Ralph Helfer adopts a four-month lion cub, rescued near the Zambezi River and raises him in California using affection training, rather than punishment training. Helfer's backstory, born poor in Chicago, moving to California, growing up in an apartment building with Carol Burnett as a friend, working in pet stores, eventually building a business caring for and providing "wild" animals for TV/motion picture production. Zamba is perhaps best known as the Dreyfus Funds mascot, but starred in many movies too. A must read for lion lovers, up there with the Born Free trilogy by Joy Adamson and The Lion King. The anecdotes were emotional: Zamba meeting a blind woman, Zamba's close brush with death and blindness, surviving a freak snowstorm, Zamba's working vacation to Africa. Unlike other GR reviewers, I did not find the book preachy: I was too vested in Zamba's life history and co-existence with people. ( )

This is Ralph Helfer’s memoir of raising and working with the lion he rescued as a young cub, Zamba, who became possibly the most famous lion and a leading Hollywood star.

I’m not a great animal lover, but I was interested and engaged in most of this memoir. I particularly liked some of the stories Helfer told of how he trained Zamba (and other animals in his care) using affection rather than fear and physical punishment. There are scenes of humor and tenderness, and some rather frightening scenarios as well.

I did find Helfer a bit preachy at times. Still, I applaud the way that he changed the minds of many animal “trainers” about the best techniques to use; but worry that a casual reader might not recognize the extremely hard work this is and decide to try to “sleep with my pet tiger” as Helfer frequently slept with Zamba. ( )

Ralph Helfer always dreamed of working with animals. From his beginnings as an assistant in a small pet store, he worked his way up to owning his own establishment, a ranch full of exotic animals which he trained and performed with in movies, commercials and other productions. Helfer believed that it was safer and more humane to train animals with affection, communication and trust rather than the fear, domination and force commonly used on large exotic beasts (like lions and tigers in circuses) at the time. He got his chance to prove his methods when a friend brought home a four-month old lion cub from Africa. Named Zamba, the lion was raised in Helfer's home (he even shared his bed!) and their bond of love and trust was complete. Zamba was the only lion trustworthy enough to perform in films with child actors. His remarkable story unfolds smoothly in these pages, full of laughs as well as sad moments. Zamba was a really easy read. I finished it in a few days. I only wish I could have read more about training methods used to teach Zamba his special commands, rather than all the gushing about how much the guy loved his lion.

from the Dogear Diary ( )

I loved this story! This book follows the life of a lion named Zamba and his caretaker and trainer Ralph Helfer. Zamba truly was the greatest lion that ever lived. ( )

This is such a nice story!!! I loved it. I am always a sucker for true stories about animals and this one is one of the better. ( )