"Once I started this incomparable story, I couldn't put it down, and I cannot get it out of my mind—nor will I ever. The message of what can be accomplished by training through affection and joy will thrill all animal lovers." —Betty White

A captivating true story of loyalty, friendship, and high adventure that spans several decades and three continents, Modoc is one of the most remarkable true stories ever told, perfect for fans of The Zookeeper's Wife or Water for Elephants.

Raised together in a small German circus town, a boy and an elephant formed a bond that would last their entire lives, and would be tested time and again: through a near-fatal shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, an apprenticeship with the legendary Mahout elephant trainers in the Indian teak forests, and their eventual rise to circus stardom in 1940s New York City. As the African Sun-Times put it, Modoc is "heartwarming. . . probably the greatest love story ever told."

Critical Praise

“Heartwarming, captivating...a beautifully true story that will make you think twice about the incredible and very real feelings of elephants, and probably the greatest love story ever told.” - African Sun-Times

“Once I started this incomparable story, I couldn’t put it down, and I cannot get it out of my mind--nor will I ever. The message of what can be accomplished by training through affection and joy will thrill all animal lovers.” - Betty White

“Once in a while, a book comes along to prove that wonderful friendships can occur between the animal kingdom and mankind. Ralph Helfer has done it with Modoc.” - San Antonio Express-News

“A captivating tale.” - Publishers Weekly

When Ralph Helfer, now one of Hollywood's top animal behaviorists, first began working, he was shocked by the cruelty that was accepted practice in the field. He firmly believed in "affection training" -- that love, not fear, should be the basis of any animal's development, even when dealing with the most dangerous of creatures. Then Zamba came into his life -- an adorable four-month-old lion cub that went on to prove Helfer's theories resoundingly correct.

Over the next eighteen years, Zamba would thrive and grow, and go on to star in numerous motion pictures and television shows -- all the while developing a deep and powerful bond of love and affection with the man who raised him. By turns astonishing, hilarious, and poignant, Zamba is not only the unforgettable story of the relationship that Helfer would come to consider one of the most important in his life but also that of the amazing career and adventures of the greatest lion in the world.

Critical Praise

“Wonderful, detailed… amusing… Zamba is a charming read.” - People

“An incredible story of love between man and lion ... moving…. will touch the heart of any animal lover.” - Publishers Weekly

“A warmhearted tale of love between two species.” - Booklist

“Extraordinary ... Beautifully expresses a simple philosophy so many have trouble following: respect for all living creatures, given and returned.” - Kirkus Reviews

“A fascinating book … humorous and touching.” - School Library Journal

From Hollywood animal behaviorist and author of Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant That Ever Lived, Ralph Helfer, comes a surprising behind-the-scenes account of his years working as a trainer to the (four-legged) stars.

In The Beauty of the Beasts, Helfer chronicles the many television programs and films in which his animals appeared, including Charlie's Angels and The Ten Commandments, and the stars he and his animals worked with such as Elvis Presley, Clint Eastwood, Marilyn Monroe, Sonny and Cher, and more.

Complete with a 16-page insert of photos from Helfer, The Beauty of the Beasts is a book about the important role animals play in our lives, and how much less human we would be without them.