A Lion Called Christian: The True Story of the Remarkable Bond Between Two Friends and a Lion

In 2008 an extraordinary two-minute film clip appeared on YouTube and immediately became an international phenomenon. It captures the moving reunion of two young men and their pet lion Christian, after they had left him in Africa with Born Frees George Adamson to introduce him into his rightful home in the wild.

A Lion Called Christian tells the remarkable story of how Anthony “Ace” Bourke and John Rendall, visitors to London from Australia in 1969, bought the boisterous lion cub in the pet department of Harrods. For several months, the three of them shared a flat above a furniture shop on Londons Kings Road, where the charismatic and intelligent Christian quickly became a local celebrity, cruising the streets in the back of a Bentley, popping in for lunch at a local restaurant, even posing for a fashion advertisement. But the lion cub was growing upfastand soon even the walled church garden where he went for exercise wasnt large enough for him. How could Ace and John avoid having to send Christian to a zoo for the rest of his life? A coincidental meeting with English actors Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers, stars of the hit film Born Free, led to Christian being flown to Kenya and placed under the expert care of “the father of lions” George Adamson. Incredibly, when Ace and John returned to Kenya to see Christian a year later, they received a loving welcome from their lion, who was by then fully integrated into Africa and a life with other lions.

Originally published in 1971, and now fully revised and updated with more than 50 photographs of Christian from cuddly cub in London to magnificent lion in Africa, A Lion Called Christian is a touching and uplifting true story of an indelible human-animal bond. It is is destined to become one of the great classics of animal literature.

Over the past six months, more than 44 million people have seen the video clip of Christian the Lion's reunion with Ace Bourke and John Rendall on YouTube. The story of the men who adopted the lion cub from Harrods, lived with him in London, then released him into a free life in Kenya with the help of Father of Lions George Adamson has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide.

A Lion Called Christian is the definitive account of Christian's life, written by the men who raised him. From their early days in London, riding around town with a lion cub in the back of their car to their time spent with George Adamson working to reintegrate Christian into the wild, to their heartwarming reunion with their beloved friend and the bittersweet story of the last time they saw him, this fully revised and updated edition of their 1971 memoir will bring new light to Christian's unique and unexpected story. Illustrated with over 40 photographs--many of them never-before-published--A Lion Called Christian is sure to be the must-read book of the year for anyone who has ever known and loved an animal.

ANTHONY “ACE” BOURKE is one of Australias leading art curators. He lives in Sydney. JOHN RENDALL is a member of the Royal Geographic Society and a trustee of the George Adamson Trust. He divides his time between London and Sydney.