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The Wilderness Family: At Home with Africa's Wildlife
Everyone warned Kobie Krüger that being the wife of a game warden at a remote ranger station in South Africa's largest national park would be an arduous move. The heat was unbearable, malaria would be a constant danger, her husband would have to be away for long stretches, there were no schools or nearby doctors for their three daughters, and of course the area teemed with wild animals. Yet for Kobie and her family, the seventeen years at South Africa's Kruger National Park were the most magical of their lives. Now, in The Wilderness Family, Kobie recounts the enchanting adventures and extraordinary encounters they experienced in this vast reserve where wildlife has right of way.
Kobie and her husband Kobus were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Mahlangeni ranger station when they arrived with their little girls in the autumn of 1980. Golden sunshine glowed in the lush garden where fruit bats hung in the sausage trees; hippos basked in the glittering waters of the Letaba River; storks and herons perched along the shore. Kobie felt she had found heaven on earth--until she awoke that first night to find a python slithering silently across her bedroom floor. It was the perfect introduction to the wonders and terrors that awaited her.
As the Krügers settled in, they became accustomed to living in the midst of ravishing splendor and daily surprises. A honey badger they nursed back to health rampaged affectionately through the house. Sneaky hyenas stole blankets and cook pots. Ordinarily placid elephants grew foul-tempered and violent in the summer heat. And one terrible day, the shadow of tragedy fell across the family when a lion attacked Kobus in the bush and nearly killed him.
But nothing prepared the Krügers for the adventure of raising an orphaned lion cub. The cub was only a few days old and on the verge of death when they found him alone.ÌýÌýLeo, as the girls promptly named the cub, survived on loads of love and bottles of fat-enriched milk, and soon became an affectionate, rambunctious member of the family. At the heart of the book, Kobie recounts the unique bond that each of the Krügers forged with Leo and their sometimes hilarious endeavor to teach him to become a "real" lion and live with his own kind in the wild.
Writing with deep affection and luminous prose, Kobie Krüger captures here the mystery of untamed Africa--its fathomless skies, soulful landscapes, and most of all, its astonishing array of animals. By turns funny and
heart-breaking, engaging and suspenseful, The Wilderness Family is an unforgettable memoir of a woman, her family, and the amazing game reserve they called home for seventeen incredible years.
Kobie and her husband Kobus were overwhelmed by the beauty of the Mahlangeni ranger station when they arrived with their little girls in the autumn of 1980. Golden sunshine glowed in the lush garden where fruit bats hung in the sausage trees; hippos basked in the glittering waters of the Letaba River; storks and herons perched along the shore. Kobie felt she had found heaven on earth--until she awoke that first night to find a python slithering silently across her bedroom floor. It was the perfect introduction to the wonders and terrors that awaited her.
As the Krügers settled in, they became accustomed to living in the midst of ravishing splendor and daily surprises. A honey badger they nursed back to health rampaged affectionately through the house. Sneaky hyenas stole blankets and cook pots. Ordinarily placid elephants grew foul-tempered and violent in the summer heat. And one terrible day, the shadow of tragedy fell across the family when a lion attacked Kobus in the bush and nearly killed him.
But nothing prepared the Krügers for the adventure of raising an orphaned lion cub. The cub was only a few days old and on the verge of death when they found him alone.ÌýÌýLeo, as the girls promptly named the cub, survived on loads of love and bottles of fat-enriched milk, and soon became an affectionate, rambunctious member of the family. At the heart of the book, Kobie recounts the unique bond that each of the Krügers forged with Leo and their sometimes hilarious endeavor to teach him to become a "real" lion and live with his own kind in the wild.
Writing with deep affection and luminous prose, Kobie Krüger captures here the mystery of untamed Africa--its fathomless skies, soulful landscapes, and most of all, its astonishing array of animals. By turns funny and
heart-breaking, engaging and suspenseful, The Wilderness Family is an unforgettable memoir of a woman, her family, and the amazing game reserve they called home for seventeen incredible years.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
90 people are currently reading
3,450 people want to read
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April 8, 2016
(See our Further Reading section at the bottom of the review for more books like this!)
