In 2008 an extraordinary two-minute film clip appeared on YouTube and immediately became an international phenomenon. It captures the moving reunio...
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reviews
Apr 05, 2009
Sarah
rated it: 
Not quite what I was expecting. This book was originally published in 1971, which I didn't discover until after I started listening to it. This tells the tale leading up to the infamous YouTube video of a lion embracing the men who raised him when they are reunited in Africa. I had thought this reunion came after quite some time, since the video just surfaced. I was quite disappointed to discover that Ace and John had gone to see Christian only a year after leaving him in Africa. For a true stor
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Apr 04, 2011
Ashley
rated it:
Many months ago I found myself inextricably bawling over the video of Christian the lion. I had heard about it, and just figured it was another viral email until I saw a clip of it on TV. I had no idea why I was crying...it was just one of those moments that seemed so huge- so far beyond what we're able to experience in society, that it HAD to move you to tears.
It didn't help that I was already deeply interested in unique human-animal interactions. The story of Timothy Treadwell (" More...
It didn't help that I was already deeply interested in unique human-animal interactions. The story of Timothy Treadwell (" More...
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Feb 19, 2008
Lenje
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This is to become another treasured book, as I got the used, first printing copy. And I was fortunate to obtain it for a cheap price from a not-so-popular website, only US$ 26 plus shipping from the UK. Had I ordered it from Amazone, the precisely similar copy would've cost me not less than US$ 78, not included shipment.
I knew about Christian the lion firstly from YouTube. Later on I learned about the fascinating life his previous owners had with him, before he became too large for More...
I knew about Christian the lion firstly from YouTube. Later on I learned about the fascinating life his previous owners had with him, before he became too large for More...
Mar 22, 2009
Barbara
rated it: 
If you love animals, you will love this book. If you have watched the reunion story on YouTube, you will love this book. Christian was a remarkable lion. For being born in captivity from generations of zoo lions the delightful cub was raised with love until he was able to be sent to Kenya to spend his life as a "wild" lion. The fact that he was able to act and react to other lions appropriately shows how much instinct there is and the fact that he was able to act and react to human
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Dec 17, 2011
Den
rated it:
I read the original book many years ago but thought my daughter might like the account of Christian's life in London and Africa, but she didn't even get past the first page. Nevertheless I enjoyed the story again. I had totally missed the YouTube sensation as we weren't in the country at the time and life that year for me was pretty hectic.
Basically it is a story - true account of how two Australians buy a lion cub from Harrods in 1969. They spent a few enjoyable months in London together More...
Basically it is a story - true account of how two Australians buy a lion cub from Harrods in 1969. They spent a few enjoyable months in London together More...
Apr 17, 2011
Linda
rated it: 
I really enjoyed this book. A story of two friends in 1970's London who bought a lion cub from Herrods department store. It tells of how they raised him for about a year until he was too large to and they had to figure out a different life for him. A chance encounter with the stars of the then popular movie "Born Free" led them to meet the man who helped rehabilitate the lioness Elsa that the movie was about.
The friends, Ace and John, traveled to Africa with Christian to m More...
The friends, Ace and John, traveled to Africa with Christian to m More...
Jul 13, 2010
Kathryn
rated it:
This is a picture book version of the "Christian the Lion" story that most people are probably familiar with thanks to the famous YouTube video that sent Kleenex sales skyrocketing.
I think the book succeeds at what it does. It presents a very abbreviated version of Christian's story, from his early days at the zoo to his time spent in a cage at Harrods (oh, for shame, Harrods! And here I had always thought of you rather fondly) to being "adopted" by Ace and Jo More...
I think the book succeeds at what it does. It presents a very abbreviated version of Christian's story, from his early days at the zoo to his time spent in a cage at Harrods (oh, for shame, Harrods! And here I had always thought of you rather fondly) to being "adopted" by Ace and Jo More...
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Jul 20, 2009
Aaron
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Some of you may be familiar with this story since it was all the rage on YouTube a few months ago.
The story started when Ace Bourke and John Rendell came to London from their native Australia in 1969. While there, they were Harrods Department Store doing some shopping when they saw that a pair of lions were on sale. They decided to buy one before bringing him home to an apartment they had above a furniture store in which they were staying. They called the lion Christian, and thus sta More...
