Most of us saw the YouTube video montage of the lion cub reuniting with his human owners after a couple of years in the wild of Africa. It was amazing, unique, and unfathomable how this male lion, king of the jungle, could be so warm and gentle to these men. Like many, I viewed the video and wanted to know more. I found this book at a used bookstore and took it home. The story was a rare event of a wonderful bond between a lion named "Christian" and his two owners.
Christian, a male lion cub, was purchased at the famous department store in London, England, called "Harrods" in the 1970s. Anthony and John decided to buy the lion cub as a pet and keep him in the basement of the furniture store that they worked in. They describe the playfulness of the cub and how they could see moments of his wild instincts show as he swiped his claws at their legs walking by. The three became wonderful companions with humorous stories to share. The love between owners and animal is heartwarming and touching.
After a few months, it is obvious to Anthony and John that Christian is getting too large for his surroundings and was frequently becoming bored from lack of stimulation. They would take him to a church lawn and allow him to run freely. This was short lived due to the growing concern of people in the area. Christian was never a "danger" but he would often bring fear to those passing by. Anthony and John knew immediately that their love for Christian would force them to have to find an alternative environment for him. That turned out to be an adventure of a lifetime for them and Christian as they began planning to release their "cub" into the African wilderness. The rest of their journey is incredible (which includes their reunion). It is a feel good story from beginning to end.
I absolutely adored this book. I thought it was well written, organized, and the topic was fantastic. Obviously you will fall in love with the characters and be able to just imagine their bond with Christian. I liked this story because Anthony and John are very truthful and candid about what they experienced. The men did not have many unrealistic ideas about the decision to own a wild animal and they do not pretend they knew what they were getting into by purchasing him. They admit many times they thought it was a risky and dangerous idea. They admitted when the space became too small and the animal too big to handle. I appreciated this about their story.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Up Next: Marley & Me by John Grogan
