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The Dolphin Who Saved Me
"An inspiring book about love in its purest form."—JANE GOODALL, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace
With the heartwrenching vulnerability of The Glass Castle and the spiritual journey of H is for Hawk, this stunning debut memoir tells the story of a traumatized young woman's friendship with an injured dolphin whose habitat she fights to save.
When Melody Horrill arrived at university she was a troubled and lost young woman, hiding behind a carefully crafted exterior. She had experienced a childhood of emotional and physical trauma mainly at the hands of her violent father that was as damaging as it was brutal.
One day Melody volunteered to help her lecturer monitor pods of river dolphins nearby. There for the first time she encountered Jock, a solitary dolphin with a maimed fin, who lived apart from the highly social pods. Melody was to form a bond with Jock that gave her the key to freeing herself from the demons of her own past, and their extraordinary friendship was the start of a long-term mission to try to save the river dolphins.
Beautifully written and filled with insight and compassion, Melody's memoir details her life-changing friendship with the river dolphins, and how Jock helped her to heal.
With the heartwrenching vulnerability of The Glass Castle and the spiritual journey of H is for Hawk, this stunning debut memoir tells the story of a traumatized young woman's friendship with an injured dolphin whose habitat she fights to save.
When Melody Horrill arrived at university she was a troubled and lost young woman, hiding behind a carefully crafted exterior. She had experienced a childhood of emotional and physical trauma mainly at the hands of her violent father that was as damaging as it was brutal.
One day Melody volunteered to help her lecturer monitor pods of river dolphins nearby. There for the first time she encountered Jock, a solitary dolphin with a maimed fin, who lived apart from the highly social pods. Melody was to form a bond with Jock that gave her the key to freeing herself from the demons of her own past, and their extraordinary friendship was the start of a long-term mission to try to save the river dolphins.
Beautifully written and filled with insight and compassion, Melody's memoir details her life-changing friendship with the river dolphins, and how Jock helped her to heal.
295 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 26, 2023
About the author
Melody Horrill
6 books7 followersMelody Horrill is an award-winning journalist, presenter, and documentary producer, with more than 20 years' experience in broadcast media both in Australia and overseas.
A familiar face on TV in South Australia, she is well-known for her passionate writing and filming about the wild dolphins in the Port River. Her documentary A Dance with a Dolphin was broadcast across Australia on Network 10 and around the globe on CNN, with Melody presenting it from the US. It was one of three documentaries she produced for the 10 Network.
Melody is well known for her work as a senior science and environment reporter for ABC News, Channel 9 News, Channel 10 News and Channel 7 News and across the globe for the CNN World Report. She also presented the weekday weather for Channel 7 in Adelaide for almost 10 years.
In the mid 90’s Melody quit her first full time job to co-create a charity aimed at raising awareness about Adelaide’s unique dolphins. This work led to the formation of Australia’s first Dolphin Sanctuary in the Port River, SA. She continues lobbying for the protection of Adelaide’s dolphins even though she now lives in Melbourne.
A familiar face on TV in South Australia, she is well-known for her passionate writing and filming about the wild dolphins in the Port River. Her documentary A Dance with a Dolphin was broadcast across Australia on Network 10 and around the globe on CNN, with Melody presenting it from the US. It was one of three documentaries she produced for the 10 Network.
Melody is well known for her work as a senior science and environment reporter for ABC News, Channel 9 News, Channel 10 News and Channel 7 News and across the globe for the CNN World Report. She also presented the weekday weather for Channel 7 in Adelaide for almost 10 years.
In the mid 90’s Melody quit her first full time job to co-create a charity aimed at raising awareness about Adelaide’s unique dolphins. This work led to the formation of Australia’s first Dolphin Sanctuary in the Port River, SA. She continues lobbying for the protection of Adelaide’s dolphins even though she now lives in Melbourne.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 4, 2023
‘I know that words have weight and stories can change the world - and that is one of the reasons why I have decided to write this book. I have always been passionate about protecting marine life..’