The story started when Ace Bourke and John Rendell came to London from their native Australia in 1969. While there, they were Harrods Department Store doing some shopping when they saw that a pair of lions were on sale. They decided to buy one before bringing him home to an apartment they had above a furniture store in which they were staying. They called the lion Christian, and thus sta More...
May 17, 2009
Sandy
rated it:
A Lion Called Christian is the true story of a lion whom two young Australian men purchahsed from Harrods Department Store in 1969, kept as a roommate for a while in London, and then rehabilitated and returned to the wild in Kenya in 1971.
Young and footloose travelers in 1969, Anthony Bourke and John Rendall bought the lion almost on a lark. The truth is, they gave it some though and spent time visiting the creature in the zoo section of the department store (back in the day when nob More...
Young and footloose travelers in 1969, Anthony Bourke and John Rendall bought the lion almost on a lark. The truth is, they gave it some though and spent time visiting the creature in the zoo section of the department store (back in the day when nob More...
Mar 29, 2010
Fiona
rated it: 
I apologize for generalizations in this review; I read the book a while ago and I have no interest in picking it up again to get quotes.
This is one of the very few books I've read that I both could not put down and wanted frequently to throw against the wall.
I couldn't stop reading because it's exactly the kind of story I enjoy: a unique non-fiction animal story. I saw the YouTube video of Christian and wanted to know more, and the book works very well when it's about C More...
This is one of the very few books I've read that I both could not put down and wanted frequently to throw against the wall.
I couldn't stop reading because it's exactly the kind of story I enjoy: a unique non-fiction animal story. I saw the YouTube video of Christian and wanted to know more, and the book works very well when it's about C More...
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Nov 07, 2011
Kirsti
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This was my second time reading 'A Lion called Christian' and it was just as good the second time around. I love animal stories of all kinds, and Christian's story is unique in the animal kingdom. George Adamson was unique amongst his generation, unique with his beliefs and actions. Anthony Bourke and John Rendall experienced something few humans ever can with Christian, to see an animal so driven by instincts caring for the two men is something so beautiful, so perfect, it's hard to describe.
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Feb 10, 2011
Raghu
rated it:
This is an endearing book on the improbable story of a couple of long-haired, bell-bottom-wearing Australians in the late 1960s, buying a three-month old lion cub from the departmental store 'Harrods' in London and the subsequent life of the three of them till they successfully rehabilitate the grown up cub in the northern plains of Kenya. I saw the superb one-hour Documentary under the same title about a year ago and was so captivated by it that I watched it again and again many times. Then, a
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May 03, 2010
Tammie
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How can you not read & love this book with the adorable lion cub on the cover!!! Very enjoyable and a nice relaxing read. The pictures really help to give you a visual along with the written word of the growing feline. I had seen the video on YouTube long before I even knew of the book and everytime I saw it love & compassion between this animal and the humans that raised him just pulled at my heart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVNTdWbVB...
You want to be pissed at More...
You want to be pissed at More...
Jul 31, 2011
Annette
rated it:
The sweet, moving, incredibly memorable true story of Christian the Lion - his life with two humans, Ace and John and their quest to return him to the wild. Ace & John purchased Christian from Harrod's Department store in London and lived with him for a few months while working on how to return this loveable and affectionate lion to his natural habitat.
You can't help but fall in love with Christian. This isn't a Marley the dog story - this is more of a story where you are rooting More...
You can't help but fall in love with Christian. This isn't a Marley the dog story - this is more of a story where you are rooting More...
Jun 05, 2009
Rachelle
rated it:
Earlier this year my mom showed me a video clip of the reunion of Christian and his prior caretakers. If you haven't seen it, here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVNTdWbVB...
When I found out that there was a book about their experiences, I knew I had to read it. It is a great book and only takes about two hours to read.
I was impressed with how much they cared about Christian's well-being. Right from the very beginning they knew that they would not be able to More...
When I found out that there was a book about their experiences, I knew I had to read it. It is a great book and only takes about two hours to read.
I was impressed with how much they cared about Christian's well-being. Right from the very beginning they knew that they would not be able to More...
Mar 31, 2009
Sarah
rated it:
This actually gets a 2.65 in my book. : ) The story is intriguing -- Christian, the lion is born in England and sold to Harrods Department Store. Two young Australians visiting London, Ace and Jack, buy him on a whim. They raise him for several months, taking him for regular exercise at a nearby church's yard (and asking the minister to refrain from telling Christian the story about lions eating Christians as it would cause an identity crisis). Finally, Christian becomes too big for London,
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Apr 20, 2009
Lindsey
rated it:
This was a really quick read, but one that will definitely stay with me for a long time.
