Back to the Bush: Another Year in the Wild

by James Hendry

Back to the Bush: Another Year in the Wild is the tale of a second year at Sasekile Private Game Reserve for Angus MacNaughton, his brother Hugh and the melange of outlandish characters who staff and visit the lodge. Angus’s weekly journal recounts a positive beginning to the year for the MacNaughton bro thers: fastidious Hugh is in love, running his own camp and on the verge of a promotion. Angus is involved in a romantic liaison, which takes the edge off his customary cynicism, and for the first time in their adult lives, a positive fraternal bond exists between them. Inevitably, reality comes calling. Angus’s love affair ends and he copes poorly, Hugh becomes stratospherically arrogant on the back of a promotion and Julia, the MacNaughtons’ sister, starts dating Angus’s nemesis – Alistair ‘The Legend’ Jones. Then there are a series of further ‘hiccups’, from demanding lodge guests and marauding monkeys, to a labour protest, a run-in with a blind-drunk head chef, a winter drought, a rogue elephant that puts staff and guests in danger and the resignation of the sterling head ranger. You are guaranteed to be entertained by the hilarious antics and hard knocks as well as the fierce beauty of the African landscape in Back to the Bush: Another Year in the Wild .

Genres: Travel, Nature, Fiction

394 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2013

Reviews

[Jolandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Once again James Hendry accurately portrayed life at a lodge. I enjoy the antics of the staff, guests and animals. Its been a great book exploring the growth of Angus Mac Naughton.

[Amanda Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angus MacNaughton is back, along with everyone else at Sasekile Private Game Reserve.
Angus and his brother, Hugh seem happy. They both have girlfriends. They’re enjoying their respective jobs – Angus as a game ranger, and Hugh has been promoted to Hospitality Manager of the reserve. They are even talking to each other. But nothing good lasts for too long, not in life, and especially not in great fiction.
Angus’s love affair with Jenny ends. Hugh becomes horribly arrogant, losing his girlfriend, the respect of the staff, and his brother’s support along the way. To make matters worse, their sister, Julia is dating Angus’s nemesis – Alistair ‘The Legend’ Jones. These relationships are set against the backdrop of the beautiful African bush. If you enjoyed the problems in the first novel, you’ll love the new predicaments even more. The guests are as demanding and diverse as ever, and the staff members as entertaining. The animals play their part too, and I will remember, Mitchell, the rogue elephant for a long time.
If you’ve ever been to a game reserve you will relate. If you want to laugh, Hendry’s penetrating prose reveals every nation, including South Africans, in all their imperfect glory. And if you simply want to read good South African fiction, I highly recommend Back to the Bush.

4.5/5

[Sheena BZA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful weekend spent laughing out loud with this delightful book. Being the sequel to the author's first book about Angus and his brother Hugh "A Year in the Wild", I was hoping for a good one and it did not fail to deliver. The writing is easy, the plot is hysterical at times and interesting throughout. I am not going to review the characters or character development as I believe it would be best for you to read the first book and move onto this one, "Back to the Bush". The antics and happenings are more imaginative than reality allows and author licence has definitely being taken in many areas however it is a delightful, interesting and funny book. While it does stand on its own, it is just so much funnier to read after the first book. I looked for a light, almost frivolous book which would not require focus or too much attention to detail to be attached to a weekend puppy sitting brand new puppies...it was a perfect match!

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE James and his writing. This book was probably better than the first, not because of the content, but the format of the story was from the perspective of Angus, and not a correspondence of emails, like the first. I laughed a lot and even cried a few times. It’s light and sucks you into the storyline. I really love that, although it’s fiction, the places (restaurants, neighborhoods, etc...) are real to the Bush and Joburg, so you can imagine exactly where the characters are. I especially loved his reference of khaki fever. I haven’t heard that for a while and it made me chuckle!

[Elaine Vandenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully fun read!

Having experienced James live on the wonderful production of Wild Earth’s Safari Live broadcasts on U Tube, I really found his books just as entertaining and fun to read. He’s a wonderful writer who captures life in the bush as it can truly be.

[Dozer Carinus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Book

Wow, I read the first book and thought It couldn’t get better but then you read “Back to the bush” and get transformed back to the bush and into an amazing life we all feel we a part of. I can’t wait for number 3…!

[Rachel Van Duyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My absolutely favorite book! Best book series I’ve gotten my hands on, couldn’t put it down the moment I started reading it.

[Judy Tomkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, the humour, the sarcasm and the wildlife. I loved the rivalry between the two brothers and had empathy for the “peacemaker” sister.

[Colleen Gregory-christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back to the Bush

This book as well as Mr Hendry's first book A Year in the Wild were brilliant. I cried a little and laughed until my sides hurt.

[Linda J. Polley]

It's a wonderful book! The chararacters are so believable. Lots of action, adventure and even a little romance thrown in. Highly recommended!

[Barbara Mayers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another very amusing and light-hearted story about Hugh and Angus and their second year in the bush. For lovers of the bush and all its excitement, it's a must read.

[Chantele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book in the series and it does not disappoint! Read on people 🙌🏻

[Jessica Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful year in SA! Listening to this as an audiobook is a MUST unless you're a native of South Africa and can properly read/understand all the names and such.

[Lisa Borges · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny sweet terrific

[Lakota Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading James Henry's Back to the Bush at 2am despite having to be up for work at 6am! That should tell you how much I loved this second instalment of the McNaughton brothers.

Hendry has a writing style I really enjoyed- sharp, drier than the Sahara humour, with the ability to set the scene enough to feel you are really there without being overly descriptive and flowery.

Made me want to book a weekend in the bush- and at points, I swear I could hear the cicadas!

Loved it

[Tessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read James' first book a few months ago, so was very excited to buy the second so quickly. I loved this second story as much as I loved the first one. The characters are well established, the humour beautifully clever, and again, the description of the bush created a beautiful backdrop.
I do hope there will be another installment - soon!

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angus and Hugh are back at Sasekile Private Game Reserve for another year. this book is written in a series of journal entries from Angus. James is an excellent writer and I hope he writes another book about Angus in the future. I watch James on WildEarth's SafariLive and he is a great guy.

[Liam Humphries · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of the same... And if you read and enjoyed the first book you will know this is a good thing. Thoroughly enjoyed it and hope there is book 3 in the pipeline

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!