Elephants Books

Steve Kaplan communicates his vast business-development experience in focused, easily understandable prose. His writing is punchy and filled with illustrative vignettes to illustrate his points in an easy, entertaining way. While you must have frontline experience to build your organization, the basics Kaplan provides are a sound, necessary complement. He explains these core principles compactly and keeps the technical aspects fairly light. This sales and business growth manual is not directed to the sophisticated strategist, but to the bullet-point level entrepreneur who wants the how-to-expand formula without a lot of if-this-then-that discussion. getAbstract can report from experience that informative reading on nurturing your business that is also this entertaining and accessible is hard to find.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why this book has been remaindered. It is a wonderful guide to understanding the nuts and bolts of your business or more specifically, your finances. This is the nitty gritty stuff that the other books don't cover. Maybe it's due to the fact that business owners don't want to do the work necessary to grow? I think this is a fantastic book and it's a perfect companion to The E-Myth because it offers specific steps you can take to get a handle on your numbers and grow your business. Scoop up your copy now--you won't be sorry!

Steve Kaplan gives great advice on how to grow a business and be successful at it! It is always critical to have a plan in place and to assess risks by avoiding deadly mistakes. I give it 5 stars and recommend it to those entrepreneurs starting a business or have the desire one day start their own company.

This is another book, which inspired the title for my book "Elephants Can't Change but Leopards Can!!!" I love this book and it's pundits.

After reading the other reviews, I must wholeheartedly disagree with the consensus. I own a small business and this book is just so elementary and without substance, that I could never recommend it to anyone that is already running a decent sized small business. Kaplan's use of examples is extremely limited and hardly worth the effort. While I'm sure that Kaplan is a very good businessman and knows his stuff, his ability to focus anyone into a thought provoking analysis is woefully inept.

I think that the book goes wrong in trying to be everything to all business owners. This is clearly a book for the beginner that has absolutely zero business experience. It would be a nice introduction to what can go wrong for an individual that is "thinking" of going into business for themselves. He mentions that you need to learn how to read the "numbers" of your business, but then there is absolutely zero explanation of what they mean. One could never look at a balance sheet and determine the next step for that business. Kaplan is all at the 50,000 foot level with no breakdown into any detail whatsoever.

However, this is not what the jacket or back cover portray. They give the impression that the statement (whether) "you run a $5 million consulting business or a three person bakery" then this book will help you. It will not. If you are running a $5 million business, you are so far past what this book has to offer that it is a waste of your time. I would not be so negative if the target market for the book would not have been portrayed as just about everyone with a small business.

If you are just beginning to look at maybe running a business or if you are contemplating joining someone in their business, then this book might give you something to think about on the negative side. However, if you are looking for help on next steps or trying to understand what to do help your current business, this will not help you in the least. You will not become the "elephant" by reading this book.

This book is an excellent buy and is of good quality. We were very pleased with the reaction of our 5-year old granddaughter as she opened this birthday present. The joy of seeing the younger generation enjoying the stories we enjoyed years ago was overwhelming.

I liked listening all about Babar's adventures when I was small and now I can let French kids experience it too!

We bought Bonjour Babar for our 20mth old son Jack - who worships King Babar and his family. His tales of world travels and how he rules his kingdom make for great reading both for Jack and his parents!

As a toddler, my mom read to me at bedtime. My favorite books as a small child were of Babar, so I always had my mom read me the Babar books at bedtime and loved them.

A few years ago at Christmas, my mom gave me the "Bonjour Babar!" book which has six unabridged stories by the author! This book is very cute and brings back a lot of memories! It is nice to have 6 books in one collection and recommend this book to all parent with small children. Especially if their children love elephants!

This one volume contains all six Babar stories written and illustrated by Jean de Brunhoff between 1931 and 1937, when the author died prematurely of tuberculosis. After seven decades, Babar the elephant is still beloved by young and old alike. Included are: "The Story of Babar"; "The Travels of Babar"; "Babar the King"; "Babar and Zephir"; "Babar and His Children"; and "Babar and Father Christmas".

From his earliest days, when his mother is shot by a hunter and he is left to fend for himself in the world, Babar is a curious and independent spirit. He makes his way to the city, where a kindly old lady gives him her purse; he purchases "a shirt with a collar and tie, a suit of a becoming shade of green, then a handsome derby hat and also shoes with spats". All decked out in new clothes, Babar is ready for whatever awaits, as he mixes with society, entertaining all with tales of his life in the forest. Later, when two of Babar's cousins arrive in the city, Babar outfits them both in new clothes. Returning with his cousins to the forest in the old lady's elegant roadster, Babar is so impressive that he is crowned King, his new fiancé, Celeste, the new Queen.