It’s rare for a memoir about a family living a truly unique lifestyle to be so genuine in its telling and so accessible to readers who have never lived, and may not have ever visited or even imagined living, in one of the world’s most famous wildlife parks. But does a skillful job of creating a warm and vibrant depiction of the reality of the South African Lowveld in her family’s memoir and passionately conveys the adventures and trying incidents experienced by her family.
The memoir encapsulates the family’s experiences in the bush, the southern African wilderness, coexisting with Kruger National Park’s wildlife, employees, and mostly avoiding the hundreds of thousands of people that visit the park each year (today, the park gets around two million annual visitors!).
Kobie Krüger’s role as wife, mother, and homemaker plays a central role in the narration, but her perspective adds a warm, close-knit feel that draws the reader into the life and ordeals of the charming family. The memoir, which spans from roughly 1980 to the 1990s, unfolds in mostly a chronological order and is given form through the author’s careful unveiling of the unique and wild world which she and her game warden husband Kobus live in along with their three children. Individual events get their own chapter, making some chapters quite short, but they’re often entertaining and enjoyable. With quick, heartwarming anecdotes interspersed with longer chapters of the family’s challenges living in the wild, the memoir becomes hard to put down. But there is also an interesting twist to the way that chapters are packaged together which brings wholeness to their time in Mahlangeni, contrasting it with later chapters that take place in other regions of the vast park as well as trips to other countries.
Tales including the Krüger children as they grow up help to bridge these different periods, though it can feel a bit jumpy in parts as some details are glossed over or the author reminisces about an event when the children were younger. The stories involving pets, farm animals, and a variety of exciting wildlife are an integral part of the family's story and also emphasize the remoteness of the Kruger family from basic needs and modern services.
The care and effort put into protecting and raising wildlife culminates with the adoption of an orphaned, days-old lion cub. The lion’s story is the focal point of the second half of the book and readers will receive a firsthand account of what it is like to live with a lion cub in the home, the natural instincts, and what it takes to teach a lion how to grow to his full potential.
, famed lion researcher, makes an appearance in The Wilderness Family. He is the author of several books of his own relating to his efforts to conserve and understand the African lion, including (2014). While he does not feature for very long in the Krüger family’s memoir, readers that enjoyed learning about the lion’s upbringing in the Krüger household will likely enjoy reading about Patterson’s continuing work in Africa as well as details of lion instincts, behavior, and the challenges involved in raising lions and what considerations must be made before lions can be attempted to be released back into the wild.
Nature and animal lovers are sure to love The Wilderness Family and its wide cast of characters and wildlife, including a baby genet and caracal. Kobus Krüger’s occupation as game warden is touched on long enough that readers will be able to gain a respect for, and basic understanding of, some of the responsibilities of those charged with protecting the wilderness. The format of the memoir makes it a very easy read that might be hard for some people to put down while being easy for others to pick up for a short interval for a brief immersion into daily life in the southern African wilderness.
Other Books by the Author:
has written two other English language books about her family's life in South Africa. is essentially a "director's cut" of the first half of The Wilderness Family while encompasses the second half. She also has at least two of her books published in Afrikaans.
It’s rare for a memoir about a family living a truly unique lifestyle to be so genuine in its telling and so accessible to readers who have never lived, and may not have ever visited or even imagined living, in one of the world’s most famous wildlife parks. But does a skillful job of creating a warm and vibrant depiction of the reality of the South African Lowveld in her family’s memoir and passionately conveys the adventures and trying incidents experienced by her family.
The memoir encapsulates the family’s experiences in the bush, the southern African wilderness, coexisting with Kruger National Park’s wildlife, employees, and mostly avoiding the hundreds of thousands of people that visit the park each year (today, the park gets around two million annual visitors!).
Kobie Krüger’s role as wife, mother, and homemaker plays a central role in the narration, but her perspective adds a warm, close-knit feel that draws the reader into the life and ordeals of the charming family. The memoir, which spans from roughly 1980 to the 1990s, unfolds in mostly a chronological order and is given form through the author’s careful unveiling of the unique and wild world which she and her game warden husband Kobus live in along with their three children. Individual events get their own chapter, making some chapters quite short, but they’re often entertaining and enjoyable. With quick, heartwarming anecdotes interspersed with longer chapters of the family’s challenges living in the wild, the memoir becomes hard to put down. But there is also an interesting twist to the way that chapters are packaged together which brings wholeness to their time in Mahlangeni, contrasting it with later chapters that take place in other regions of the vast park as well as trips to other countries.
