African Odyssey: 365 Days

African Odyssey is an account of the Great Migration across the Greater Serengeti Ecosystem - a mosaic of habitats that support a remarkable variety of species - and so too does this book. Anup Shah says that the text is written as `part nature guide, part travelogue recording' events as he (and his brother Manoj) observed them in the course of a year. So by all means a personal account - and the camera angles certainly make it feel up close and personal. Images captured by remote triggers make the reader feel as they are one of the million of wildebeest crossing the plains in the chaos of legs, dust and motion. Highlights would be images of a cheetah mother carrying her tiny cub to a new den site in a mouth that is usually seen wrapped around a gazelle's throat. Also the graphic scenes of a hyena killing a helpless fawn, a formidable predator in action - followed by images of the tender love that exists between adult and pup for hyenas are devoted parents too. This book seems intent to show both sides of the circle of life. What is so unique is that the Shah brothers seem to be part of the ecosystem themselves. One minute up in the air like the birds looking down on the landscape; then lying flat on the ground to get a close up of a tiny frog; then amongst a cheetah den to capture rare intimate family behaviour and then holding back to witness the terrifying encounter between a hippo and a pride of hungry lions. The animals don't seem to notice them but these two brothers miss nothing on the plains. If you've been to Africa this book will evoke strong memories; if you haven't then this is the next best thing. The fact that it's a coffee table book gone smaller means you can hold it close up and look at every detail - just as the two brothers went to Africa and did themselves.

My four year old picked out this book. She loves Africa and was instantly drawn to this book. The photographs are lovely and the information is interesting and fun to read. My daughter has spent hours leafing through this book which has helped her learn more about Africa.

Having recently returned from Tanzania and observing the migration, 365 was fascinating to me. Excellent text & magnificent photos captivated me. I could not put it down.

For its size (compact), there are 365 pages of amazing full-color photos of African wildlife in this thick little book. Great reference book. Great for those in love with Africa and African wildlife! Compact and sturdy. Wonderful and often exciting Nature photography!

One stunning photo for each and every day of the year, following the migration of the wildebeest on their annual circuit in search of lush grass. A lovely book well worth the money.