The directory «Plots»

Adamson Joy
(1910 — 1980)
«Born Free»

Joy Adamson was a naturalist, best known as the author and main character of the book, Born Free, which described her experiences in saving the life of a lioness, Elsa.

She was born Joy Friedericke Victoria Gessner in Opava, Czech Republic (then part of Austria-Hungary). With her third husband, George Adamson, she made her home in Kenya on the shores of Lake Naivasha. She studied and painted animals in the wild, and became famous as a result of the publication of Born Free in 1960. Several sequels were also published, and a film was made in which Adamson was portrayed by Virginia McKenna.

Adamson later separated from her husband. She was living alone when she was murdered by bandits at her home at the age of 83.

Lesotho, 1991, Elsa

Lesotho, 1998, Joy Adamson

Liberia, 2001, Elsa

Sierra Leone, 1996, Elsa