Peter Beard lived on land adjoining the farm of Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) in Kenya. There he began a special relationship with Karen and with the people and animals of the continent. Here he documents the history and future of African wildlife, focusing on the widespread destruction of the African elephant. Beard will be the subject of an ABC TV special this spring.

Beard has written an engrossing book that is part history and part travelogue; throughout, it is a paen to Africa. Black-and-white photographs make up the bulk of the book. In trying to make us understand the depth of the tragedy that has transformed Africa, Beard presents many gruesome and shocking photographs. Originally published in 1965 and updated in 1977, this work is essentially a reprint of the latter edition. A new afterword has been appended, but the remainder of the book is unchanged. For libraries that do not own the 1977 edition, Beard presents a lively, vivid account of European and American intrusion into Africa; others may wish to replace heavily used copies. Essential for any African collection.