The first time I watched the video of Christian, I sat in front of the computer crying watching it over and over again I knew then that I had to know more about this amazing story.
"A Lion Called Christian" not only tells the amazing story of two friends who bought a lion in a London department store, but it also addresses the important issue of animal conservation, and animals being fo More...
The first time I watched the video of Christian, I sat in front of the computer crying watching it over and over again I knew then that I had to know more about this amazing story.
"A Lion Called Christian" not only tells the amazing story of two friends who bought a lion in a London department store, but it also addresses the important issue of animal conservation, and animals being fo More...
Oct 23, 2011
Jakki
rated it:
I LOVED this unbelievable true story. Two very "hip" young men from London "adopted" a 4 month old lion, named him "Christian" (after Christians killed by lions in Roman times and lived together in their apartment! Super photos and a WONDERFUL love story. Christian later released into Africa's wild.
What was very disturbing was the fact this potentially very dangerous animal was living in a city apartment and in reality these young men were idiots and anima More...
What was very disturbing was the fact this potentially very dangerous animal was living in a city apartment and in reality these young men were idiots and anima More...
Jul 18, 2011
Angie
rated it:
Poorly written and boring in most places. The thing that kept me going was wanting to know what happened to Christian, and I felt very disappointed that they lost track of him. After all the things leading up to the reunion, I thought for sure there would be more information on Christian in the wild. I also thought that the reunion was years later, not one year. It's disappointing because I would have expected this reunion to be years later and show that Christian had the ability to still rememb
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Jun 21, 2011
Andrea
rated it:
This wasn't a remarkably well written book, but I enjoyed it for the simple fact that I have always loved animal books.
As a kid I remember going through a whole string of equally as unimaginatively named true animal stories such as A Seal Called Andre, Rascal, and That Quail, Robert. There is just something amazing to me about human relationships with wild animals. As an adult, some of my recent other animal reads include Modoc (Elephant) and Zamba (Lion).
A Lion Called Chri More...
As a kid I remember going through a whole string of equally as unimaginatively named true animal stories such as A Seal Called Andre, Rascal, and That Quail, Robert. There is just something amazing to me about human relationships with wild animals. As an adult, some of my recent other animal reads include Modoc (Elephant) and Zamba (Lion).
A Lion Called Chri More...
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Jul 31, 2009
Louis
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I read "Born Free" when I was in grade school and it made a big impact on me. Imagine my surprise to discover that around the same time these 2 friends were involved with a lion in England. The '60's setting in London increased my interest as did the reunion story. This book has been republished after the video of the reunion between Christian and his past owners was posted on YouTube. I then watched a special on Animal Planet about this story. To read more about George and Elsa
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Jan 23, 2011
Karla
rated it:
I was on you tube and stumbled across a video of a lion running towards two young men and i thought they would get eaten but no the lion embraced them like a cat would do. So i started digging more deeper about them and found out they written a book so i bought it and i am amazed how the 70's were like at the time and how keeping an exotic animal was cool and was in fashion. These two young Australian guys sacrificed everything just for Christian this is really a touching story and how human bei
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May 03, 2010
Birdwidow
rated it:
One of many books purchased at a great little bookstore at St Armand's
Circle in Florida last month. A re-issue of a book originally
released in 1971 about 2 young guys who buy a LION CUB at Harrod's
at Christmas. (That practice has stopped.) I love good animal
stories and this is one that my Aunt Dody would have liked. They
raise the cub as long as they can in their Chelsea apartment.
The ending is great, but I won't ruin by telling. I may read it
again s More...
Circle in Florida last month. A re-issue of a book originally
released in 1971 about 2 young guys who buy a LION CUB at Harrod's
at Christmas. (That practice has stopped.) I love good animal
stories and this is one that my Aunt Dody would have liked. They
raise the cub as long as they can in their Chelsea apartment.
The ending is great, but I won't ruin by telling. I may read it
again s More...
Aug 17, 2011
Julie (Mom2lnb)
rated it:
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" A Lion Called Christian is a wonderful, almost serendipitous true story of how two friends from Australia purchased a lion cub from Harrod's Department Store in London in 1969, and about a year later were able to return him to the wild in Africa. Christian seemed like the most gentle, even-tempered lion one could ever hope to encounter. He also had a very big personality. From the moment the authors, Anthony “Ace” Bourke and John Rendall met Chr More...