On their honeymoon, Babar and Celeste enjoy many adventures and misadventures all over the globe, returning to discover that the herd has gone to war with the rhinoceroses, a situation requiring careful strategy for success. Finally victorious, Babar promises to rule the kingdom wisely, and so he does in the following stories. In "Babar the King", the herd builds a city where all the animals peacefully coexist. There are schools, parks, automobiles; everything is perfect, save those few strokes of bad luck to remind Babar that we must never be discouraged in the face of adversity.

Each story is filled with realism, encouragement and hope in the face of difficulties, magical adventures touched with the give and take of life and the need to overcome challenges with a good heart. With a gallery of friends, Babar's life is defined by enthusiasm, a willingness to care for others and joy in simple things, family and community. Born in 1899, the author created an alternative universe in a country soon to face the First World War, his artistic vision come to fruition in Babar, a character beloved by generation after generation. Luan Gaines/2006.

I clearly remember bringing this home from the school. It was one of those book sales at the school. That kind of gives away my age. Oh well. This book is now a classic. The illustrations are timeless and the repetition helps children learn sentence patterns.

This book reminds me, also, of when I was young. I feel that the concept is more to teach gratitude. The fact that the elephant was stealing is the least significant factor to the story.

As a mom/parent of 4 Very gifted children, we went through books like cookies... This book is a wonderful and ridiculous story, which includes detailed enough illustrations, and a basic enough plot, that we could embellish, or not, as we chose. My husband reading this aloud was pallitive to my ears, and the children all relished his renditions immensely. 19 years down the road we are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read it to our grandchildren (eventually...) For our younger children (5 & 10 years younger respectively) we had to "borrow" the book from the library and tell them we lost it - and paid for it - so we could have a copy!
A MUST HAVE!!!

This is one of the few books I remember from childhood, and now that I am a parent I had to get it for my kids too!

This book was one of the first books i ever read. I was 6 years old then, now i'm 35. I loved the elephant's "rumpita, rumpita, rumpita"ing all through the town. I have shared this book with my three children who love it just as i did. It is a bit dated now, but so are most books that are this old. Times change. I still can recite it almost word for word from my memory. This is a classic and hopefully i can share this book with my grandchildren one day.

It's a very cute, humorous book. Even my older kids enjoy Mo Williems books.

I laughed out loud the first time I read it. After the 3rd or 4th time, I just couldn't get into it any more. Maybe because my daughter isn't reading it herself yet, athough it shouldn't be a problem to memorize. I think it would be more enjoyable if you are good at giving the two characters distinct voices.

I bought this for my daughter, who was on the verge of reading. She loved the story, and through the repetition in the dialogue, learned the words. This was the first book she read to me all the way through. And even adults can appreciate the humor and drawings.

My daughter just received this book as a birthday present. I read it to her once before nap today. When she woke up we read it again. Before bed she wanted to read it again. On the third reading she starting cracking up laughing every time I read the "Wait!" line. She insisted I read it three more times laughing harder and harder each time. After we turned off the light, she begged for me to read it just one more time in the dark. She has never asked for that before. After that time, she asked if we could read it as soon as she wakes up in the morning. Of course I said YES! She had a similar response to "Dont let the Pigeon Drive the Bus," but not that intense. We cant wait to get more Piggie books!!

The elephant and piggie books are some of the favorites in our house right now. My kindergartener loves them, and they are just very enjoyable books for everyone.
The illustrations are wonderful and really add to the story.

silent thunder has been the best book ever it teaches you about elephants and it is a great read. i wish that i could on the book but i can't i only rented it but finished it in one day. the charecters are great and it is really nice but not many people read it.

I have not read the book yet, but I am very disappointed that she has not photos! Having read Joye Poole's book that lots of tremendous photos and Cynthia Moss's book that at least some black & white photos, I thought this book would have some also. As a photographer and elephant lover, I expected them.

Did you know that elephants communicate with sounds that are below the range of human hearing? Similar to whales, they can speak over long distance with each other using infrasound. I can't help but wonder if their infrasonic vocalizations are what contribute to the palpable energetic vibrations I felt, sitting amongst the clusters of elephants in Northern Kenya.