Tales including the Krüger children as they grow up help to bridge these different periods, though it can feel a bit jumpy in parts as some details are glossed over or the author reminisces about an event when the children were younger. The stories involving pets, farm animals, and a variety of exciting wildlife are an integral part of the family's story and also emphasize the remoteness of the Kruger family from basic needs and modern services.
The care and effort put into protecting and raising wildlife culminates with the adoption of an orphaned, days-old lion cub. The lion’s story is the focal point of the second half of the book and readers will receive a firsthand account of what it is like to live with a lion cub in the home, the natural instincts, and what it takes to teach a lion how to grow to his full potential.
, famed lion researcher, makes an appearance in The Wilderness Family. He is the author of several books of his own relating to his efforts to conserve and understand the African lion, including (2014). While he does not feature for very long in the Krüger family’s memoir, readers that enjoyed learning about the lion’s upbringing in the Krüger household will likely enjoy reading about Patterson’s continuing work in Africa as well as details of lion instincts, behavior, and the challenges involved in raising lions and what considerations must be made before lions can be attempted to be released back into the wild.
Nature and animal lovers are sure to love The Wilderness Family and its wide cast of characters and wildlife, including a baby genet and caracal. Kobus Krüger’s occupation as game warden is touched on long enough that readers will be able to gain a respect for, and basic understanding of, some of the responsibilities of those charged with protecting the wilderness. The format of the memoir makes it a very easy read that might be hard for some people to put down while being easy for others to pick up for a short interval for a brief immersion into daily life in the southern African wilderness.
Other Books by the Author:
has written two other English language books about her family's life in South Africa. is essentially a "director's cut" of the first half of The Wilderness Family while encompasses the second half. She also has at least two of her books published in Afrikaans.
April 24, 2009
The personal story of the wife of a park ranger in Kruger National Park in South Africa. This is actually two books that were combined and edited down into one for the American audience. Its virtually impossible to find the two original books; Mahlangeni & All Things Wild and Wonderful. If you can find them, read those instead- I feel they edited out too much in this book and added unnecessary information. Why do companies feel the need to dumb down books for the American audience? I hate that! Anyhow...
The first part of this book was edited from "Mahlangeni" and is an account of the author's experiences while living in a remote area of the park with her husband and 3 young daughters. It is a beautiful story, and the author really expresses her love & affection for her time there. The second part was edited from "All Things Wild & Wonderful" and retells her experiences afer her husband was relocated to a more populated area of the park. This part of the story focuses more around her experiences raising an abandoned lion cub they name "Leo". A really enoyable read that leaves your heart aching for more. It made me really miss Africa...
The first part of this book was edited from "Mahlangeni" and is an account of the author's experiences while living in a remote area of the park with her husband and 3 young daughters. It is a beautiful story, and the author really expresses her love & affection for her time there. The second part was edited from "All Things Wild & Wonderful" and retells her experiences afer her husband was relocated to a more populated area of the park. This part of the story focuses more around her experiences raising an abandoned lion cub they name "Leo". A really enoyable read that leaves your heart aching for more. It made me really miss Africa...
February 11, 2021
Some books you like, some you don't, and some you read and you know that they will have a special place in your soul. The Wilderness Family is one of those books that will have a place in my most cherished heart bookshelf.
Kobie Krüger is the wife of a game ranger in Africa, and the richness of her storytelling is second to none. As far as quotableness, I'd have to think of Terry Pratchett to find someone more quotable, and that's definitely saying something.
Coming from an Island, one of the greatest fears is that of insularity or feeling disconnected from the rest of the world. That's because Puerto Rico might be a pristine paradise and a bridge, but being surrounded by water, the borders I know are all geographic. The Wilderness Family is the type of book that truly expands horizons in so many ways and it is continuously heartfelt, often laugh out loud funny, and a book that feels like a hug between its covers.
Kobie details the adventures she has in different places they live following her husband's work as game ranger and along the way there are stories about hippos, elephants, honey badgers, a territorial spitting cobra, bats that live IN the house, and most dearly, lions. If you've ever had a dog you're close with, this book will make complete sense to you (special shoutout to Wolfie and the other pups in this book, btw). I was constantly reminded of my relationship with all the pups I've been in contact with, seeing comparisons with all of them in all sorts of animals that appear in the book.
