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214th out of 615 books
—
945 voters
Zamba: The True Story of the Greatest Lion That Ever Lived
by
Ralph Helfer
One day, Ralph Helfer, a celebrated animal behaviorist, received a surprising phone call. His close friends had found a young lion near death by the Zambezi River in Zambia and had rescued him and brought him back to the States. Ralph had often spoken of wanting to raise a lion from a young age -- he had been developing a philosophy of training animals based on love instea...more
Hardcover
Published
July 5th 2005
by Harper
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I enjoyed this book much more than Modoc because it seems truer a story. As much as I enjoyed Modoc it read like a smashing together of events contrived by author Helfer.
Some backstory here, Helfer didn't come across Modoc the elephant until her later years and when he wrote the book telling about her life he recreated her past story based on interviews and, dare I say it, his own imagination. So parts of that book read like a fairytale to me. This one seems filled with true emotion and even th...more
Some backstory here, Helfer didn't come across Modoc the elephant until her later years and when he wrote the book telling about her life he recreated her past story based on interviews and, dare I say it, his own imagination. So parts of that book read like a fairytale to me. This one seems filled with true emotion and even th...more
I loved this book. I first got turned on to Ralph Helfer when I read his book Modoc. I loved Modoc and it sparked me to read up on Helfer. Turns out he is an animal behaviorist who firmly believs in and practices "affection training" with animals. His career began at a time where most trainers believed the only way to train an animal was by using fear-based methods. Ralph proved his affection training theory by raising Zamba the lion. Basically, Zamba is the story of a lion (named zamba) who was...more
The author, a pioneer in what he calls “affection training” of animals, runs an exotic animal ranch, working with movies and television that require animal stunts. He details how he raised a lion, Zamba, from a cub, not merely as a tamed animal or even a pet but a true member of the family. Zamba stars in a couple of movies and many ads, but Helfer talks mainly about the metaphysical bond he and the lion had, their trip to Africa to shoot a film, and the tragic storm that destroyed his ranch.
It’...more
It’...more
Zamba-A True Story of The Greatest Lion That Ever Lived by Ralph Hefler, is one of the most interesting books that I have ever read because of its incredibly touching story line, the messages that emerge from the book, and the novel is also full of emotional adventure. This book gives an excellent insight of why it is extremely important to train animals based on "love not fear" which is referred to as "affection training"- a term Ralph Hefler created and demonstrated. This is one of the main t...more
Buku ini berdasarkan kisah nyata penulisnya. Kisah tentang singa yang diperlakukan dengan kasih sayang oleh pemiliknya, Ralph Helfer seorang animal behaviourist, sehingga menjadi singa yang jinak dan sangat bersahabat dengan manusia.
Zamba, nama singa itu, didapatkan Ralph dari seorang teman lamanya pada umur dua bulan setelah ditemukan sekarat di pinggir sungai di Afrika. Ralph Helfer yang sangat ingin membuktikan teorinya tentang pendidikan dengan kasih sayang terhadap binatang merasa lewat Zam...more
Zamba, nama singa itu, didapatkan Ralph dari seorang teman lamanya pada umur dua bulan setelah ditemukan sekarat di pinggir sungai di Afrika. Ralph Helfer yang sangat ingin membuktikan teorinya tentang pendidikan dengan kasih sayang terhadap binatang merasa lewat Zam...more
After such a stunning book as Modoc, I expected the same from Zamba. However, it was very preachy, about training animals with affection rather than fear, and very self-agrandizing for the author to make the claims that he did. Not much content, especially compared to Modoc. I wouldn't waste my time.
Well, I loved the story about Zamba itself, but the author made the whole thing a bit too spiritual for me. He was rambling a lot about the contact with nature as being a true sign of the existence of a higher being, etc... and kind of lost me there. The whole chapter about the spiritual reading of some African wise guy was also not my cup of tea.
I did like the story itself and think it is really fascinating that one can keep an adult male lion as a pet; letting him share your bed, watch cartoo...more
I did like the story itself and think it is really fascinating that one can keep an adult male lion as a pet; letting him share your bed, watch cartoo...more
I love all cats,wild and tame,so I knew I had to read about Zamba.I'd never heard of his story until I was browsing for a book to read at my library.Zamba really is the greatest lion that ever lived.Mr. Helfer tells all about his lions great,long life,his acting career,and how he changed the Helfer families life.I was surprised to find out that Zamba portrayed the lion Fluffy in the Tony Randall movie of the same name."Fluffy" has been one of my favorite movies since my youth.Go read about Zamba...more
I loved his book. I really enjoyed the tale of ralph helfer and zamba. The book is very heartwarming. Zamba is about an animal trainer, Ralph Helfer, training a 4 month old lion cub. Ralph Helfer has his theories on how to train animals. Ralph uses the “affection training” method. What that means is that he used love and affection to help animals. So this method works because its better than being afraid of the animals and the animals being afraid of us. So pretty much this book is about a warmh...more
One of the best books I have read in my whole life!!!
Zamba is a lion cub who is taken in by Ralph Helfer, the author. This story explains the bond between the two and their encounters throughout Zamba's lifetime. Ralph also tells about his Affection Training Theory and how Zamba helps to prove this method the way to train animals.
If you liked this book youi might also try:
Modoc:The True Story Of The Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived by Ralph Helfer
and
Wesley The Owl by Stacy O'Brien
Zamba is a lion cub who is taken in by Ralph Helfer, the author. This story explains the bond between the two and their encounters throughout Zamba's lifetime. Ralph also tells about his Affection Training Theory and how Zamba helps to prove this method the way to train animals.
If you liked this book youi might also try:
Modoc:The True Story Of The Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived by Ralph Helfer
and
Wesley The Owl by Stacy O'Brien
"Zamba: the True Story of the Greatest Lion That Ever Lived" is a book narrated by an animal trainer, Ralph Helfer, who uses love instead of fear to control his animals. He adopts a cub lion from Africa, names him Zamba, and spends the next 18 years on many adventures with him. Zamba acts out scenes for advertisements and movies including one that was to be shot in Africa. Half the book is about their adventures on the East coast of Africa, shooting the movie. Finally Helfer ties it together in...more
For Ralph Helfer, working with animals has always been a lifelong dream. Starting out working in a small pet shop, Helfer learned all about the cruelties and abuse that can happen while training and working with animals. Vowing to make a difference any way he knew how, Helfer made it a mission to do whatever he could to change the way animals were treated both in private conditions and in and on the farms of those who raised wild animals for commercial gain.
Now one of Hollywood’s top animal beha...more
Now one of Hollywood’s top animal beha...more
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I am more than a little disappointed by this book. I've slowly read my way through all the stories of Africa USA over the years (it would not be a stretch to say I am a zookeeper today because of Helfer's wife's book!), and I've loved them all along. Perhaps that is part of the problem with this book -- there's not really anything new here, just a retelling of the same story (unlike the others which had largely new material in each). Being involved in the exotic industry myself now for several y...more
This book should be titled, "Ralph Helfer: The True Story of the Greatest Lion Tamer That Ever Lived". It was preachy, conceited, juvenile, moronic, and down-right stupid. I don't care how much you train a lion, it is still a lion. They are wild and dangerous and I would never let my kids that close to one.
Also, I found it very insulting the way he portrayed people who hunt. I think it was very unfair and childish and untrue. His portrayal of his Charles Dickens-ianesque villianious Uncle was o...more
Also, I found it very insulting the way he portrayed people who hunt. I think it was very unfair and childish and untrue. His portrayal of his Charles Dickens-ianesque villianious Uncle was o...more
Helfer is the animal behaviourist who pioneered what is now known as affection training for captive wild animals. Because he bonds with his animals he never beat them into submission like other trainers of years past, and therefore was able to develop a loving, trusting relationship with Zamba, the male African lion he raised from a cub. Zamba really does sound like an amazing animal, and the story makes for a cute, if sometimes heartbreaking, read. Recommended for anyone who loves animals.
The true story of Ralph Helfer who worked as a stuntman for a Hollywood studio and quickly learned the importance of positive reinforcement in animal training after almost losing his life.
When Ralph invited a young lion cub into his house and his life, he was determined to use training based on love, trust and respect and not fear.
This is the story of his special bond and connection with Zamba, a lion who was used in several TV commercials.
When Ralph invited a young lion cub into his house and his life, he was determined to use training based on love, trust and respect and not fear.
This is the story of his special bond and connection with Zamba, a lion who was used in several TV commercials.
Most beautiful and loving story one can write about a lion. You feel so connected to both Ralph and Zamba. If you are an animal lover you have to most definitely read this book. Amazingly written, you feel every emotion that everyone in the book feels as well with Zamba's emotions. You become so drawn into the lives of this animal and the people involved that it will forever change your view on pretty much everything. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. This book.
Zamba...the story of a man and his lion. But yet, this is a story of more then that. This is the story of kindred spirits, of uncondiitonal love, and of what life will be like when, indeed, one day, "the lion will lay down with the lamb". Ralph Helfer lived his life fulfilling his calling to raise and train animals not with fear and over-bearance, but with gentleness, love, and respect. Zamba the lion was the product of Helfer's "affection training" and a more lovable lion never lived. If you lo...more
I found this book to be written at a child's level, but the writing style isn't the point. The story resonates with any animal lover because it is true testament to the effects of practicing loving kindness with animals and receiving the benefits of those relationships in return. Although the story is very moving, I am somewhat hesitant to give it a higher rating because I am aware of the atrocities of the exotic animal industry. Having volunteered for a wildcat sanctuary, I've seen what can hap...more
Ralph Helfer has beautifully written this story of his lion Zamba. Both his writing style and subject matter make for a highly enjoyable read. Zamba's story is a testament to having an animal do something for you out of love and a desire to please rather than out of fear. It makes you feel as though we could all live harmoniously if we only tried. I highly recommend reading this especially if you have a love of and connection to animals.
One of my secret childhood longings was to have wild animals as pets (Jungle Book, etc). This man actually raised them and I remember seeing some of his animals on TV when I was young. His philosophy of raising/training animals mirrors my beliefs on child-rearing. The pictures of him driving Zamba around Hollywood are pretty funny.
When I was a kid, we loved watching "Daktari" on TV..........one day, my neighbour and best friend commented that his parents knew the guy who trained the lion, that the lion lived in his house (I think he mentioned the basement, specifically). I thought he was full of bologna.......until I read this book.
For class I had to read a nonfiction book, and this was the only option left. I really wasn't looking forward to reading it but I had too. And as I was reading I completely changed my opinion about it!! I couldn't put it down, in all honesty. This book was really touching book. It makes you realize things you never thought about.
This is a great true story about Hollywood animal trainer Ralph Helfer taking a lion cub into his home and raising it as part of the family - to see if it could be done. Heartwarming and exciting. I love animal stories!
I really enjoyed this book, but can't say I am a fan of wild cats and humans having such close contact with each other. With saying that Ralph and Zamba did have an incredible bond. A good read....
Loved this book - what an interesting life this man has lead, with his lion house trained and sleeping in his bed with him. Unique lifestyle, that's for sure - and a good read to boot.
If you love animals then this is a must read. He is known for creating a movement in the film industry for using affection training to bring exotic animals to set. Revolutionary!
Althought this book was exciting to read, and it was written some time ago ~ it was hard for me to grasp the way this writer rationalized what he was doing to monetary gain.
I liked the content of the story but didn't really care for how it was written. Thought it was too cheesy in places, but it was really interesting to read about Zamba himself.
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