When Eagles Roar: The Amazing Journey of an African Wildlife Adventurer / James Alexander Currie, with Bonnie J. Fladung; Illustrated by Margo Gabrielle Damian - Book Review

Selected as "one of the best nature books of 2014" by The Guardian's science blogger, When Eagles Roar: The Amazing Journey of an African Wildlife Adventurer (Ukhozi Press;
ISBN-10: 0990766004; ISBN-13: 978-0990766001) is a memoir of James Currie’s experiences as a game ranger and birder in Africa, in which he tells of many a narrow escape from the jaws of death, whether they be those a puff adder that literally catches him with his pants down, or those of a lioness charging him while out birding.

Each chapter in When Eagles Roar is prefaced by a few lines of poetry from the renowned Zulu poet, Mazisi Kunene, whose literary goal was the retelling of African history in a way that he believed would make it relevant and authentic to the non-African.  In such a way does Currie, with the assistance of Bonnie Fladung, share the wonders of life in the bush (including a great deal more than just the Big Five) with those of us who have only limited awareness of what such a life entails.

Currie prides himself on his ability to tell stories well, which he certainly does. His acute awareness of both the dangers and the lyricism of the African bush comes alive in these pages, which are illustrated with many an artful line drawing by Margo Damian. The threats to which those living in Africa are subject not only come from the never-ending cycle of predator and prey, of which humans form an inevitable, and largely dominant, part, but also from the onslaught of one of the most deadly of modern-day scourges, AIDS. Currie’s solid bond with his trackers, who come from the local African communities, is made heartbreakingly real in his telling of how they and their families are affected by this dread disease. His ability to make close connections with them can, to a large extent, be attributed to his knowledge of their native isiZulu language. Although Currie does not dwell on politics, one is made aware of his opposition to the apartheid regime of yesteryear, which has left so much poverty in its wake, to which the country as a whole is still subject, in the form of its depredatory legacy.

This book is likely to have widespread appeal to both old and young, and should especially be made available to youngsters who are intent on choosing a worthwhile career path for themselves. However, those who are prurient of mind should be aware that they might find some of the wording in When Eagles Roar offensive, as this is a tale that does not pander to the euphemistically inclined, but which is rather one of nitty-gritty existence in the bush, despite much of it revolving around the trials and tribulations of a game ranger living on the five-star Phinda Game Reserve in the more rural areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

In short, this memoir roars with the pulsating life of Africa, which, although under threat, nevertheless has a magic all of its own. The humanitarian nature of this work gives it a power that transcends the individual magnetism of the author, with it having a transcontinental appeal that should prove a true draw card worldwide not only among conservationists, but also among all those who are intrigued by other life forms that hopefully will continue to share our planet for eons yet to come. 

Unintelligent Humans…: Questions to Stimulate Your Soul / Richard A. Singer Jr. - Book Review

Singer describes his work, Unintelligent Humans…: Questions to Stimulate Your Soul (Author House;

ISBN 13: 978-1-4490-5623-0),  as a “little book of important questions” which are intended to open the reader’s mind and to allow the accessing of wisdom contained within one’s soul. He regards his brief guide as a tool by means of which to gain access to “that inner part of ourselves that contains infinite wisdom and divinity”. The book is divided into two sections, with the first (“Are You Living Intelligently?”) comparing our behavior to that of other living creatures, and the second (“Approaching Life’s Questions with an Open Mind: An Internal Quest”) containing essays providing insight into certain issues that, once resolved, may contribute to leading a more peaceful and meaningful life. As emerges from the personal interview conducted with the author by Sue Vegan of BookPleasures.com, with which the guide ends, Singer is a clinical psychologist, based in Grand Cayman, who holds with the teachings of Carl Rogers and Irvin Yalom.  

“Are You Living Intelligently?” consists of a series of questions, each of which is illustrated with a highly amusing cartoon featuring a wide array of animals, ranging from ants to whales. The two pivotal questions with which the section starts are “Are human beings really more intelligent and wise than all other living creatures? Are you?”. The questions reveal how unintelligent humans are in the way in which they act prejudicially and hurtfully towards one another, in contrast to the cooperation and understanding that prevails in the animal kingdom. By starting out in such a humorous way, Singer gains the empathy of his readership, so that one finds oneself opening up to the rest of what he has to say.

 In “Who is Your Soul Mate”, Singer offers six suggestions for embracing and nourishing your relationship with yourself and others, including “Practice mindfulness” and “Acknowledge impermanence”. In “What is Truth?”, Singer provides three steps by means of which one can get in touch with one’s own inner truth.  In “What are Your Core Beliefs?”, Singer reveals the eight core beliefs or principles that he utilizes as guidelines for the “How” and “Why” he lives, urging readers to adopt them as their own guideposts for daily living. In “Does Heartache Suck?”, Singer explores five specific actions that we can take to deal with emotional pain, based on his own direct experience and coming to grips with his own personal pain. In “How Important are Children?”, Singer describes some actions that you can take for honoring your own children, based on his experiences with his twin boys. In “Are Certain Human Beings Helpless”, Singer advises that one should “Never, Never, Never, Never give up on a human being”.

One of the most impressive aspects that I found about Unintelligent Humans was the way in which Singer was unafraid to reveal the nature of his own troubled past, as he has had to suffer through addiction, depression, anxiety and countless other difficulties. A key aspect of this work is that he has been able to recover from a position in which he was basically homeless, and estranged from his own family to where he is now, a practicing professional living in one of the most beautiful island groups on the planet. Clearly, he did not make this transition alone, but with the assistance of the spiritual guidance of a wide range of mystics, philosophers and spiritually enlightened leaders, from whose work he quotes widely. For those who are struggling to come to terms with the meaning of life and the importance of self-worth, Unintelligent Humans: Questions to Stimulate Your Soul is a must read. Brief it may be (consisting of only 60 pages), but the insights that it offers may well serve to revolutionize your life.