Throughout, timelines blur a bit, which might be a bit confusing, but it all serves the narrative and flow of the book. By this I mean that what you read in one chapter might have happened after something you read further in the book. Not a gripe by any means, just an observation for when you read
It had been a while since I read a book I forced myself to take it easy and not plow through, not think of reading goals, and just enjoy. It was like dessert, a great glass of wine, or a truly special meal, you do your best to make the experience last. Throughout, I smiled quite often and I felt such deep stirring in my chest that I would often find myself crying at how much I shared in Kobie's experiences, not to mention learning just how much I'd like to hug a lion.
The Wilderness Family is a special book...a special piece of art and something I'd gladly recommend to anyone looking for something to remind them why they love to read, why they love to write, and why it is so important to do our best to protect nature and our fellow Earth neighbors. Too often we're too connected to phones, the TV, and stuff like that, and this book is a gorgeous reminder that there is beauty in the wilderness that should be respected and treasured.
Highest marks I could give for a book and something I think most people would enjoy reading. I'd say two thumbs up, but maybe Kobie would take offense....but that's for you to find out why in the book :)
Kobie Krüger is the wife of a game ranger in Africa, and the richness of her storytelling is second to none. As far as quotableness, I'd have to think of Terry Pratchett to find someone more quotable, and that's definitely saying something.
Coming from an Island, one of the greatest fears is that of insularity or feeling disconnected from the rest of the world. That's because Puerto Rico might be a pristine paradise and a bridge, but being surrounded by water, the borders I know are all geographic. The Wilderness Family is the type of book that truly expands horizons in so many ways and it is continuously heartfelt, often laugh out loud funny, and a book that feels like a hug between its covers.
Kobie details the adventures she has in different places they live following her husband's work as game ranger and along the way there are stories about hippos, elephants, honey badgers, a territorial spitting cobra, bats that live IN the house, and most dearly, lions. If you've ever had a dog you're close with, this book will make complete sense to you (special shoutout to Wolfie and the other pups in this book, btw). I was constantly reminded of my relationship with all the pups I've been in contact with, seeing comparisons with all of them in all sorts of animals that appear in the book.
Throughout, timelines blur a bit, which might be a bit confusing, but it all serves the narrative and flow of the book. By this I mean that what you read in one chapter might have happened after something you read further in the book. Not a gripe by any means, just an observation for when you read
It had been a while since I read a book I forced myself to take it easy and not plow through, not think of reading goals, and just enjoy. It was like dessert, a great glass of wine, or a truly special meal, you do your best to make the experience last. Throughout, I smiled quite often and I felt such deep stirring in my chest that I would often find myself crying at how much I shared in Kobie's experiences, not to mention learning just how much I'd like to hug a lion.
The Wilderness Family is a special book...a special piece of art and something I'd gladly recommend to anyone looking for something to remind them why they love to read, why they love to write, and why it is so important to do our best to protect nature and our fellow Earth neighbors. Too often we're too connected to phones, the TV, and stuff like that, and this book is a gorgeous reminder that there is beauty in the wilderness that should be respected and treasured.
Highest marks I could give for a book and something I think most people would enjoy reading. I'd say two thumbs up, but maybe Kobie would take offense....but that's for you to find out why in the book :)
January 28, 2023
This has so many aspects that I crave in a memoir: a foreign-to-me place, easy to read narration, good description without being flowery, experiences with exotic animals and culture, and getting to know a family through many years. The Kroger family lived in three different places as Kobus (the father) was a park ranger in South Africa near Mozambique. Kobie (the mother) raises her three daughters in the African bush as well as being a foster mother to many orphaned animals, including Leo a male Lion they found abandoned at birth. I was mesmerized at their story, with Leo being an important member of their family. I could almost feel the heat, see the breathtaking sunsets, and feel the anxiety of unknown animals surrounding them. I admire people like the Krogers who dedicate their lives to protecting and understanding the animals they were responsible for. What an amazing story!!
