First published 2010
Anthony "Ace" Bourke and John Rendall walk into Harrods in 1969 and purchase a spirited lion cub. The three companions settle into life together in a Kings Road apartment in Chelsea, where Christian quickly becomes the neighborhood sensation. Christian grows rapidly, outpacing even the church courtyard where he exercises. Ace and John face an impossible choice: condemn their friend to lifelong captivity in a zoo or find another solution. A chance meeting with Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, stars of the film Born Free, opens an unexpected door. Christian can be sent to Kenya under the expert care of Adamson. After a year of separation, Ace and John return to Africa, uncertain whether Christian will remember them. Their remarkable reunion, now shared with millions through the internet, reveals the enduring bonds that can exist between humans and wild animals.
Paperback · Laguna