Melody Horrill is a journalist, an award winning broadcaster and a campaigner for dolphins. At 6 years old she was living in Cornwall with her family, her abusive father …This is the story of how she overcame personal trauma to find connection and purpose through contact with dolphins - one in particular, Jock..
This book weaves together two stories. In Australia Melody is assisting her University professor, Mike, to observe a pod of river dolphins. One of the dolphins has been named Jock. He has been disfigured, entangled in discarded nets and fishing lines..he swims alone. Scenes of Melody interacting with Josh, observing dolphins are interspersed with the disturbing timeline of her childhood and early adulthood. Her parents are mismatched, violent and physical with each other and their children live in an atmosphere of constant tension and police visits. Melody’s father rejected her, believing her to be someone else’s and her Mother’s attention rarely seems to be focused on her children. As Melody forms early attachments to animals, a cat, a horse..these are taken from her..
This is an utterly beautiful book. There is darkness, the brutality of humans towards each other and towards animals, but there is so much hope and positivity. The way the author weaves the two timelines together helps to mediate the darkness. Dolphins have long been beloved of humans, with their cheery personalities, and this book is full of fascinating observation and detail about their lives and habits. And there are some beautiful photos. We learn alongside the author ploughing up and down the rivers. On the one hand this is about overcoming domestic violence and trauma and one the other a parallel search for protections for dolphins battling the effects of humanity which pollutes their waters and attacks
The writing is lucid, deeply personal and intimate and I flew through these pages. I felt I knew this family, that I had watched Jock swimming along his stretch of the water. I am a huge believer in what we can learn from animals and sadly this is being lost in a world in which humans are corrupting nature…This eloquent account is a powerful reminder of what we can learn and what we must learn and preserve before it is too late…
They showed me the beautiful simplicity of living in the moment, accepting what is, forgiving what isn’t and acknowledging what will never be. Connection with the natural world also helped me find a purpose , a path and passion…’
February 14, 2024
Anyone who has ever enjoyed watching dolphins swim in a river or the ocean will be entertained by Melody Horrill’s book “The Dolphin Who Saved Me.”
The book is presented on two levels and Horrill manages to weave the two stories into one coherent book. One story focuses with Melody’s relationship with a dolphin by the name of Jock who lives in Australia’s Port River. The second story deals with the author’s difficult childhood living with an abusive father. These two stories are alternatingly presented to the reader to provide a deeper understanding of dolphins in general and how Horrill was able to overcome her early setbacks in life.
The book deals with some difficult subjects ranging from the death of Jock as well as the assault by her father who ultimately commits suicide after a prison sentence. Despite all this, Horrill manages to find a bright side of this story by explaining her role in the creation of Australia’s first dolphin sanctuary which the public generously supports.
Some readers may be repelled by the author’s graphic description of her difficult and sometimes violent past. However, Horrill manages to overcome these obstacles and by doing so may offer hope to those in similar circumstances.
Above all, for readers who love and respect dolphins this is a memorable book because it raises some difficult questions about how we treat these incredibly intelligent animals.
The book is presented on two levels and Horrill manages to weave the two stories into one coherent book. One story focuses with Melody’s relationship with a dolphin by the name of Jock who lives in Australia’s Port River. The second story deals with the author’s difficult childhood living with an abusive father. These two stories are alternatingly presented to the reader to provide a deeper understanding of dolphins in general and how Horrill was able to overcome her early setbacks in life.
The book deals with some difficult subjects ranging from the death of Jock as well as the assault by her father who ultimately commits suicide after a prison sentence. Despite all this, Horrill manages to find a bright side of this story by explaining her role in the creation of Australia’s first dolphin sanctuary which the public generously supports.
Some readers may be repelled by the author’s graphic description of her difficult and sometimes violent past. However, Horrill manages to overcome these obstacles and by doing so may offer hope to those in similar circumstances.
Above all, for readers who love and respect dolphins this is a memorable book because it raises some difficult questions about how we treat these incredibly intelligent animals.
October 11, 2023
This is a beautifully written but heart-wrenching story which focusses on two contrasting periods of the authors life. The brutality of human nature and the calm, simplicity of the animal kingdom.
Melody had had a terribly traumatic childhood. With an abusive father and a mother who didn't care for her.