September 1, 2012
this was a simply written book by a lady who lived the events and recorded them as she felt about them at the time..Kobie Kruger and her husband Kobus were assigned to Mahlangeni ranger station in 1980 when Kobus became a park ranger in South Africa's Kruger National Park.The book is written almost as a diary recording of their days and it is interesting that even as recently as the 1980's the stereotyping of the female as being less capable.This book is about spirit and ingenuity and relying on your knowledge and ability to deal with your surroundings.Perhaps Kobie wrote this book to validate her own role in living in the wilderness successfully.
September 6, 2012
The lady I roomed with when I was on safari in Kenya brought along a copy of this to loan to me. I was a little put out having one more thing to pack in my already-too-heavy duffle while on safari, but when I got home and finally gave this book a shot...I then understood why she wanted me to read it.
I am infinitely fascinated with all things African. This book is about a park ranger in Kruger National Game Park in eastern South Africa. It's told from the perspective of his wife. The things a park ranger's family puts up with is incredible....and unique. This book is wonderful.
I am infinitely fascinated with all things African. This book is about a park ranger in Kruger National Game Park in eastern South Africa. It's told from the perspective of his wife. The things a park ranger's family puts up with is incredible....and unique. This book is wonderful.
August 16, 2022
For me, this is a hands down 5 star read. I actually read it years ago and loved it, and just read it again. Recently I sent it to 6 other family members who will going on safari with me next month and they all loved it as well. Kobe is a genuinely good writer. Not in the least pretentious, just real and captivating. It’s such a great story. I laughed and cried. I hated to finish it. All my family felt exactly the same.
Truly wonderful.
Truly wonderful.
September 30, 2019
This book was amazing. Kobie Kruger's stories are filled with humour, and made me laugh quite a bit while reading. It's a pity that this book isn't more popular or well known, because it's a brilliant read. It's one of those must-read books about African fauna.
Life within a national park, in the middle of nowhere, kilometres from civilisation has it's ups and downs. She described the ups beautifully. She described the downs with a huge sprinkling of humour. Oh, there's a snake in my garden? No problem, it adds to the charm of the place.
I love how introverted she is. They moved to a place with a phone, and when it starts ringing, she stands there looking at it, wondering why people are calling. There's a person across the river from her, and she can't make out their features, just a basic silhouette, yet she feels overwhelmed at the closeness of those neighbours.
A huge chunk of this book is about how they find a lion cub and rear it. I had issued with the way they reared it, especially after having read the Adamson's books/stories.
Her stories about her encounters with the various wildlife in the wilderness were both interesting and funny. She has the tendency to make up scenarios in her head, as to what these animals might be thinking/saying, and it makes for humourous reading.
Photos: I would have loved more photos from all her stories. However all were of Leo, or centred around that time.
Life within a national park, in the middle of nowhere, kilometres from civilisation has it's ups and downs. She described the ups beautifully. She described the downs with a huge sprinkling of humour. Oh, there's a snake in my garden? No problem, it adds to the charm of the place.
I love how introverted she is. They moved to a place with a phone, and when it starts ringing, she stands there looking at it, wondering why people are calling. There's a person across the river from her, and she can't make out their features, just a basic silhouette, yet she feels overwhelmed at the closeness of those neighbours.
A huge chunk of this book is about how they find a lion cub and rear it. I had issued with the way they reared it, especially after having read the Adamson's books/stories.
Her stories about her encounters with the various wildlife in the wilderness were both interesting and funny. She has the tendency to make up scenarios in her head, as to what these animals might be thinking/saying, and it makes for humourous reading.
Photos: I would have loved more photos from all her stories. However all were of Leo, or centred around that time.
September 5, 2016
Kobie and her husband Kobus spent seventeen years as game rangers in Kruger National Park. This recounts a number of their experiences during most of those years. Initially, they were at the remote Mahlangeni Post for eleven years. The transition to the more populated southern post at Crocodile Bridge had its challenges. Later they were posted at Pretorious Kop. Their three daughters grew up in the park living alongside the wildlife and learning how to interact. The second half of the book focuses mostly on their experiences raising an abandoned lion cub.
