A Lion named Christian; a childrens story

There was no manual for looking after lions and Ace and John had to trust their instincts and the experience of living with family pets all their lives. Christian lived in the large basement below Sophistocat; the antique pine furniture shop where Ace and John worked. Ace and John lived in the apartment above the shop. Every afternoon Ace and John took Christian to a nearby enclosed garden for exercise and recreation. In and London photographer Derek Cattani took many superb photographs of Christian at home, in the shop and in a garden.

Derek also photographed Christian in several sessions on different occasions at various locations over London. It was a quite stable if unusual! Christian grew very quickly and within months he was beginning to outgrow his environment and frighten the customers. Ace and John were becoming increasingly concerned about the scarcity of options for his future, when by chance Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna came into Sophistocat shopping for some pine furniture. Like the book, the film had been a huge international success.

They suggested contacting George Adamson who could rehabilitate Christian back into a natural life in Kenya. To quote the page linked above: But far from a well thought out argument on the issue, or even a brief expression of the author's opinion, this was just a cheap shot that perpetuated a simplified and downright wrong understanding of a single incident. One wonders why an author and editor would release or in this case, release an updated version of a book without checking their facts. I would have enjoyed the book far more if it had stuck firmly to Christian's story. IMHO, if you really want to learn about the lion from that YouTube clip that made you cry , get this at the library.

Or, if you live near me, I know you can find at least one copy a certain used book store It is far and away a better book on all fronts. Jun 16, Kerry Connelly rated it really liked it Shelves: Nearly everyone has seen that beautiful you tube video from the 70's of a wild lion running up to greet and cuddle two Australian men. This is the story of how John and Ace met Christian, how they prepared a house in London for him with the knowledge that they would have to find him a Nearly everyone has seen that beautiful you tube video from the 70's of a wild lion running up to greet and cuddle two Australian men.

This is the story of how John and Ace met Christian, how they prepared a house in London for him with the knowledge that they would have to find him a suitable home for when he got bigger - That home was to be back in his homeland of Africa. This is their story, of their time with Christian and the love they have for him. They share an amazing bond, which transends all human encounters. Beautifully written little book which is aimed at level 4 school readers and of course above: It thas alot of little details about the struggle of owning a lion, Christians mannerisms, how Christian was in films etc and the journey to transport him back to Africa and socialize him with other wild lions.

It tells of some sad stories and how hard it was to adapt Christian with the wild lions and of course shares the unforgettable moment which has brought thousands of viewers of the you tube clip to tears.

This is to become another treasured book, as I got the used, first printing copy. 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 them to keep This is to become another treasured book, as I got the used, first printing copy. Later on I learned about the fascinating life his previous owners had with him, before he became too large for them to keep in a London apartment.

It was about time when they met Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the movie " Born Free ", who subsequently helped them to bring Christian to Kenya, in the wild where he belonged to. The book isn't so thick, and is filled with an adequate number of pictures. Nothing really special about it, except that you can actually feel the sincere love and affection the writers-owners have for Christian. Readers will eventually understand the responsibility the ownership of an exotic pet carries: Apr 02, Sarah rated it liked it Shelves: Not quite what I was expecting.

This book was originally published in , 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 Not quite what I was expecting. For a true story, there is a surprising lack of details.

Christian’s Story

We learn that Christian was bought by the two men in Harrod's and they raised him in a store basement in London. But not a whole lot is really said about the complexity of raising a lion - they mainly focus on the novelty and other people's reactions to him in the store. I was also quite disappointed to not learn more about what happened in Christian's life after he was released in Africa.

Granted, he is now a wild lion and might prove difficult to track but it really makes the story feel empty to not know he flourished in the wild. Nothing can top the extraordinary footage available on YouTube. I mean, it comes with Whitney Houston's tearjerker "I'll always love you" ;-p. However, the filmed reunion between a gigantic lion and two Aussie guys piqued my curiosity.

So it was nice to read the entire story, which comes with a satisfying amount of pictures. Dec 10, Jessica rated it it was amazing. Beautiful history of Christian the Lion. I loved the story of the camp and their ongoing conservation efforts.

A must-read for all animal lovers! Inspiring true story about a lion, raised from a kitten to adulthood by 2 men, then taught how to be wild in Africa. Aug 12, Tracey rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a wonderful story about two men who saved a lion cub from a probable life of circuses and spectatorship and returned him to his natural habitat, one he had never seen.

