A Lion Called Christian, Anthony Bourke
A Lion Called Christian, Anthony Bourke
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A Lion Called Christian
The True Story of the Remarkable Bond Between Two Friends and a Lion

Author: Anthony Bourke, John Rendall, George Adamson

Narrator: John Lee

Unabridged: 3 hr 25 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 03/10/2009


Synopsis

In 2008 an extraordinary two-minute film clip appeared on YouTube and immediately became an international phenomenon. It captures the moving reunion of two young men and their pet lion Christian, after they had left him in Africa with Born Free’s George Adamson to introduce him into his rightful home in the wild.

A Lion Called Christian tells the remarkable story of how Anthony “Ace” Bourke and John Rendall, visitors to London from Australia in 1969, bought the boisterous lion cub in the pet department of Harrods. For several months, the three of them shared a flat above a furniture shop on London’s King’s Road, where the charismatic and intelligent Christian quickly became a local celebrity, cruising the streets in the back of a Bentley, popping in for lunch at a local restaurant, even posing for a fashion advertisement. But the lion cub was growing up—fast—and soon even the walled church garden where he went for exercise wasn’t large enough for him. How could Ace and John avoid having to send Christian to a zoo for the rest of his life? A coincidental meeting with English actors Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, stars of the hit film Born Free, led to Christian being flown to Kenya and placed under the expert care of “the father of lions” George Adamson. Incredibly, when Ace and John returned to Kenya to see Christian a year later, they received a loving welcome from their lion, who was by then fully integrated into Africa and a life with other lions.

Originally published in 1971, A Lion Called Christian is a touching and uplifting true story of an indelible human-animal bond. It is destined to become one of the great classics of animal literature.

About The Author

ANTHONY “ACE” BOURKE is one of Australia’s leading art curators. He lives in Sydney. JOHN RENDALL is a member of the Royal Geographic Society and a trustee of the George Adamson Trust. He divides his time between London and Sydney.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Edwina

This is the heartwarming tale of 2 men and the lion that they bought in the pet department of Harrods. Easily read in about 4 hours and full of beautiful photographs. Highly recommended.......more

Goodreads review by Neli

Bu kitabı yıllar önce tatilde kitapsızlıktan kırıldığım bir sırada süpermarketten almıştım, çok fazla seçeneğim yoktu ve iyi çıkması için dua ediyordum. Çok iyi çıktı. Christian egzotik hayvan sevdalılarına satılmak üzere vitrine konmuş bir meta iken iki hayvansever arkadaş tarafından sahiplenilmek ü......more

Goodreads review by Ryan

I'll write this from a slightly different perspective. Everyone who has seen and enjoyed the video (but didn't cry or weep or have some other strange reaction) is probably wondering: ok, but is the book any good? The answer is yes. It is well organized, fun, interesting and wonderfully written. Renda......more