This is written in a light, conversational style. While it is roughly chronological, the first half of the book focuses more on topics with a number of experiences pertaining to that topic. So the next chapter might actually go backwards in terms of chronology but it all fits together to give an overview of their experiences. Because of the topical nature of the first half, it lends itself to dipping, although I read it straight through. The book was originally published as two volumes which helps explain the different styles in the format. Personally, I felt she got a bit dramatic with the later sections regarding Leo but enjoyed it overall.
This is written in a light, conversational style. While it is roughly chronological, the first half of the book focuses more on topics with a number of experiences pertaining to that topic. So the next chapter might actually go backwards in terms of chronology but it all fits together to give an overview of their experiences. Because of the topical nature of the first half, it lends itself to dipping, although I read it straight through. The book was originally published as two volumes which helps explain the different styles in the format. Personally, I felt she got a bit dramatic with the later sections regarding Leo but enjoyed it overall.
April 20, 2023
I was beautifully lost in Kobie’s memories. One very amazing woman. What a life she describes. I laughed, I was stunned with her strength and I cried! Such an amazing life they lived. I’d love to say that’s the life I’d love to live, but I don’t think I’m as strong as the Kruger family. Thank you for letting me live through you.
July 20, 2008
Sometimes it is better not to worry about the generator. Also don't get bitten by lions.
June 15, 2021
Kobie Krüger is the wife of a South African park ranger. In this book, she recounts her experiences living and raising her family on a wildlife preserve. She also writes of her time hand-rearing a lion cub to adulthood.
This book is quite light and sweet. The first half is a string of recollections, the second a more plotty recounting of the travails of Leo the lion. The writing is no-nonsense and the writer is very likable, so I enjoyed the book. However, it would probably have read better if I dipped in and out instead of reading it at a stretch, due to the nature of the writing.
This book is quite light and sweet. The first half is a string of recollections, the second a more plotty recounting of the travails of Leo the lion. The writing is no-nonsense and the writer is very likable, so I enjoyed the book. However, it would probably have read better if I dipped in and out instead of reading it at a stretch, due to the nature of the writing.
November 30, 2023
Author Krüger tells of her years living as a ranger’s wife in South Africa’s Kruger National Park in this beautifully written memoir. The author’s love of the bush and the wild animals found within is apparent and contagious, taking the reader right alongside the many adventures and close encounters she and her family experienced. Spitting cobras at your front door? Furious hippos endangering the river crossing you must make to take your children to school? Forgetting how to talk to people after spending years in the wild? All and more are part and parcel of this enchanting book. Especially heart-felt are the stories surrounding the lion cub they raised and released. This is easily one of my favorite books in over sixty years of reading.
February 1, 2023
Book for the whole family, for humans !
Very sensitive and delicate woman beautifully writes The Wilderness Family story.
It was great and refreshing reading because author does not focus on people; bookstores and libraries are full of stories about humans. This book for a change, tells us almost exclusively about animals, leaving humans as a background.
I highly recommend this title to everybody, adults and children.
This type of book, I can imagine, can be read loudly in front of the fireplace to the large family gathering. Kids will learn how to love all creatures: small, large, wild and domestic.
For those adults having a hard time to comprehend how animals can develop and possess awareness of their own existence, Kobie Kruger delivers powerful lesson.
Very sensitive and delicate woman beautifully writes The Wilderness Family story.
It was great and refreshing reading because author does not focus on people; bookstores and libraries are full of stories about humans. This book for a change, tells us almost exclusively about animals, leaving humans as a background.
I highly recommend this title to everybody, adults and children.
This type of book, I can imagine, can be read loudly in front of the fireplace to the large family gathering. Kids will learn how to love all creatures: small, large, wild and domestic.
For those adults having a hard time to comprehend how animals can develop and possess awareness of their own existence, Kobie Kruger delivers powerful lesson.
January 17, 2012
My brother has been in Africa a couple of times and I love hearing and reading stories about Africa. It's such a mysterious and beautiful continent and I was really excited about reading this book. While reading the book, I actually felt like being in the wilderness myself. I wished I had their life, being surrounded by the beauty of all the wildlife every single day. Especially when they adopted Leo the lion. How great is it to raise a lion cub and prepare him for the life outside. After reading this book my dream of travelling to Africa grew even bigger. And I probably will this summer. Thanks Krüger family for sharing the great lifestory with us.