At her lowest point she arrives at university, where her life begins to take shape.
When she offers to help her professor to monitor a pod of dolphins and meets the lonely, maimed dolphin they named Jock, an unusual bond and friendship begins which helps them both.
This book held some real darkness in the telling of Melody's early days - it always amazes me that these things happen and that people can be so, so brutal, especially when these are the people you are meant to be able to trust the most and who should be taking care of you!
These sections were dark and chaotic, showing just how harmful this period of life had been.
I'm so pleased that this story was told with interweaving the early years story with the period of time spent healing and forming that cruscial bond with Jock.
This relived some of the tension of the darkness and lightened it effectively.
I adored the the authors descriptions of the bond and friendship formed with Jock.
It's well known that animals can pick up on human feelings, emotions and moods and that they can be responsive to this and help to calm and heal.
This is a perfect example of this in action.
It is clear from the writing that this is a personal experience and it evokes similar feelings in you as you read.
An emotional journey, but one filled with hope and healing.
A really enjoyable read.
Melody had had a terribly traumatic childhood. With an abusive father and a mother who didn't care for her.
At her lowest point she arrives at university, where her life begins to take shape.
When she offers to help her professor to monitor a pod of dolphins and meets the lonely, maimed dolphin they named Jock, an unusual bond and friendship begins which helps them both.
This book held some real darkness in the telling of Melody's early days - it always amazes me that these things happen and that people can be so, so brutal, especially when these are the people you are meant to be able to trust the most and who should be taking care of you!
These sections were dark and chaotic, showing just how harmful this period of life had been.
I'm so pleased that this story was told with interweaving the early years story with the period of time spent healing and forming that cruscial bond with Jock.
This relived some of the tension of the darkness and lightened it effectively.
I adored the the authors descriptions of the bond and friendship formed with Jock.
It's well known that animals can pick up on human feelings, emotions and moods and that they can be responsive to this and help to calm and heal.
This is a perfect example of this in action.
It is clear from the writing that this is a personal experience and it evokes similar feelings in you as you read.
An emotional journey, but one filled with hope and healing.
A really enjoyable read.
September 29, 2023
This is a true story, told by Melody Horrill. Melody Horrill grow Upon a violent and traumatic childhood. Melody’s father was a brutal, violent man, that took t out on her mother. When Melody went to university she was at her lowest she had ever been. Melody volunteered to help her tutor to monitor a pod of river dolphins in Pot River Adelaide. Jock one of the dolphin’s wasn’t as sociable as the others in his pod, he was a solitary dolphin, he had a damaged fin. It wasn’t long before Jock and Melody made a connection, this is where the story really begins. With the help from Jock, Melody soon started to face her demons and what had gone on in her childhood, facing her emotions. The bond that was made between Melody and Jock shows how much animals feel and help humans. I found this a beautiful story, how you can be at your lowest and still come through it, with the help from a friend.
January 28, 2024
Audio Listen 🎧 not my favorite audio reader
What a tragic and heroic story where we weave in and out of Melody Horrill’s life! Growing up in an abusive household where her mother and father physically fought and her and her brother witnessed regularly! Her father verbally abused towards her and a mother too scarred to understand her daughter’s impact to the life she was being raised in! ultimately made her hide a carefully crafted exterior. After a lot of challenges she did manage to get her education and onto university, where she then had the opportunity to help monitor pods of river dolphins. She forms a very close connection with Jock with a maimed fin! Those bond would mold Melody to find strength through her own life challenges and find strength to free from past demons
What a tragic and heroic story where we weave in and out of Melody Horrill’s life! Growing up in an abusive household where her mother and father physically fought and her and her brother witnessed regularly! Her father verbally abused towards her and a mother too scarred to understand her daughter’s impact to the life she was being raised in! ultimately made her hide a carefully crafted exterior. After a lot of challenges she did manage to get her education and onto university, where she then had the opportunity to help monitor pods of river dolphins. She forms a very close connection with Jock with a maimed fin! Those bond would mold Melody to find strength through her own life challenges and find strength to free from past demons
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews