New Leaf Vote for April 2020 • Tales of Tails, Birds or Beasts

[CRussel]

It's time to select the book we'll read and discuss in April, 2020.

We love new participants. We're happy for you to vote, but in the interest of a vibrant conversation, we'd like to request that you please not vote unless you plan to join the discussion whatever the selection. So if you haven't posted in a book club thread yet, do please say a quick hello here or in the Welcome thread.

This is a poll. Vote for as many books as you'd like. Questions? FAQs | Guidelines Or just ask!

Choices:

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by Goodreads

John Clayton III, an orphan boy, comes of age in the western coastal jungles of Africa following the tragic deaths of his aristocratic parents. Raised in the ways of the apes by his adoptive mother, Kala, he is renamed Tarzan and ascends to king through feats of revenge and courage.

When a group of explorers brings the beautiful Jane Porter to the jungle, a lovelorn Tarzan decides to follow her to the United States to win her love. On his journey back into human society, Tarzan must decide whether to return to the jungle or reclaim his past.
Fast-paced and suspenseful, Tarzan of the Apes was wildly successful and generated two dozen sequels; and many film, radio, and comic-book adaptations.

Project Gutenberg
304 pp.

My Family and Other Animals (The Corfu Trilogy Book 1) by Gerald Durrell.

Spoiler:

The inspiration for The Durrells in Corfu, a Masterpiece production on public television: A naturalist’s account of his childhood on the exotic Greek island.

When the Durrells could no longer endure the gray English climate, they did what any sensible family would do: sold their house and relocated to the sun-soaked island of Corfu.

As they settled into their new home, hilarious mishaps ensued as a ten-year-old Gerald Durrell pursued his interest in natural history and explored the island’s fauna. Soon, toads and tortoises, bats and butterflies—as well as scorpions, geckos, ladybugs, praying mantises, octopuses, pigeons, and gulls—became a common sight in the Durrell villa.

Uproarious tales of the island’s animals and Durrell’s fond reflections on his family bring this delightful memoir to life. Capturing the joyous chaos of growing up in an unconventional household, My Family and Other Animals will transport you to a place you won’t want to leave.

AmazonUS
292 pp.

Never Cry Wolf by Farley Mowat.

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by Goodreads

More than a half-century ago the naturalist Farley Mowat was sent to investigate why wolves were killing arctic caribou. Mowat's account of the summer he lived in the frozen tundra alone—studying the wolf population and developing a deep affection for the wolves (who were of no threat to caribou or man)—is today celebrated as a classic of nature writing, at once a tale of remarkable adventures and indelible record of myths and magic of wolves.

AmazonUS . AmazonCA . Audible . Internet Archive
258 pp.


Call of the Wild by Jack London.

Spoiler:

The Call of the Wild is a short adventure novel by Jack London, published in 1903 and set in Yukon, Canada, during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, when strong sled dogs were in high demand. The central character of the novel is a dog named Buck. The story opens at a ranch in Santa Clara Valley, California, when Buck is stolen from his home and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska. He becomes progressively feral in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs. By the end, he sheds the veneer of civilization, and relies on primordial instinct and learned experience to emerge as a leader in the wild.

public domain.
90 pp.

Adventures of a Young Naturalist by David Attenborough.
From Goodreads:

Spoiler:

In 1954, a young television presenter named David Attenborough was offered the opportunity of a lifetime - to travel the world finding rare and elusive animals for London Zoo's collection, and to film the expeditions for the BBC.

Now 'the greatest living advocate of the global ecosystem' this is the story of the voyages that started it all. Staying with local tribes while trekking in search of giant anteaters in Guyana, Komodo dragons in Indonesia and armadillos in Paraguay, he and the rest of the team battled with cannibal fish, aggressive tree porcupines and escape-artist wild pigs, as well as treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather, to record the incredible beauty and biodiversity of these regions. The methods may be outdated now, but the fascination and respect for the wildlife, the people and the environment - and the importance of protecting these wild places - is not.

Written with his trademark wit and charm, Adventures of a Young Naturalist is not just the story of a remarkable adventure, but of the man who made us fall in love with the natural world, and who is still doing so today.

Kobo US, Kobo CA,Kobo GB , Kobo AU
292 pp.

The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis by Elizabeth Letts

Spoiler:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable story of the heroic rescue of priceless horses in the closing days of World War II
In the chaotic last days of the war, a small troop of battle-weary American soldiers captures a German spy and makes an astonishing find—his briefcase is empty but for photos of beautiful white horses that have been stolen and kept on a secret farm behind enemy lines. Hitler has stockpiled the world’s finest purebreds in order to breed the perfect military machine—an equine master race. But with the starving Russian army closing in, the animals are in imminent danger of being slaughtered for food.
With only hours to spare, one of the U.S. Army’s last great cavalrymen, Colonel Hank Reed, makes a bold decision—with General George Patton’s blessing—to mount a covert rescue operation. Racing against time, Reed’s small but determined force of soldiers, aided by several turncoat Germans, steals across enemy lines in a last-ditch effort to save the horses.
Pulling together this multistranded story, Elizabeth Letts introduces us to an unforgettable cast of characters: Alois Podhajsky, director of the famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna, a former Olympic medalist who is forced to flee the bomb-ravaged Austrian capital with his entire stable in tow; Gustav Rau, Hitler’s imperious chief of horse breeding, a proponent of eugenics who dreams of genetically engineering the perfect warhorse for Germany; and Tom Stewart, a senator’s son who makes a daring moonlight ride on a white stallion to secure the farm’s surrender.
A compelling account for animal lovers and World War II buffs alike, The Perfect Horse tells for the first time the full story of these events. Elizabeth Letts’s exhilarating tale of behind-enemy-lines adventure, courage, and sacrifice brings to life one of the most inspiring chapters in the annals of human valor.

Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon Canada Amazon Australia Kobo U.S. Kobo UK Kobo Canada .
Kobo Australia
368 pp.

The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild by Lawrence Anthony with Graham Spence

Spoiler:

When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of "rogue" wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd's last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn't take them.

In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom.

The Elephant Whisperer is a heartwarming, exciting, funny, and sometimes sad account of Anthony's experiences with these huge yet sympathetic creatures. Set against the background of life on an African game reserve, with unforgettable characters and exotic wildlife, it is a delightful book that will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.

AmazonUS . AmazonCA . AmazonAU . AmazonUK
381 pp.

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Spoiler:

“Adrian Tchaikovksy's critically acclaimed novel Children of Time, is the epic story of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet.

“Who will inherit this new Earth? The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age – a world terraformed and prepared for human life.

“But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.

“Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?”

KindleUK . KindleUS . AudibleUS . Apple
609 pp.

[CRussel]

Hopefully I got this right! This is the first poll I've ever posted on MR, so if I screwed something up, be tolerant and I'll try to do better next month! (And apologies ahead of time for having to shorten a couple of the titles -- MR has character limits for polls and Elephants and Horses were both too long.)

Meanwhile, I think we have a superb selection of books across a diverse set of genre and subjects, and I look forward to seeing what we choose. Frankly? There's not a book in the list I wouldn't like to read, so I'll have a heck of a time choosing which ones to actually vote for.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Thanks, Charlie! The poll looks ok. Now the hard part will be deciding what to vote for. There is a great selection here.

[CRussel]

Wow, that was tough! And I would gladly read and discuss the three that I didn't vote for. But one has to make some sort of decision, and that's my best WAG for the ones I'll enjoy the most.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I went with my usual strategy to vote for about half but am happy to read the other choices too.

[CRussel]

It looks like we'll be reading Tarzan this month.

Meanwhile, don 't forget to join us for The Maltese Falcon starting March 15th.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by CRussel

It looks like we'll be reading Tarzan this month.

Meanwhile, don 't forget to join us for The Maltese Falcon starting March 15th.

FYI, if you're an Amazon Prime member, you can borrow the Kindle book, which comes with an accompanying audiobook.

[CRussel]

Indeed, if you're in KU, you get both. Not a narrator I recognize, but I the brief sample didn't sound like he'd be a problem.

[Dazrin]

One of my libraries has audio versions read by Shelly Frasier and another by James Slattery. Between these two and the one Catlady mentioned above (Will Damron), does anyone have a strong preference for narrator from this group?

My travel has been "postponed" for obvious reasons and the same reasons mean I have much less reading time than normal but I might be able to listen to the audiobook while being as productive as I can.

[CRussel]

None of those ring any bells here, Dazrin, so go with whichever has the best sample. And by all means, let us know what you think.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I am not familiar with these narrators. However the two options were published by Tantor and Blackstone which both make good quality productions. The reviews at Audible are highly positive for both narrators. I second Charlie’s suggestion to just pick whichever sample sounds more pleasing to you.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

One of my libraries has audio versions read by Shelly Frasier and another by James Slattery. Between these two and the one Catlady mentioned above (Will Damron), does anyone have a strong preference for narrator from this group?

My travel has been "postponed" for obvious reasons and the same reasons mean I have much less reading time than normal but I might be able to listen to the audiobook while being as productive as I can.

I went for the Shelly Frasier version because that's available on Hoopla. I'm not sure if I'll listen to it all. I'll probably do a combination of reading and listening. But it depends on how good the audiobook is.

For example, I didn't plan to fully listen to Carpe Jugulum (Discworld), but I found the audiobook to be very well read with voices.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

[...] For example, I didn't plan to fully listen to Carpe Diem (Discworld), but I found the audiobook to be very well read with voices.

I'm hoping you meant Carpe Jugulum, or I'm missing a boook.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by gmw

I'm hoping you meant Carpe Jugulum, or I'm missing a boook.

Yes that what I mean. I got the title wrong. But, I've fixed the post in error.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

One of my libraries has audio versions read by Shelly Frasier and another by James Slattery. Between these two and the one Catlady mentioned above (Will Damron), does anyone have a strong preference for narrator from this group?

My travel has been "postponed" for obvious reasons and the same reasons mean I have much less reading time than normal but I might be able to listen to the audiobook while being as productive as I can.

I've listened to the Shelly Frasier audiobook and I was listening along with reading the book. I've gotten to chapter two and I don't like the audiobook. It's got some changes to the text here and there. Shelly does a good job reading and voices, but I don't like knowing there are changes to the text.