The Storm Leopard is an alchemic blend of travel and nature writing that explores the primary dilemma of the 21st century - the conflict of modern lifestyles with the natural environment. This is an account of the author's journey from the Cape to the Serengeti Plains and his search for an answer to the Old Timer, a Kenyan who foretold the end of the wild. Martyn decided on one more trip, but this time without an agenda, without a timetable and without preconceptions: with no purpose other than to know, to feel and to understand. The book is filled with insights of African elephants and antelope, and with portraits of a natural world inhabited by Bushmen, game wardens and scientists. Running through it is an outspoken and highly ethical regard for humankind's relationship with nature. From his first contact with Bushman rock art in the Western Cape, the author is drawn into a spiritual journey as he grapples with the quandary of balancing our lifestyles with protecting the environment. His travelling companion, Stu, a fellow scientist and arch cynic, is nettled by this lack of rationality. Marooned together in their 4A--4, the friction, humour and hardship of their journey carry the reader across the continent from one adventure to another, to the final revelation atop an isolated kopje in the heart of the Serengeti Plains. The Storm Leopard is a unique book that emanates from the author's passionate affair with nature and many years of experience in the field as an ecologist and consultant in conservation - nothing deals with today's environmental issues in the same way.
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This beautifully written book is a study of relationships: Bushmen and their art, elephants and their habitat, zoologists and their study animals, scientists and the environment, the author and his children. Like others who have read this book I was turning pages into the night as the trip unfolded, unaware, at first, that each adventure was but another brushstroke on a far greater canvas. You need to read the book to find out if you agree with the old timer's statement that started this odyssey: "they will all disappear one day. Every single wild place." Amazon UK'
Martyn Murray, author of a new book, The Storm Leopard, is an ecologist who learnt his trade in Africa. He went back to assess the truth of the prediction made by an old Kenyan in the 1970s: "You mark my words, the will all disappear one day. Every single place." What drives modern agriculture and modern development, says Murray, is the foraging strategy adopted by man in the Pleistocene era: killing more than we need to survive. This part of human nature sees biodiversity as a pest. Recently another force has emerged - the human imagination responding to nature, which can both heal the wilderness and make it pay.' The Sunday Times
'Martyn Murray tells an attention-grabbing story. I enjoyed his account of the journey and his comments on conservation, management, hunting and exploitation in the six countries he traversed. ...it is of great interest to those - including laypersons - who would like to know more of the ethics of conservation and it is especially relevant to forest managers in eastern and southern African countries.' International Forestry Review
'...there is something in this book for everyone and it should evoke a response... ...it will appeal most to the generalist reader, especially those new to conservation biology.' Bulletin of the British Ecological Society
'It will give the reader an enjoyable trip across southern Africa, meeting up with other conservationists, rangers and African wildlife.' South African Journal of Wildlife Research
'The narrative is rich in detail and often beautifully descriptive...' Sawubona
'The book is a personal odyssey filled with nostalgia and insights into African wildlife, with portraits of Bushmen, game wardens and scientists interacting with the natural world. ... This book comes highly recommended to anyone interested in Africa's wild places and their continued protection. The cover blurb says it is especial interest to professionals and academics in environmentla ethics, conservation biology, natural resources management and animal ecology. It is all of that, and a damn good read as well.' Environment
'This thought-provoking book... ...the descriptive prose brings to life the landscape and animals surrounding the journey, and gives flavour to the message that Martyn is trying to put across to the reader. It's easy to feel immersed within the text, and develop a desire to see the places described.' Primate Eye
'I enjoyed the book; at times, it was difficult to put down. The descriptions of landscapes, people and animals are evocative and sincere. The book is suitable for readers of all backgrounds; I would particulary recommend it to any individual with an interest in the ethical implications of wildlife research and management.' Ecological Management & Restoration
'The Storm Leopard is an enthralling book. Martyn Murray journeys from the Cape of South Africa to the Serengeti Plains, sampling the mudane and especially the extreme places, and immersing the reader in the richness of Africa. ... Whether researching the dynamics of impala, camping with his soulmates, haggling for a roadworthy jeep, or holding forth on elephant welfare with a wildlife reserve director, Martyn Murray captures the vibes of Africa, its customs and its moods. The Storm Leopard is a sheer joy to read. Congratulations to the publishers Whittles for discovering Martyn Murray - this is nature writing at its finest.' ECOS
Martyn Murray, author of a new book, The Storm Leopard, is an ecologist who learnt his trade in Africa. He went back to assess the truth of the prediction made by an old Kenyan in the 1970s: "You mark my words, the will all disappear one day. Every single place." What drives modern agriculture and modern development, says Murray, is the foraging strategy adopted by man in the Pleistocene era: killing more than we need to survive. This part of human nature sees biodiversity as a pest. Recently another force has emerged - the human imagination responding to nature, which can both heal the wilderness and make it pay.' The Sunday Times
'Martyn Murray tells an attention-grabbing story. I enjoyed his account of the journey and his comments on conservation, management, hunting and exploitation in the six countries he traversed. ...it is of great interest to those - including laypersons - who would like to know more of the ethics of conservation and it is especially relevant to forest managers in eastern and southern African countries.' International Forestry Review
'...there is something in this book for everyone and it should evoke a response... ...it will appeal most to the generalist reader, especially those new to conservation biology.' Bulletin of the British Ecological Society
'It will give the reader an enjoyable trip across southern Africa, meeting up with other conservationists, rangers and African wildlife.' South African Journal of Wildlife Research
'The narrative is rich in detail and often beautifully descriptive...' Sawubona
'The book is a personal odyssey filled with nostalgia and insights into African wildlife, with portraits of Bushmen, game wardens and scientists interacting with the natural world. ... This book comes highly recommended to anyone interested in Africa's wild places and their continued protection. The cover blurb says it is especial interest to professionals and academics in environmentla ethics, conservation biology, natural resources management and animal ecology. It is all of that, and a damn good read as well.' Environment
'This thought-provoking book... ...the descriptive prose brings to life the landscape and animals surrounding the journey, and gives flavour to the message that Martyn is trying to put across to the reader. It's easy to feel immersed within the text, and develop a desire to see the places described.' Primate Eye
'I enjoyed the book; at times, it was difficult to put down. The descriptions of landscapes, people and animals are evocative and sincere. The book is suitable for readers of all backgrounds; I would particulary recommend it to any individual with an interest in the ethical implications of wildlife research and management.' Ecological Management & Restoration
'The Storm Leopard is an enthralling book. Martyn Murray journeys from the Cape of South Africa to the Serengeti Plains, sampling the mudane and especially the extreme places, and immersing the reader in the richness of Africa. ... Whether researching the dynamics of impala, camping with his soulmates, haggling for a roadworthy jeep, or holding forth on elephant welfare with a wildlife reserve director, Martyn Murray captures the vibes of Africa, its customs and its moods. The Storm Leopard is a sheer joy to read. Congratulations to the publishers Whittles for discovering Martyn Murray - this is nature writing at its finest.' ECOS
From the Author
A book trailer and other video clips may be viewed at <mgmsolutions.com/storm_leopard/leopard_video.htm>.
For further information and reviews, please visit my website <mgmsolutions.com/storm_leopard/leopard_home.htm>.
For further information and reviews, please visit my website <mgmsolutions.com/storm_leopard/leopard_home.htm>.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Balancing the needs of the world's wildlife with the demands of an ever-encroaching modern civilisation is a permanent quandary. Especially so when one learns of a remarkable statistic I heard only recently; "There are as many people alive in the world today as ever lived previously!" Just think about that and the effect such a human population must have on Earth's natural resources.
With a PhD from the University of Zimbabwe and, having spent his entire adult life in the study of wildlife, author Martyn Murray, is now a senior advisor to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. For the past 35 years he has been widely published in scientific and academic circles.
Intrigued by the statement of an "old-timer" who predicted that one day every single wild place will disappear, Murray determined to make a personal journey from the Cape to the Serengeti Plains of Africa. As a well-established conservationist and ecologist who's field trips had always involved specific objectives, on this occasion he undertook the journey with no set agenda and an open mind. The results are published in this book and reveal an incredible blend of travel and adventure where conservation is set alongside the views and aspirations of Bushmen, Park Rangers and Scientists. Exposing some incredible snapshots of life in the wild and of the relationship between man and the earth, this book does much to explain what is going on in Africa today in a readable manner all are able to understand and enjoy.
In short, The Storm Leopard is a work which will greatly interest those who work is all aspects of conservation, especially as it provides a means of identifying small insights of significant importance and, thereby, creates a new way of approaching various problems. And yet, at the very same time, the book is a great read as you follow an adventurous journey and share the highs and lows of whatever is encountered.
Altogether, a most worthwhile product.
NM
With a PhD from the University of Zimbabwe and, having spent his entire adult life in the study of wildlife, author Martyn Murray, is now a senior advisor to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. For the past 35 years he has been widely published in scientific and academic circles.
Intrigued by the statement of an "old-timer" who predicted that one day every single wild place will disappear, Murray determined to make a personal journey from the Cape to the Serengeti Plains of Africa. As a well-established conservationist and ecologist who's field trips had always involved specific objectives, on this occasion he undertook the journey with no set agenda and an open mind. The results are published in this book and reveal an incredible blend of travel and adventure where conservation is set alongside the views and aspirations of Bushmen, Park Rangers and Scientists. Exposing some incredible snapshots of life in the wild and of the relationship between man and the earth, this book does much to explain what is going on in Africa today in a readable manner all are able to understand and enjoy.