January 8, 2013
This was the last book I completed in 2012 and what a delight it was! Kobie Kruger brilliantly and warmly narrates her adventures living in the African bush with her game warden husband and three daughters. The writing and pacing is flawless and it is full of amazing stories (I especially loved all of the animal encounters tales). The stories she shares will alternately make you laugh, cry, hang on to the pages for dear life, and make you want to just give Kobie a big hug. I really, really liked this book from cover to cover and would recommend it to anyone. Thanks, Kobie!
December 28, 2024
This was such a fun book! It's a fascinating and unique story of a ranger and his family in South-Africa (Kruger-Park), who care deeply about the nature around them and devote their life to caring for it and preserving it. The family’s life has been chronicled in this fast-paced book and will make you feel so many emotions. By the end of it I was ready to pack my bags and move to the African plains.
February 7, 2017
One of my favourite books....enjoyable read.
June 1, 2022
Extraordinary! It felt like reading Mrs Krügers diary. In fact she did use her diary to write this book, so she tells story after story of what is a very special life. Written with a humorous tone, love for her family, animals and the beautiful corner of South Africa she called home, this is a biography that I truly loved!
November 17, 2014
Excellent memoir of a South African game warden family. You'll laugh and cry and long for an African experience like Kruger's. Five stars not because it's great literature but because I honestly loved sitting down to read this book!
October 22, 2021
Kobie Kruger is a wonderful narrator of her own (and her family's) story. Their years living in Kruger National Park were eventful and extraordinary, and each chapter guarantees humour or heroism, or both. A stand-out read amongst Africa/nature/memoir titles.
February 10, 2012
One of the best books I've read so far - transports one directly onto the doorstep of the African bush. Reading this book is almost like living in Africa for a while.
July 24, 2018
What a wonderful, exceptional life - full of love and wild animals. Thank you for sharing Kobie!
April 7, 2020
Wonderful memoir of life in a ranger station in South Africa's Kruger National Park.
February 27, 2022
What a fantastic memoir! How lucky am I to live in a country with access to the Kruger National Park. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us Kobie!
January 4, 2018
I gifted this book to myself on Christmas 2017 and started reading before the calendar changed it's page. It's about the long seventeen years spent by the author, wife of a Game Ranger in Kruger national park, in remote locations of the Park. With the company of her own family of three young daughters and her husband who has to out in the jungle for most of the time in a day, dogs and horses and a huge family of wild animals, with no newspaper, no telephone, not even a shop in the vicinity, one would think Kobie Kruger will get bored and go out of her mind and crave to return to civilisation. But just the reverse happens and Kobie not only enjoys her stay there but falls in love with the jungle, the river and the wild animals. The attacks by the bigger ones, pilferage by the smaller ones, problems created by resident animals in her house and of course, her becoming a warhort-mother, a genet-mother and then graduating to be a lion-mother. It's this wonderful journey that forms this book. Beautifully described, hilarious in major parts where she describes the antics of the wild animals and her own reactions and responses to that, a simple day involving so much, the book kept me enthralled. The interest and urge to read on didn't slacken for a moment. But the emotion the emerges at the top, is her love and empathy for everything in the scenario, be it a plant or a tree or an animal, big or small, and that's what makes the book so immensely readable. You need not be an animal lover to fall in love with everything in this book. The line sketches done by the youngest daughter of the author are simply excellent. The colour photos brings to closer to the family.
A must read.
A must read.
April 30, 2020
"If all the beasts were gone from the earth, man would die from great loneliness of spirit."
Chief Seathl, 1855
If you are an animal lover, you will be delighted by the story of Kobie Kruger, her husband (the park ranger), and their three daughters and the years they spent at a ranger station in Kruger National Park in Africa. Kobie Kruger describes the remote landscape teeming with wild animals. Kobie is an accepting and easy going mom who calmly accepts living with numerous bats flying around the house rafters, a resident cobra in the flower bed right outside the door, a honey badger sharing her bed. She raises a wide array of abandoned baby animals, both she and her husband are attacked by lions, elephants and other animals ravage her gardens. But the most touching and heartwarming story begins when the family finds a lion cub, Leo, and raises him. Eventually they must teach Leo to be a "real" and leave him with his kind.
