Return To Eden: A New Look at Old Relationships–Man, Animal and God

by Dean Harrison

Return To Eden is a safari in which there is a beginning, but no visible end. It is a look from the eyes of animals, not from the perspective of man, a world where instiincts rule and good feelings are a result of good principles learned, understood and practiced for a life time. It is the opportunity to crossover into the wild and learn the lessons of survival in decision making in our own lives. It is a chance to leave our humanity and enlarge our scope of thinking to find out who we really are.

Genres: Nonfiction

171 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1998

Reviews

[Clay Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the people and how they interacted with the animals in their care.

[Elissa Cray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great insight on wild cats & awesome pictures of them.

[Sherrie Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man of faith takes you on a journey of life with and for wild animals.

[Linette · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pictures in this book are priceless and the relationships depicted within rate a 5-star. It's great read for people who love big cats and wildlife and human interaction with the aforementioned. I was slightly disheartened to learn that their "starter" cats were rarely rescue cats. The religious theme is prevalent, not subtle undertones. I enjoyed reading the lessons learned from living with the cats. The lessons Dean presents were well thought-out and applicable to all readers.

However, the book was not extremely well written and was not a page-turner because it was "heavier" subject matter. I will return to Out of Africa many times and recommend the park to EVERYONE. They take wonderful care of their wild creatures.

[Helen Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return to Eden definitely gave a closer look at big cats and other animals. It showed hints of thinking and love among the animals. As the evidence revealed itself, the author gave amazing stories of his experience of living with big cats, like tigers and lions. The writing was not captivating all the times. Sometimes, it was difficult to understand. However, I could comprehend a majority of it. I liked learning about the big cats and their relationship with the author. I wished the book included even more stories about his experience, though. Also, there were some information I never knew before. One’s thought about animals could be altered positively after reading.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an autobiography of the adventures of the owner of Out of Africa, a big cat sanctuary in Camp Verde, AZ. Very good story telling by the author! He also offers up tons of advice and things we can learn from big cats. It made me think a little differently about my relationship with my animals. He does some recruiting for Christianity towards the end as well, but even if that is a turn off for you, the rest of the book is still very worth the read.

[Stacy Mantle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written by a couple who understand that owning big cats is not a game. While their beginning with cats may have been less than optimal, they share their (sometimes difficult) lessons with all in an honest, open story. The end results in a beautiful sanctuary for animals of all species and a renewed commitment to educating everyone on the reasons you should never "own" wild animals.

[Melissa Jill · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did enjoy the storytelling and photos in this book. It was a fun window into a very different life than I've had -- living among lions and tigers. The book could have used some good editing though -- at times it felt like it was just written in a stream of consciousness and left that way. The writing wasn't great but I appreciate what the author shared of his life in this book.