In short, The Storm Leopard is a work which will greatly interest those who work is all aspects of conservation, especially as it provides a means of identifying small insights of significant importance and, thereby, creates a new way of approaching various problems. And yet, at the very same time, the book is a great read as you follow an adventurous journey and share the highs and lows of whatever is encountered.
Altogether, a most worthwhile product.
NM
By M. Cater
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Its an easy read of a persons journey across africa with the author making some interesting points.
He does seem to believe that pre modern man we lived in harmony with nature/animals - but this is not true.
Its a known fact that Mammoths / Australia's Giant Vertebrates - to name but a few - were all hunted to extinction many thousands of years ago by man.
He does seem to believe that pre modern man we lived in harmony with nature/animals - but this is not true.
Its a known fact that Mammoths / Australia's Giant Vertebrates - to name but a few - were all hunted to extinction many thousands of years ago by man.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Series2
Format:Paperback
This beautifully written book is a study of relationships: Bushmen and their art, elephants and their habitat, zoologists and their study animals, scientists and the environment, the author and his children.
This central but unstated theme of relationships is cleverly explored in the form of an expedition from Cape Town to the Serengeti in East Africa. Enriched with characters that the author has met over the years he spent as a zoologist in Africa, the story of the trip alone is vicarious armchair travelling at its very best. One moment we are darting lions, the next dancing with bushmen in the Kalahari Desert. A few hundred miles on we are discussing elephant habitat conservation and then joining the author on a flashback to his PhD thesis where he caught 300 impala for a behavioral study.
Like others who have read this book I was turning pages into the night as the trip unfolded, unaware, at first, that each adventure was but another brushstroke on a far greater canvas. Slowly collages of awareness drifted into perspective and became woven together by the relationships that infuse the book, the canvas beginning to look more and more like man's giant footprint on the natural world. Is it a shadow that may pass by if humanity learns to communicate with each other? Or is it stamping on the soil of Africa, even grinding it under heel as selfish interests compete with each other? The author provides the canvas and a vision but there is little sermonizing - you need to read the book to find out if you agree with the old timer's statement that started this odyssey: "they will all disappear one day. Every single wild place."
This central but unstated theme of relationships is cleverly explored in the form of an expedition from Cape Town to the Serengeti in East Africa. Enriched with characters that the author has met over the years he spent as a zoologist in Africa, the story of the trip alone is vicarious armchair travelling at its very best. One moment we are darting lions, the next dancing with bushmen in the Kalahari Desert. A few hundred miles on we are discussing elephant habitat conservation and then joining the author on a flashback to his PhD thesis where he caught 300 impala for a behavioral study.
Like others who have read this book I was turning pages into the night as the trip unfolded, unaware, at first, that each adventure was but another brushstroke on a far greater canvas. Slowly collages of awareness drifted into perspective and became woven together by the relationships that infuse the book, the canvas beginning to look more and more like man's giant footprint on the natural world. Is it a shadow that may pass by if humanity learns to communicate with each other? Or is it stamping on the soil of Africa, even grinding it under heel as selfish interests compete with each other? The author provides the canvas and a vision but there is little sermonizing - you need to read the book to find out if you agree with the old timer's statement that started this odyssey: "they will all disappear one day. Every single wild place."
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All Africa and her prodigies
This was a joy to read - engaging, thought-provoking and written with panache - the images leap off the page. I loved the immediacy of the thing. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Pam McInally
5.0 out of 5 stars
More than just a travelogue
At first glance this book is a travelogue about a road trip across souther Africa, from Cape Town, through Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Tanzania. Read more
Published 23 months ago by John Linnell
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The Storm Leopard
I have just finished reading The Storm Leopard (in about 4 sittings, across 2 days), most of the second half of which I hadn't previously read. Previously? Why would I? Read more
Published on 18 May 2011 by JFDerry
4.0 out of 5 stars
Much more than a "travel book"
Entertaining, thought provoking, and also bold in its quiet questioning of some established wildlife conservation beliefs and practices, this book builds up in a kind of... Read more
Published on 21 Nov 2010 by Cinclus cinclus
5.0 out of 5 stars
MrT
I really enjoyed reading this book! It was an entertaining and insightful read and I especially reccommend it to anyone interested in the wild, nature or adventure novels.
Published on 14 Aug 2010 by MrT
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Balance
I read this book in under a week. The author combines a knowledge of ecology and humorous narration about his trip across Africa. Read more
Published on 30 July 2010 by Katie
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