Rating: 
Summary: Reader Beware
Review: As a general read about African wildlife and people living in the wild researching the wildlife, this is a wonderful story. The Owens are good storytellers, have a fluency of style to their writing, and plenty of anecdotes to relate and entertain.
But it's pretty sickening when they brag that they set up camp in Botswana without the government's permission ("They'll find us there soon enough" -- although the Owens never do explain how they got around the government afterwards). They also openly admit they were unprepared for the hardships of life in wild Botswana, that they knowingly drove through monsoonal floods in an inadequate vehicle, ditto driving straightacross the salt pans (where their tracks will remain for hyndreds of years, if they don't hit a spot in the pan that swallows them up. So much for conservation.) The fact that the Owens lasted so long is due to good fortune triumphing over stupidity.
Deception Valley is now on the tourist itinerary. I've been to other parts of the Kalahari, and can testify that their descriptions are accurate. Read and enjoy, but you would do much better with Beverly Joubert, Pieter Kat, Cynthia Moss, and a host of other more responsible "wild" researchers who can also tell a good story.
Rating: 
Summary: A must read for anyone visiting anywhere in Africa
Review: Excellent insight into the social systems of animals -- which are not so far removed from our own. A must read for those doing any type of safari or viewing of animals and people in Africa. Writing style is easy, their adventure is interesting and the book helps transport you into the wild.
Rating: 
Summary: Authors used their hearts to put you in the bush
Review: Follow the path of two dedicated zoologists as they literally fend for their lives and those of the creatures they study. This is an excellent account of the hardships and necessary sacrifices that research scientists face. Mark and Delia are an inspiration to any young biologist. This book delves into the emotional and provocative side of science that is not displayed in scientific journals. If only we could get our world leaders to read this book...
Rating:
Summary: How depressing, how inspiring!
Review: Follow the path of two dedicated zoologists as they literally fend for their lives and those of the creatures they study. This is an excellent account of the hardships and necessary sacrifices that research scientists face. Mark and Delia are an inspiration to any young biologist. This book delves into the emotional and provocative side of science that is not displayed in scientific journals. If only we could get our world leaders to read this book...
Rating:
Summary: An exciting read!
Review: I can't say enough good things about this book. It is entertaining, exciting, educational and above all a testament to why we need to respect and preserve animals.
Rating:
Summary: I learned a lot from this book
Review: I learned a lot from the book Cry of the Kalahari. I learned about animal behavior and their reactions to humans. I also learned that nature and its animals are to be enjoyed by learning about them.
Rating:
Summary: It made me laugh, cry and THINK!
Review: I listened to the book on tape. This amazing tale of life and death on the Kalihari not only opened my eyes to animal and environmental problems in Africa, it made me care. I laughed over the birds, and the cubs -- I cried when Bones died and the wildabreast suffered so -- and I had an anxiety attack when Delia went in the Hyena den. I can hardly believe this was true story -- but that fact makes it all the more amazing! What an wonderful book! I will read the other books by the Owens!
Rating:
Summary: Read while in the Kalahari
Review: I took this book with me on my own exploration into this great desert and was inspired by the book's wonderful decriptions and insights. Now, I simply re-read the book everytime I need to visit Africa in my mind. For those people who wish to explore and experience (non-tourist) Africa this is a great place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Good read
Review: Mark and Delia Owens do an excellent job in telling a story but their work is not accepted by international conservation thinkers. They try to defend wildlife at all costs which eventually leads to resentment of villagers towards wildlife and thus no incentive to protect it. Thr Owenses are no longer allowed into the democratic country of Botswana. And I don't blame Botswana. I was offended at how they portrayed the Tswana (the dominant ethnic group of Botswana) as nothing but a threat to wildlife. Cry of the Kalahari gives the impression that the Tswana and the bushmen of the Kalahari have no right to use the resources of their land and should be dislocated elsewhere. Their discription of the wildebeast fencing problem in inaccurate. They were not the first to report it as they claimed and in fact they never did a formal study of the fencing problem before they screamed out to the international community for help. Turns out fences help wildlife as well as hurt is by keeping cattle out of protected zones and thus free buffalo, wildebeasts and others from having to compete with them. The Owenses do an excellent job describing wildlife and tell a captivating story but they take a step backwards in trying to conserve the animals they love. By giving the impression that all cattle, all people and all development is evil they propogate the myths of Africa that many more enlightened Botswana park service officials have been trying to dispell.
Rating:
Summary: A+ Wildlife, F- Conservation
Review: Mark and Delia Owens do an excellent job in telling a story but their work is not accepted by international conservation thinkers. They try to defend wildlife at all costs which eventually leads to resentment of villagers towards wildlife and thus no incentive to protect it. Thr Owenses are no longer allowed into the democratic country of Botswana. And I don't blame Botswana. I was offended at how they portrayed the Tswana (the dominant ethnic group of Botswana) as nothing but a threat to wildlife. Cry of the Kalahari gives the impression that the Tswana and the bushmen of the Kalahari have no right to use the resources of their land and should be dislocated elsewhere. Their discription of the wildebeast fencing problem in inaccurate. They were not the first to report it as they claimed and in fact they never did a formal study of the fencing problem before they screamed out to the international community for help. Turns out fences help wildlife as well as hurt is by keeping cattle out of protected zones and thus free buffalo, wildebeasts and others from having to compete with them. The Owenses do an excellent job describing wildlife and tell a captivating story but they take a step backwards in trying to conserve the animals they love. By giving the impression that all cattle, all people and all development is evil they propogate the myths of Africa that many more enlightened Botswana park service officials have been trying to dispell.
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