After my recent safari to the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania where I saw many elephants, my fascination with them was rekindled, and I thought I’d read a book about them.  Unfortunately, I found this book a little disappointing.  I was hoping for a more scientific book, with a lot of detail about their biology and their social structure.  This book had some of that, but most of the book was actually about the author: her life, her schooling, her viewpoint. It was more like a travelogue or a diary rather than a scientific exploration of elephants.  The author’s life was interesting I guess, but she’s not someone like Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey.  She’s a good researcher and there’s no doubt about her devotion to these magnificent animals, but if you’re looking for more elephant info and less colloquial chatting, you might want to look elsewhere.  

“Elephants: Birth, Life, and Death in the World of the Giants” by Hannah Mumby

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