Katy Payne is one of the elephant researchers in Amboseli Park, Kenya, that helped to discover the infrasonic rumbles of elephant communication (along with Joyce Poole and Cynthia Moss) during the late 1980's and early 1990's. She is also an eloquent writer with a passion for the elephants she studied for many years.

In Silent Thunder: In the Presence of Elephants, she shares some facinating stories of what it's like to be in the bush with wild elephants...and one gripping story of an encounter with a lion. Her personal accounts hint of her strong intuitive gifts, where she touches on her precognitive dreams. She stops short of using direct language on some of these topics, which left me longing to hear more of what the real Katy Payne is all about. But I applaud her for bringing up spiritual topics at all. It's unusual for a scientific researcher to make personal revelations. I found it refreshing that she did.

Jaya Schillinger
Matriarch of Sacred Elephants.net Blog

Katy Payne is a wonderful writer with a tremendous talent for integrating life with her research. This book is about elephants, about Katy, about the men and women and societies that she meets in a wonderful pilgrimage. You experience her joys, her sorrows, her love for elephants, her research breakthroughs and the distress of the wildlife situation, especially within Zimbabwe. Katy also has a beautiful talent for gracefully understanding how other societies function and for developing a culturally sensitive learning posture. This is a great book. For those reviewers who want "more pictures," there are thousands in this book that Katy brings to your mind when you READ it. I learned a tremendous amount about elephant behavior/communication, wildlife biology and the lifestyle of a wildlife biologist in this book. Wonderful, wonderful work! Thank you Katy!

FANTASTIC book. Can't believe it's on sale when I bought it for full-price! Definitely the thing for anyone who likes non-fiction. It's totally poignant and fascinating - not an easy combination.

My second-grade students liked the illustrations and the surprise ending. It made a good read aloud. Another winner from Polacco.

This book is good for kids. The person who wrote it has a good imagination. Pay attention to the design of the words on the cover.
I would recommend it to anybody.

I bought this book because the title is my daughter's name , so had to have it. The book itself is OK. I'm not in love with the artwork and the story was pretty basic. At first couldn't tell if it was being told from the elephants perspective or the girls. Finally decided on the elephants. After reading the authors notes I understand the reason for the book. Anyway only bought it because of the title. We read it ofton but not one of our favs.

I am a reading specialist and I shared this book with several classes. They loved it! It is a sweet, fun book.

When I saw this book title I just had to have it for my Granddaughter. Her name is Emma Kate and she is now 6 months old so I guess grandma will enjoy reading it to her until she is old enough to enjoy it herself. And...I loved the ending !

My review title says it all. ... A Christmas present for a wonderful, wonderful person and I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy!!!

Who cares if the king of Laos died 23 years ago or 21 years ago? I was hoping to learn more about the country, history, and people, but this was the wrong book. This guy goes on a crusade that never gripped me; the minor details he mentions in passing were much more interesting than his quest. There must be more interesting books about Laos than this.

Here is a book written by a US journalist based in Vietnam suddenly obsessed by the disappearance of the royal family during the last revolution. It's a sweet little book that suffers for the journalist's attempt to write using more adjectives and longer sentences and for its meandering narrative. Having said this it does make for a pleasant read on the way to a visit of Laos, for example, and as mentioned in one of the other reviews, it is often the side comments that offer the most interesting colour to one's view of Laos.

Upon reading Christopher Kremmer's book, one feels that he has thoroughly researched his information - as is apparent through the numerous interviews he reports throughout - but without sacrificing the novelistic beauty of his writing to a dry academic account. Kremmer is in Laos ostensibly searching for the fate of the last Lao King, who was spirited away by the Communists after the Lao Revolution and whose fate has never been made public. Although this search is the coil around which the book revolves, his many other experiences are bright and brilliant. An Australian, Kremmer's style is low-key and without much of the typical arrogance that might be ascribed to Westerners in developing countries. His conversations with Lao people in the present are seamlessly interwoven with depictions of complex Lao history.

The only criticism I can offer is that Kremmer's focus on the issue of the last king is sometimes neglected. This might be because there is practically no information about the king or the crown prince's fate. However, it was distracting and in the late stages of the book - despite enjoying his adventures for what they were - I was demanding to know what had happened to the royal family. In this sense, the book is like a cliffhanger with no resolution. At the time of publication, there was still no official statement about the Lao royals.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in Laos after the revolution. More than just a search for the last king, Kremmer has written about the country today, the social and economic effects of the revolution, and cultural aspects.

In December, 1975 the Communist Pathet Lao deposed the last king of Laos, the stoic, gentle Savang Vatthana. In March, 1977 the king, his wife,and sons were suddenly spirited away from their palace, never to be seen by the world again. For almost 25 years no one inside or outside Laos seemed to know what happened to them.

Christopher Kremmer, an Australian journalist, was apparently one of the first Westerners admitted to certain parts of Laos since the Communist victory. In this book he describes his determined search to find out what happened to the country's last royal family. His ability --- and luck --- to discover what he did is amazing. Kremmer describes interviews and meetings with Laotians of all walks of life --- communists, royals, returned exiles, business people, peasants --- as he traverses the country. What is really surprising is that he actually gets answers --- and somewhere in those answers may be the truth. I'll say one thing for Kremmer: he is bold with his questions!

In addition, this book is filled with fascinating descriptions of Laos. I'll probably never get to visit Laos, but after having read Kremmer's account of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of that country, I feel like I've already been there. I wish there were more pictures, but the ones included show a beautiful country.

For those fortunate enough to travel to Laos, this would be essential reading before your trip.

I was a child of the 50's in England, and remember singing "Teddy Bear's Picnic" back then. I don't remember seeing a book but sang the song many times as a child. I was thrilled when Green Tiger Press published the book when my son was born in the 80's -- now bought out by Simon & Schuster. I have the original version that came boxed with a cassette tape. I was hoping to buy some for my nieces and nephew's children but updated with a CD. I hope someone gets the word out to the publisher to update it so they can play it in current formats. The song is so lovely, the book is only half of it! In San Diego, the Westgate Hotel periodically does "Teddy Bear's Picnic" teas for children.

Book was packaged properly and was received in great shape and in a timely manor as promised.

I recieved this book as a gift for my son and dont think it will be in our reading rotation. The artwork is disturbing and sort of scarry. If you want to scare your child into not going outside or near the woods then this is the book for you. Otherwise stay away from teddy bear picnic.

nice colorfull illustrations and the song phrases are paired together on a page to allow the reader to allow more time on a single page rather than having to turn pages in the middle of the sentence.

The pictures are enchanting and a source of delightful fascination. They are true to the original written words of the song. There could not be a more perfect marriage of pictures and words. This is truly a treasure to cherish. I wish, however, it was in hardback so it would last longer, as I am sure it will be read to our little granddaughter many times over.

I had read this within a couple of hours of having received it in the mail and probably highlighted about half of it ... it was that helpful! Perhaps I was a bit naive in assuming when I ordered it that it would be written for those who report to the elephant or to one who does not want elephants to be discussed, but was surprised (ultimately pleasantly so) to realize that the book is targeted to leadership. Well worth the investment and a great little resource as a starting point for discussion about (what else) ... elephants in the room!

Important subject, but I do not find this book neither thorough nor providing good overview of the subject.

The book is about big communication problems in organizations, and it is interesting enough in it self.

The graphic design, inclding fonts, colors and paper quality, is horrible, though still readable.

Anyone who has worked in a corporation knows that an elephant is not just an animal with four legs and a trunk -- an elephant is an issue or problem standing in the middle of the room that everyone knows about but no one is willing to acknowledge or deal with. Elephants are "undiscussables" present in every organization. The size and depth of these "undiscussables" are proportional to the vitality of the organization. It's my experience that high-performing, well-functioning companies have cultures in which honest debate is welcomed, assumptions and conclusions are openly mined for their basis in reality, and people are skilled in managing conflict. Unhealthy, dysfunctional organizations almost without exception have many elephants as a hallmark.

In the book "The Thin Book of Naming Elephants--How to Surface Undiscussables for Organizational Success," authors Hammond and Mayfield utilize the chilling report issued by NASA's Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) as a striking case study on organizational culture. The CAIB report concluded that NASA's broken safety culture had as much to do with the accident as the foam, and that the nature of the numerous undiscussables at NASA, the pressures of rigid hierarchy, and many unquestioned assumptions led to the fatal disaster.

