Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your experience reading from the perspective of an elephant? Did Ishi’s first-person narration deepen your emotional connection to the story and its central conflicts, or did you find it challenging to believe? What made his voice feel convincing or unconvincing to you?

2. Fiction that imagines animal consciousness has a long literary history. How does The Memory of an Elephant fit within this tradition, which includes books like Richard Adams’s Watership Down or Jack London’s The Call of the Wild? What makes Ishi’s voice feel unique compared to other animal narrators you may have encountered?

3. Thinking about the novel as a whole, which of the three narrative threads—Ishi’s first-person account, the Hathaways’ third-person story, or the present-day trek—resonated with you the most, and why? How did the constant shifting between these timelines and perspectives shape your reading experience?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Jean Hathaway’s animal orphanage at Salisbury Hill Farm serves as a sanctuary in a world often marked by cruelty. Think about a place or community in your own life that has felt like a safe haven. What qualities make it feel that way, and how does that compare to the sanctuary Jean creates for Ishi and other animals?

2. The novel proposes that elephants remember everything from birth, making memory a powerful gift and a heavy burden for Ishi. Where did you see this duality most clearly in his story? Can you think of a memory in your own life that has served a dual role, providing both comfort and challenge?

3. Kamau Matiba and Ishi share an incredible bond that transcends species, built on a kind of non-verbal understanding. Have you ever had a particularly meaningful connection with an animal? What did that relationship teach you about communication or empathy, and how does it relate to the deep trust between Kamau and Ishi?

4. Russell Hathaway makes the difficult decision to send Ishi to a zoo, believing it’s the only way to save him from poachers. Have you ever faced a difficult decision in which every option carried a cost? How did you decide what to do, and does that experience influence how you view Russell’s choice?

5. Kamau’s life is forever changed after he discovers the orphaned Ishi, setting him on a path dedicated to conservation. Has an unexpected event ever altered your own path or clarified your sense of purpose?

6. Ishi’s long journey is a profound quest to return home. Discuss the idea of “home.” Is it a physical place, a feeling of belonging with certain people, or something else entirely for you?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The story is set against the backdrop of post-colonial Kenya, a time of major political and social change. In what ways does Gichinga Kimathi exploit the political and economic changes of post-colonial Kenya to advance his own interests? Where do you see similar situations today, where public ideals or promises are used to mask greed or exploitation?

2. Werner Brandeis turns Ishi’s journey into a global media event to raise awareness and funds for conservation. What did you think about this modern, media-driven approach to environmentalism? What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of turning an animal’s personal story into a spectacle for human consumption?

3. The book’s depiction of the ivory crisis spans from the 1960s to the present day. In what ways does the story connect with our current understanding of wildlife conservation, poaching, and human encroachment on natural habitats?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. The symbol of bones appears throughout the novel as a representation of memory, ancestry, and grief for the elephants. What role does this symbol play in shaping our understanding of elephant culture as a deeply sentient society? How does Ishi’s relationship to the concept of bones evolve throughout his life?

2. What is the effect of the novel’s fragmented, non-linear structure? How does shifting between Ishi’s past, the Hathaways’ story, and the present-day trek reinforce the central theme of memory’s power?

3. The characters of Kamau and Gichinga serve as foils. What does their stark contrast reveal about the different paths available to individuals in post-colonial Kenya? What might the author be suggesting about morality and human nature through these two characters?

4. Russell’s character arc is filled with moral complexity. What does his journey from celebrated hunter to vigilante conservationist suggest about the gray areas of ethics and wildlife management? Do you see him as a hero, a flawed man, or something else?

5. The author dedicates the book to Dame Daphne Sheldrick and to the caretakers and rangers who work to protect African elephants. Where did you feel the portrayal of Ishi’s consciousness was most effective? Did any aspects of his inner world challenge your own assumptions about animal intelligence and emotion?

6. The novel combines detailed information about elephant behavior and wildlife conservation with an imagined first-person elephant narrator. How does the author balance realism and anthropomorphism throughout the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you are tasked with creating a memorial at Salisbury Hill Farm to honor Ishi’s life and journey. What form would this memorial take? What specific elements or symbols from his story would you choose to emphasize to convey his importance to visitors?

2. The novel is told primarily from Ishi’s perspective and through third-person narration that follows several human characters. If you could add one more point-of-view character to the story, who would you choose? What new insights might we gain from seeing events through the eyes of Jean, Kamau, or even Mother Blue?

3. If you were a naturalist on Brandeis’s team documenting Ishi’s journey, what would you title your field journal? What would your first entry describe? What key observation about the relationship between humans and animals would you want to preserve for future generations?