"4.5 stars" A Lion Called Christian is a wonderful, almost serendipitous true story of how two friends from Australia purchased a lion cub from Harrod's Department Store in London in 1969, and about a year later were able to return him to the wild in Africa. Christian seemed like the most gentle, even-tempered lion one could ever hope to encounter. He also had a very big personality. From the moment the authors, Anthony “Ace” Bourke and John Rendall met Chr More...
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Sep 01, 2010
João
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Nota: 8/10 - Muito Bom
Crítica em:
http://ofarolbranco.blogspot.com/2010/08...
Acho que posso dizer com toda a honestidade que são um amante do "mundo verde", em especial dos animais e se estes forem felinos torna-se num fascínio.
Por isso quando soube do fenómeno do YouTube fiquei comovido e não resisti à compra do livro o acompanhou. "Um Leão Chamado Christian" foi recentemente reeditado pelos seus autores que reviram alguns dos factos, acres More...
Crítica em:
http://ofarolbranco.blogspot.com/2010/08...
Acho que posso dizer com toda a honestidade que são um amante do "mundo verde", em especial dos animais e se estes forem felinos torna-se num fascínio.
Por isso quando soube do fenómeno do YouTube fiquei comovido e não resisti à compra do livro o acompanhou. "Um Leão Chamado Christian" foi recentemente reeditado pelos seus autores que reviram alguns dos factos, acres More...
Aug 29, 2011
Célia
rated it:
Quase toda a gente viu o vídeo, no YouTube ou via email. Lembro-me de ter visto isto e ter pensado na sua peculiaridade, porque costumamos ver estas demonstrações de afecto entre homens e animais quando estão em causa animais domésticos, como os cães. Os leões são normalmente tidos como animais selvagens e perigosos, por isso não deixa de causar espanto perceber que podem demonstrar tal afecto por um ser humano.
Foi sem dúvida um caso curioso, cujo início é relatado neste livro. Antho More...
Foi sem dúvida um caso curioso, cujo início é relatado neste livro. Antho More...
Jul 23, 2009
Julie
rated it:
Christian was captivating and touching. In the late '60's, these two gentlemen from Australia found him and couldn't pass him up so they bought him at Harrods Department Store in London on a whim, a very expensive one. I was moved to read thier experiences of how they took care of him, and what they went through to help him maintain good health, keep him safe and try to provide some sense of happiness for thier lion friend. It really is remarkable the love and bond this lion had with Anthony(Ace
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Jul 02, 2009
Diane
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Like many people, I fell in love with the 2008 YOUTUBE sensation video about Christian the Lion; I watched it over and over again. In 2009, some 38 years after the book wasfirst published A Lion Called Christian: The True Story of the Remarkable Bond between Two Friends and a Lion, by Anthony Bourke and John Rendell was revised and updated with more than 50 photographs. The book was a huge success and it reached the top 10 list at Amazon.com in early 2009.
An uplifting story about man More...
An uplifting story about man More...
Apr 16, 2009
Jennifer
rated it:
Reviewed by Lauren Ashley for TeensReadToo.com
Christian the Lion became a hit on YouTube recently, but he was really owned by the authors in the late 60's and early 70's.
They found the small cub at Harrod's in England and took him home with them, but as Christian began to grow, they realized he couldn't continue to live with him. With a newfound friend named George, the two friends made plans for Christian to be brought to Kenya and eventually let out in the wild.
More...
Christian the Lion became a hit on YouTube recently, but he was really owned by the authors in the late 60's and early 70's.
They found the small cub at Harrod's in England and took him home with them, but as Christian began to grow, they realized he couldn't continue to live with him. With a newfound friend named George, the two friends made plans for Christian to be brought to Kenya and eventually let out in the wild.
More...
Jun 13, 2011
Jennie
rated it:
I am not really sure where I saw this book recommended at but I added it to my list many moons ago. My hold finally came up via FLIP but I was surprised to see how short this book was. It was less of a book and more of a long report really.
I did enjoy the story though – it was full of heart and love for Christian. I never really forgot that he was a lion and how scary they could be, but for some of the story I could understand how they could snuggle and connect with Christian. I un More...
I did enjoy the story though – it was full of heart and love for Christian. I never really forgot that he was a lion and how scary they could be, but for some of the story I could understand how they could snuggle and connect with Christian. I un More...
