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Cathedral of the Wild
- An African Journey Home
- Narrated by: Boyd Varty
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
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Summary
“This is a gorgeous, lyrical, hilarious, important book.... Read this and you may find yourself instinctively beginning to heal old wounds: in yourself, in others, and just maybe in the cathedral of the wild that is our true home.” (Martha Beck, author of Finding Your Own North Star)
Boyd Varty had an unconventional upbringing. He grew up on Londolozi Game Reserve in South Africa, a place where man and nature strive for balance, where perils exist alongside wonders. Founded more than 80 years ago as a hunting ground, Londolozi was transformed into a nature reserve beginning in 1973 by Varty’s father and uncle, visionaries of the restoration movement. But it wasn’t just a sanctuary for the animals; it was also a place for ravaged land to flourish again and for the human spirit to be restored. When Nelson Mandela was released after 27 years of imprisonment, he came to the reserve to recover.
Cathedral of the Wild is Varty’s memoir of his life in this exquisite and vast refuge. At Londolozi, Varty gained the confidence that emerges from living in Africa. "We came out strong and largely unafraid of life," he writes, "with the full knowledge of its dangers." It was there that young Boyd and his equally adventurous sister learned to track animals, raised leopard and lion cubs, followed their larger-than-life uncle on his many adventures filming wildlife, and became one with the land. Varty survived a harrowing black mamba encounter, a debilitating bout with malaria, even a vicious crocodile attack, but his biggest challenge was a personal crisis of purpose. An intense spiritual quest takes him across the globe and back again - to reconnect with nature and "rediscover the track".
Cathedral of the Wild is a story of transformation that inspires a great appreciation for the beauty and order of the natural world. With conviction, hope, and humor, Varty makes a passionate claim for the power of the wild to restore the human spirit.
Praise for Cathedral of the Wild
“Extremely touching... a book about growth and hope.” (The New York Times)
“It made me cry with its hard-won truths about human and animal nature.... Both funny and deeply moving, this book belongs on the shelf of everyone who seeks healing in wilderness.” (BookPage)
Critic reviews
What listeners say about Cathedral of the Wild
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- Amazon Customer
- 10-02-23
Heartfelt, moving, spiritual and hilarious
I have heard Boyd on many podcasts (secret stalker fan girl). His lilting wondrous accent combined with the extremely vulnerable and exceptional wise thoughts in this book are literally honey. Boyd's immense storytelling talent had me laughing out load and crying (sometimes at surprising moments) in almost equal measure. I would love an audio version of The Lion Tracker's Guide to life, but for now I will keep hearing his voice in my head while recommending this book to anyone who spends time talking to me and dreaming of visiting Londolozi while walking my own Savanna. Got to the end and started it again...🙈😁, I dare you not to be moved by this book.
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- Simon
- 07-06-23
Transportive, emotive and meaningful
Excellent book full of wonderful description, exciting events and good humour. Well read by the author himself.
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- S. Partridge
- 09-06-24
An Inspiring Story
I loved listening to Boyd’s story. Such an important story for our time and so well told. I laughed out loud and was gripped all the way through by all the amazing stories, especially those involving animals. Most of all I was inspired by this tale of healing a vast piece of land and of his own and his family’s healing. I can thoroughly recommend it.
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- Anonymous User
- 27-09-23
Loved it.
I loved everything about it, especially since he read it himself. 1000000000/10 excellent 👌
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- Talitha Kotze
- 14-10-23
It deserves a thousand stars
This is a really special book. As soon as I started listening to Cathedral of the Wild, it became a priority. I was captivated by the story telling and the author’s sharing of his life story is deeply moving, funny and pressing in its underlying message: live life to the full. I am truly grateful for the impeccable timing of this book turning up in my life. I would recommend it to anyone waking up to their own yearning for the Wild. It deserves a thousand stars.
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- Anonymous User
- 08-03-24
A master storyteller. An authentic story of hope.
Every laugh I made and tear I shed is testament to Boyd's ability as a storyteller. A prime example of what a reading by the author can further lift a great work. A top 3 listen for me.
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- Rico
- 25-08-24
Inspiring and moving
Easy to listen to and to get hook up for more. Short enough to listen to on a lazy Saturday.
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