LA JOLLA, Calif. - s4story -- On the Grumeti Reserve in the Serengeti, Susan Beilby Magee encountered a lion walking through the bush. She greeted him silently and received a question:

"Susan. You are a blessing to us. Will you write a book about us? Will you share our messages with other humans?"

Magee answered, "Yes, I will."

On August 10, World Lion Day, she fulfills that promise with the release of Wild Conversations: The Wisdom of African Animals, a book that asks: When the wild speaks, will humanity listen?

Part memoir, part spiritual journey and part call to stewardship, Wild Conversations follows Magee across three African safaris and encounters with lions, elephants, leopards, cheetahs and other wildlife. Through two dozen vignettes and more than 120 photographs, the book captures the grandeur of the wilderness and wisdom Magee believes its inhabitants are sharing.

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"The animals shared lessons about courage, patience, gratitude and our connection to all life. Over time, the tone changed. They were warning us about what may be lost if we continue to separate ourselves from nature and fail to protect the places they call home," Magee said.

A lion urges humans to notice beauty and remember their strength. An elephant offers a gentler lesson: slow down, do not rush and love your family. A leopard speaks to solitude and trusting oneself.

These voices form the emotional center of Wild Conversations, a reflection on what humanity has forgotten in an age of noise, distraction and environmental loss.

"People feel overwhelmed, disconnected and uncertain about the future," Magee said. "The wild reminds us that reconnecting with nature can open our hearts and help us remember what is worth protecting."

Frank Pope, CEO of Save the Elephants, calls the book "a passionate love letter to the wild."

Magee's journey is unexpected. A former leader in Seattle's women's movement, she served in the mayor's cabinet, became a White House Fellow and later held roles in the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments before turning toward meditation, healing and spirituality.

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The book's imagery moves from intimate portraits of lions and elephants to sweeping views of baobab trees, wetlands and migrating herds. Whether readers understand Magee's experiences as spiritual encounter or intuition, her message is clear: the natural world has something to teach us.

"My hope is that this book becomes an invitation to listen more deeply, live more consciously and protect the extraordinary life with which we share this planet," Magee said.

Wild Conversations is available beginning August 10 at https://www.wildconversations.com/

Author Susan B. Magee: https://www.susanbmagee.com/