While not every organizational elephant can lead to the loss of life or livelihood, the author's brilliantly make the case for a "simple but not easy" component of business's success: dialogue as a core competency. Specifically, they outline clear how-to strategies for achieving the following:
· Speak up and share any concern or idea
· Respectfully disagree or agree to disagree
· Share and debate multiple realities
· Question those in power
· Explore many alternatives before shutting down discussion or making decisions
· Take turns playing devil's advocate or the contrarian

Much of my work involves helping leaders discuss and debate issues in ways that produce shared understanding, informed decisions, and high-quality solutions. I consider "The Thin Book of Naming Elephants" a key textbook in my toolkit, and recommend it for those who simply seek to sharpen their personal communication ability as well as for those actively involved in moving organizational culture.

This is an excellent book about truth-telling in organizations. We've all heard the line about the elephant in the room that everybody sees, but no one talks about. This wonderful little book is filled with guidelines and suggestions for how to overcome organizational resistance to telling it like it is.

The centerpiece of the book is a case study of the NASA Challenger disaster (that's the shuttle that disintegrated over Texas on its re-entry because of a piece of foam that broke off and damaged a wing during take-off). It's a rather chilling story that highlights the stark contrast between NASA's espoused theories of truth-telling and "Safety First" on the one hand, and its culture of not making waves or challenging and embarrassing senior executives, on the other.

The book includes extensive discussion of how and why these "invisible" elephants grow up and thrive inside organizations. More importantly, however, it contains simple, straightforward advice on what to do - how to "name" and then discuss the elephants and their implications.

I particularly liked this brief summary of the core message, on page 32:

"Naming elephants is a three-part process. First, identify what is undiscussable, or name the elephant. Second, surface the underlying assumptions people have about the elephant of the situation. This creates the opportunity to view all the ways people see the reality of the situation (multiple realities). Third, learn how to have constructive dialogue involving Tops, Middles, and Bottoms."

Easier said than done, I know. But if you read this little book cover to cover, you'll be a whole lot better at doing what has to be done. And both you and your organization will be a whole lot more successful.

If you are looking for other books on this topic, I also recommend "The Secret Life of the Corporate Jester: A Fresh Perspective on Organizational Leadership, Culture and Behavior," by David Riveness.

Neo-classical economics traditionally equates a successful or effective organisation with one that is profitable. There are some caveats around this view - can the organisation continue to be profitable over the long term, does its level of profit compare favourably with other similar organisations, and what about those many non-profit organisations where effectiveness is measured by an outcome or public good framework, rather than the bottom line?

If you suspect your organisation may not be as effective as it could be, there may be good cause to intervene in the organisations strategy system to intentionally cultivate more organisational effectiveness, and raise undiscussables. Naming Elephants provides an excellent source and synopsis of why and how anyone who has a stake in the success of the organisation could undertake this intervention, hopefully without being labelled a whistle blower, or suffering from punitive action.

The authors cover a lot of ground, using their own management consultancy experience and the lessons learnt from the reports into the Columbia and Challenger disasters. I especially liked the applicability to my own workplace, of the removal of the normalisation of deviance, the promotion of inclusive dialogue through minimising the 'Smart Talk Trap' and abstract thinking, and that environmental scanning is best done by all.

Great value - Naming Elephants has gone into my workplace Library.

This is a delightful tale of female independence. The mainstream typically views Arab Women as oppressed, and this tale demonstrates that many of them had a significant role in many of the independent movements. It is a short read.

If you want some personal history and perspective of what it was like to be a Moroccan woman during the years of the author's live, this is an excellent introduction.

