The Circle of Life: Wildlife on the African Savannah

A fantastic collection of African wildlife photographs. Well worth having for the coffee table!

These are simply amazing wildlife photos, all from East Africa, where the Shah brothers live. This large-format book is beautifully printed, and these photos are about as good as wildlife photography gets. Lots of everyone's favorite (mine anyway), baby animal photos! Now, almost anyone (even me) can take a cute photo of baby cheetahs in their furpunk soft-Mohawk glory. But the Shahs can photograph a baby *hippo* and make it look cuddly (p. 146).... The Shahs have the unfair advantage of living in Kenya, so their photos represent literally years of fieldwork in their own backyard (big backyard!). Which wouldn't matter except that they may well be the finest photographers of East African wildlife so far. Astonishing work, absolutely not to be missed. I know, I'm stuck in superlative mode here, but these guys are really, really good, and Harry Abrams has done them up proud. You've almost certainly seen some of the Shah's photographs, likely in National Geographic -- though if you're as oblivious as me, you may not have noticed their names. I've uploaded a couple of images to jog your memory. Most highly recommended for anyone who's interested in African wildlife. And yes, you should save up for a trip to East Africa someday.... Happy viewing-- Peter D. Tillman

Anup and Manoj Shah have distinguished themselves in the populous field of wildlife photography by producing expressive and beautiful portraits of wild animals that document the individuals' lives while achieving impressive aesthetic grace. Many of the brothers' photographs are simply unforgettable works of art that I never tire of looking at. "The Circle of Life" is a massive book that contains 235 photographs of wildlife on the African Savannah. About 40 species of mammal are represented, as well as some birds and reptiles. In the most comprehensive photographic essay of wildlife that I have ever seen, the Shah brothers document the lives of the many animals who live and die in this vast African ecosystem that spans much of Kenya and Tanzania. The authors have organized this photographic odyssey by dividing the book into 20 chapters, each showcasing one aspect of life on the Savannah. The early chapters show us the basic elements that create and sustain life. Some example chapters are: "Driven by Wet and Dry", "Light and Energy", and "Shaped by Fire and Elephants". The book then moves on to the subjects of birth and growing up on the Savannah. "Natural Selection", "Adaptation and Diversity", "Peaceful Coexistence", and "Mother and Offspring", for example. Then we see the lives of adult animals. Some examples are: "Herds and Social Groups", "Grazers and Browsers", and "The Hunters". And finally these animals die, returning to the earth, and the "circle of life" begins again: "Scavengers and Decomposers", "Land and Life". Each chapter begins with an essay written by Anup Shah that explains what that particular facet of life on the Savannah entails and how it fits into the greater life cycle.The photographs in "The Circle of Life" are mostly one-to-a-page, but there are also 2-page spreads and pages containing two photographs. The reproduction quality is good. All photographs have detailed captions. An index in the back of the book allows the reader to locate text and photographs by species or topic. The index is most helpful considering the size of this volume. If you're familiar with the work of Anup and Manoj Shah through "Nature's Best" magazine, most, but not all, of their "Nature's Best" photographs are included in this book. "The Circle of Life" is a record of wildlife on the African Savannah that is impressive in its size, scope, and beauty. Only photographers who spend an extraordinary amount of time in this environment could have captured so much of the lives of so many species. It's a pleasure to see the results of Anup and Manoj Shah's experience and persistence in one volume. "The Circle of Life" is a fantastic coffee table book for nature photography fans, as well as a great visual resource for anyone studying this ecosystem.