training is done?

I've never read a true story where someone took a 4 mo. lion cub, and actually slept with it, not only as a cub, but into adulthood (if I remember right). Consequently, the lion was as tame as a lamb. I didn't realize that it was possible to raise a tame male lion to where young children could play with him. Great story.

Such a wonderous story of the life of a most magnificent animal. The front cover says it all. I was so drawn in by the feeling of love and devotion by the trainer for the Lion and vice versa ; that i was trying to slow down my reading to make it last. Not paticularly an exciting tale, just so amazing that this was a "man eating beast" more like mans best friend. I am going to get the film he featured in so that I can see him in the flesh. I have read Modoc too by the same author. Both are fabulous to read and would recommend them. But for me Zamba is special.

Thank you for taking the time to write down your amazing adventures and share them So much detail, so much feeling

In the course of my unorganized chaotic life I went ahead and ordered this book based on amazons recommendations for me. Only after it arrived (within a week of my ordering) did I realize this book was written by Ralph helfer the same author of modoc which happens to be one of my favorite books of all time. I'm sure, in fact I know there are so many pessimists in the world cringing at the phrase animal rights and animal activism. I did not get that message from this book. I am a dedicated animal lover and the softest at heart when it comes to the well being of any animal, however I feel my actions and voice are so small and unheard in our vast world. This book does not preach. It tells a true story of an unbelievable love between man and beast. I could not put it down....read front to back in 3 days. It is a story that will take you on a journey in your mind to a beautiful place filled with love, exhilaration, peace and heartbreak. I would like to wish the world is a better place, but even in Africa (where I believe the garden of Eden began) there is so much cruelty to animals and to each other, disease, Death and unbalance it seems unconquerable. This book won't manipulate your mind into thinking the world is a better place, but it will entice you to be a better human being. It is not necessarily an animal lovers book...too bad all minds wouldn't read it, of course animal lovers will, of course. What a story...what an experience and what a gift that I could read it...loved loved loved it. As a matter of interest Modoc is every bit as good and I highly recommend reading both. Thank you to Ralph for the difference he has made...if only the rest of mankind could do the same...our beautiful gift of life, this planet, our environment would just be so much better if we as mankind, the ruler of the universe would just respect and love it.

One of the best animal stories I have read.

Fabulous read. Couldn't put the book down. A must for all wild life lovers