In the novella Year of the Elephant, author Leila Abouzeid combines two stories into one moving narrative. It is about an older woman who must make a new start in her life. And hers is a life that is tied to the rebirth of a nation. I think Abouzeid has skillfully combined these two elements to create a bittersweet tale of struggle, independence, and sobering realization.
The main character, Zahra, has returned to her childhood home in Meknes, Morocco. She is reeling from a painful divorce. After two decades of marriage, her husband has ignominiously severed their union with a brief note that read, "your papers will be sent to you along with whatever the law provides." These words are the culmination of years of growing disillusionment and estrangement between a husband and wife, between a dream and reality. And these words echo through Zahra's mind as she tries to rebuild her life.
Part of what made the book interesting to me is the background of the story. At the end of World War II, colonies like Morocco struggled for independence. After a violent decade of revolt, the French finally released their grip on the Moroccans and restored its monarchy. It was during this period that the author sets the stage.
I like the fact that Zahra was not an armed combatant in the revolution. She doesn't have a stomach for killing, but is nevertheless dedicated to helping "the cause". Abouzeid, I feel, deliberately avoids being overly gory or melodramatic. I think she wants to focus on Zahra's voice as a Moroccan woman. Zahra contributes by smuggling arms and distributing pamphlets. She is one of those faceless individuals who perform the mundane yet dangerous tasks behind the scenes of a popular uprising. But to Zahra, it means everything. It is an opportunity to help liberate her people. And it is an opportunity to raise the status of women. And it's during this struggle that Zahra meets her husband, a charismatic leader of the resistance.
After the French are driven out of Morocco, Zahra and her husband settle into a comfortable existence. But Zahra isn't content. She realizes that Morocco is still affected by French influence and ideals. Also, opportunities for women didn't really materialize. Her husband embraces these ideals while she longs for a return to a traditional lifestyle. She sees that the new leaders of Morocco have been corrupted by their former rulers. It is a bitter pill to swallow for her and many of her countrymen.
Back in Meknes, the divorced Zahra struggles to survive. She finds solace in the Sheikh, an ageless figure from her past. He is a wise and caring person who teaches her to trust in God. It is an uplifting message that carries her through some dark periods. However, she must confront the reality that as an older woman her options are limited. She faces an uphill battle. It is a battle women throughout the world face.

Year of the Elephant has special meaning for it tells about a woman named Zahra and the struggle for independence of her country, as well as herself. She struggled to retrieve important elements of her culture that were stolen. When the French invaded Morocco they stripped the country of their right to choose language, culture, and freedom to educate in the ways of their land. In addition, the French spent many years putting the Arabic culture down and spreading the idea that it was inferior to the French. Resisters to the French government were thrown in prison where they were tortured and hung.
Zahra had to face many personal struggles. Recently divorce she faced the problem of supporting herself, being shunned by neighbors because she was a divorced woman, and having low self-esteem because her husband abandoned her after 40 years of marriage. All that she has left is a small room left by her father, and she is totally alone without family. What I liked most about this book is the author's poetic way of describing things. After finding her self alone, Zahra visits the burial ground of her dead relatives and makes the statement, "Death seems alluring in it's tranquility." At another time when she is upset over her recent divorce, she reflects on how rotten the world is. She noticed some children playing and makes the statement, "The world is rotting about us, yet people still procreate. ....Children provide proof that God has not yet despaired of the human race." What I did not like about this book is the way the author would switch times; this made the reading hard to interpret. The book shows women's struggled against stereotyping and the fight is harder when you are alone. At the same time , Zahra proved to us that it is during hard times we, as women find strength in ourselves and our divinity. The book has a surprise ending and shows us that the grass is not always greener on the other side.

Set against the background of the Moroccan War of Independence, "Year of the Elephant" tells of one woman's rebirth and her sustaining faith. The title is symbolic of a battle in Islamic history where foreign tribes were defeated in their attempts to ovethrow the Muslims.
The protagonist, Zahra, must find her way back to feeling that she is a worthy human being and not the worthless person she feels like after being discarded by her husband. We learn her story through past and present events that intertwine to give us a complete picture of her struggles with life, her faith and herself.
With the aid of the fiqah, her spiritual guide, Zahra is able to realize that her life has meaning and she has made a great contribution to the fight for freedom. She comes to realize that her faith has been a guiding force throughout her life, and that faith is what willcontinue to guide her as she embarks on a new phase of her life - as an independent woman capable of surviving on her own.
The novella takes us through the highs and lows of Zahra's life as a key player in the fight for freedom and her struggle to re-claim herself. I enjoyed this novella because of the strength of Zahara's character and the theme that women can and should take charge of their lives. This theme is a universal one that appears in novels written by women, and it transcends race, culture, and economic backgrounds. I was able to share in her triumph against obstacles she faced as she looked within and found her true self. I feel this will be appealing to all women who read this novella.
The short stories that follw the novella are a mixture of plots and themes that depict the lives of different individuals. After the uplifting feeling of "Year of the Elephant", the short stories were a let down. The overall theme appears to be one of poverty, despair, and discontent as the characters go about their lives. They are men, women, adn children who seem to find little in life to be happy about adn to some degree seem to find their happiness in their discontent.
I feel it would have been better to expand on the novella and to leave the short stories out, or they could have been published separately. However, the important factor in this translation is that the reader gets to experience the voice of a woman whose life and culture are completely different from that of Western society.