This memoir offered vivid descriptions of South Africa's landscape, an appreciation for many African animals and their behavior, and a glimpse of life in the wilds of Africa.
I did not feel that I got to know individual members of the family, and I would have enjoyed more of that.
Chief Seathl, 1855
If you are an animal lover, you will be delighted by the story of Kobie Kruger, her husband (the park ranger), and their three daughters and the years they spent at a ranger station in Kruger National Park in Africa. Kobie Kruger describes the remote landscape teeming with wild animals. Kobie is an accepting and easy going mom who calmly accepts living with numerous bats flying around the house rafters, a resident cobra in the flower bed right outside the door, a honey badger sharing her bed. She raises a wide array of abandoned baby animals, both she and her husband are attacked by lions, elephants and other animals ravage her gardens. But the most touching and heartwarming story begins when the family finds a lion cub, Leo, and raises him. Eventually they must teach Leo to be a "real" and leave him with his kind.
This memoir offered vivid descriptions of South Africa's landscape, an appreciation for many African animals and their behavior, and a glimpse of life in the wilds of Africa.
I did not feel that I got to know individual members of the family, and I would have enjoyed more of that.
September 16, 2017
Giudizio molto tiepido, dovuto prima di tutto al fatto che il leone in questione fa la sua comparsa solo dopo più di duecento pagine, quindi praticamente a metà libro. Direi che forse il titolo doveva essere un altro. Di fatto l'autrice racconta la sua esperienza di moglie di un ranger in Sudafrica. Vengono descritti un sacco di episodi, anche umoristici, riguardanti la difficoltà di vivere in un ambiente così selvaggio, attorniati da animali feroci. La famiglia dell'autrice spesso si trova a fronteggiare situazioni complicate che richiedono una buona dose di sangue freddo e creatività , come quando fronteggiano l'assalto di un ippopotamo impazzito o quando la loro auto resta impantanata. Inizialmente la lettura è interessante in quanto descrive una realtà lontanissima dalla nostra, ma poi diventa un po' noiosetta. Si riprende quando finalmente si parla dell'adozione di questo cucciolo di leone e della sua crescita, lasciando spazio alla commozione nelle pagine finali.
Nel complesso una lettura mediocre.
Nel complesso una lettura mediocre.
November 14, 2018
You can't help but like Kobie Kruger as she shares her ranger experiences in Africa. It's always about the animals, not how great she and her family are. There are occasional shocks, doses of humor, and literary flair. I mostly like the zoology: the difference between a black rhino and a white rhino, don't get caught between a hippo and the river . . . . Very good at sharing the total experience, she delves into the hardships (malaria, injuries) not just the pleasantry.
As with any diary/journal type format, it is in no hurry. A chapter about a daughter's wedding planning might have been completely omitted.
This is a good book if you can't fall asleep. Seriously. Many chapter are perfect stand alone essays and they have a bedtime story effect.
Reading level: easy. Recommended for readers as young as middle school.
As with any diary/journal type format, it is in no hurry. A chapter about a daughter's wedding planning might have been completely omitted.
This is a good book if you can't fall asleep. Seriously. Many chapter are perfect stand alone essays and they have a bedtime story effect.
Reading level: easy. Recommended for readers as young as middle school.
October 18, 2021
The author describes the environment and animals in such a way that makes you feel as if your there with them. She adds a sense of humor to the seriousness of the story. The second part of the book was more engaging to me.
Skip over what I'm about to say until you finish the book...
As of 2021 the Kruger family is alive and well. Karin (who supplied the sketches for the book) became a renowned wildlife artist and displays her paintings in galleries and on her Facebook page. There I saw a photo of Kobus who is now an elderly man and learned of what became to Leo the lion after the book. She said that they saw him once more after the book was completed. He sired 18 cubs between Fat Cat and Happy. Leo was killed in a fight with another male lion.
Skip over what I'm about to say until you finish the book...
As of 2021 the Kruger family is alive and well. Karin (who supplied the sketches for the book) became a renowned wildlife artist and displays her paintings in galleries and on her Facebook page. There I saw a photo of Kobus who is now an elderly man and learned of what became to Leo the lion after the book. She said that they saw him once more after the book was completed. He sired 18 cubs between Fat Cat and Happy. Leo was killed in a fight with another male lion.
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