101 Kruger Tales by Jeff Gordon : Book Review

101 Kruger Tales, is a book that will transport YOU to the Beauty of the Wilderness in South Africa, with each brilliantly told story.

It’s Wednesday Lovelies, and here at Foodeva Marsay I have decided to do a “Wildlife Focus Wednesday” Post. ?Now this I think could just become a theme I can work with for a weekly Wednesday Post ?

Now many of you already know how much I LOVE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK… it is so natural for many of us South Africans to Love Kruger Park, I know the 1st time I set foot into the Kruger Park, I FELL IN LOVE. The serenity and atmosphere of being amongst Nature and Wildlife, the Untamed Bushveld in South Africa, leaves me refreshed and revived after each visit. Personally I have only started going to the park in the last 16 years, since moving to Johannesburg, with just a 4 hour drive away, seemed the perfect getaway destination. You will find Habibi Imran and I try to getaway at least twice a year. But for many other South Africans, Kruger National Park has been a yearly holiday destination, ever since they were kids.

Now back to my Review….

101 Kruger Tales is Compiled and Edited by Jeff Gordon and was published in 2014. I pride myself in knowing I was one of the very 1st people to get my hands on this book via the initial online shopping site when the book released. So then you may wonder… ‘Why all this time to review this Book???’ .Well I simply didn’t want the magic of the tales told to end. It has been my solace here in Bahrain for the months on end, when I couldn’t be in Kruger Park.

The tales are from ordinary visitors to the park, Like You and ME, who had some amazing sightings whilst in the Kruger Park. You will feel as if you are right there witnessing each moment.

A little more insight into the Compilation of 101 Kruger Tales , “I think in all, about 650 people submitted stories for consideration. The youngest was just eleven, and the oldest well into his nineties. But what struck me most about the process was the absolute passion people have for Kruger, as well as the range of extraordinary things a lucky (or in some cases unlucky) few have experienced there over the years. Let there be no doubt that Kruger delivers; in fact I doubt there is a single yard of road in the park where at some point, something astonishing has not happened.” ~ Jeff  Gordon~

The Book also has stories that have the actual picture footage of those incredible moments. Kruger National Park and now 101 Kruger Tales will leave you feeling like a story-teller. I know I feel like one when my Nephews and Nieces would eagerly await my stories after a return trip from the Kruger Park.

I highly recommend this book, whether you have visited the park or not. I love how the stories are set and compiled within each section/region of the vast Kruger Park , with a map before each section, giving you an idea of the locations.

While being unable to choose any one particular story to be my ‘All-Time Favourite’ within the book, I can say this much, I was captivated the moment I read the Foreward story by Mark Boucher (a South African Cricketer), hey we South Africans are a sport crazy nation, and anything to do with our sporting heroes, leaves us in awe 😉,

Another one of my ‘Favourite’ story in the book is  Story 5 – Leopard Raids The Braai by Gretha van Huyssteen .  Hmmm..and that is another thing we South Africans are crazy about, a “Lekker Braai” (guess our wildlife are just as crazy for a Braai too???). I remember getting goose-bumps the last time we were on a sunset game drive in Kruger Park, and some guests needed to answer ‘natures call’, so our safari guide decided to quickly stop at Afsaal (the location of one of my fav stories mentioned above), with all day visitors and staff, long gone for the day, Afsaal Picnic Spot was deserted, even the day long chattering birds seemed to have called it a day. While we all jumped out the safari vehicle, under the watchful eye of the guide, My nerves were on edge as I kept wondering what it must feel like to witness a Leopard walk right up to the picnic spot, or Is the resident Leopard watching us from behind the thickets surrounding the picnic spot?.

101 Kruger Tales, is an overall easy to read and understand book, that will be a great asset to your library, a book that you could ENJOY around a warm hearth or a Crackling Campfire.

Foodeva Marsay Rating
101 Kruger Tales by Jeff Gordon
????? (out of 5)

 

SPECIAL END-NOTE…

Foodeva Marsay : Which is your favourite story in the book? I know it’s tough singling out just one but if you had to choose.

Jeff Gordon : “Gosh, that is an almost impossible question to answer.”  

Foodeva Marsay : Aaaahh I do know this feeling.

Jeff Gordon : “Each story was selected because I felt that it said something special about Kruger.  The big flagship stories speak for themselves, but the quieter, more curious stories are the ones that capture something about the Park that is difficult to put your finger on, and I really love those.  There are a lot of paragraphs and single lines that I love too. There are some that make me laugh, even though I have read them about a thousand times each. And some that can still make my throat tighten.”

? A HUGE THANK YOU TO JEFF GORDON FOR TAKING TIME OUT FROM HIS DAY, AND ALLOWING ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHAT ABOUT THE BOOK, 101 KRUGER TALES.  MUCH APPRECIATED. I SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE SECOND EDITION OF THE BOOK: ‘ANOTHER 101 KRUGER TALES’ … hmmm, maybe I should also submit a story to be featured :-)?

101 Kruger Tales is available worldwide, and you can find out where to buy it HERE.

Happy Reading my Lovelies

Marriam

* Have YOU read this Book? Do drop me a note in comments and let me know what you thought of it, and if you have read it, were you able to pick out 1 special favourite story from the book? 

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