Christian in London

Jun 09, Yajaira Santiago rated it it was amazing. The book was very nice i really liked it. The two friends did everything to give christian a better life. Oct 10, Julianna rated it really liked it Recommends it for: Reviewed for THC Reviews "4. Christian seemed like the most gentle, even-tempered lion one could ever hope to encounter. He also had a very big personality. I think it was that immediate bond, perhaps coupled with a little bit of daring on their part and a little enjoyment of the novelty of owning an exotic pet that fueled their purchase of Christian. Even though they had fun with the latter, Ace and John were pretty realistic right from the start, knowing that they couldn't keep Christian forever, because he would eventually outgrow their living space.

Almost from the moment they bought him, the friends began looking for suitable arrangements for Christian when the time came. They hated the idea of him being in a zoo or circus and were always looking for someplace where he could be in a more natural habitat. The area in which they worked seemed to be a draw for the wealthy and celebrities, and as luck would have it, the pair had the good fortune to meet Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, the stars of the motion picture, Born Free. Since making the movie, Bill and Virginia had been very involved in conservation efforts and making wildlife documentaries, and were able to get Ace and John in touch with George Adamson, the man who Bill had played in the movie.

This set in motion a series of events which made it possible for Ace and John to return Christian to Africa to be rehabilitated into the wild. It was first published in , but apparently the book was recently updated and re-released when the video clip of their reunion with Christian a year later went viral on YouTube. The idea that a lion could not only remember them, but greet them with the same affection and exuberance that he had shown when they lived together, after spending a year in the wild, was amazing.

Although Christian had a couple of frightful moments that were a stark reminder of the wild creature that he was, thankfully, no one was seriously injured, and all in all, he sounded like a wonderful animal that it would have been a pleasure to know. At that time, George Adamson physically went out looking for the lions he was rehabilitating, and eventually lost track of Christian when the lion moved too far away. It would have been nice to know precisely what became of him. Unfortunately, we can only assume, but Christian's life was a pretty remarkable one for the three years that humans knew and interacted with him.

There was also a documentary made in conjunction with Christian's exodus from England and reintroduction to his natural habitat which I hope to see at some point. It seems that Christian was an inspiration to all with whom he came in contact, and through this book, I was no exception. I've always loved animal stories and this one was a quick and easy read.

I think older children and up could appreciate its message of friendship, loyalty, love and trust, as well as the importance of ecology and keeping wild animals wild.

Christian's Story | A Lion Called ChristianA Lion Called Christian

I'm so glad to see that George Adamson's work in wildlife conservation has continued, and Ace and John are involved in those efforts. Reading this book has also stirred my interest in checking out Born Free. I highly recommend A Lion Called Christian to all animal lovers, especially those who are interested in big cats and wildlife in general. It's definitely one that will be going on my keeper shelf. Feb 05, Raghu rated it really liked it. This is an endearing book on the improbable story of a couple of long-haired, bell-bottom-wearing Australians in the late s, 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 This is an endearing book on the improbable story of a couple of long-haired, bell-bottom-wearing Australians in the late s, 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. Then, a friend of mine suggested that I buy the book as well because it is even better.

A Lion Called Christian: The True Story of the Remarkable Bond Between Two Friends and a Lion

I guess he might have read the book first and seen the movie later. For me, the movie experience was as wonderful, if not better, than the book. They bring it 'home' to their small apartment in Chelsea in suburban London and name it Christian. The cub was barely three months old when they buy it but being a lion cub, starts growing quickly. Within six to eight months, the loving owners start feverishly looking for a 'good life' for Christian away from the cramped apartment.

They feel that giving him to a zoo would be gross betrayal of Christian's faith in them after the relatively 'free' existence he led with the boys. Giving him to a circus was unthinkable obviously. Ace and John agonise over Christian's future when suddenly, they get an offer from George Adamson of the 'Born Free' fame, to try and rehabilitate Christian in northern Kenya with his own pride of lions.

See a Problem?

The rest of the book is about how Christian goes to Kenya and how eventually he is rehabilitated and enjoys freedom in Kenya. One of the wonderful moments in the story occurs when Ace and John go back to Kenya a year after leaving Christian. They go looking for Christian in the northern plains with George Adamson and call out to Christian. Even after a whole year's absence, the lion comes bounding up to them and greets them lovingly.

It is wonderful to see such affection between the three of them. Ace and John are conscious of the importance of departmental stores not selling exotic 'pets' like Christian because it will only encourage paochers in trapping animals and selling them to stores. Author Sheryl Lynn Christian's strengths are compassion, clarity, openness, and creativity.

She is currently pursuing her Ph. She is the author of An Elephant Story, a children's book, and Astrology for the Ageless, which is a picture book designed for pre-teens or anyone interested in Astrology. Both are spiritual self help books. Raised in Los Angeles, she is the mother of four beautiful and loving children who are now grown.

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Most of her psycho-spiritual training was attended in Los Angeles. She and her children moved from California to rural Arkansas in