Chi The Antelope King’s Epic Journey Home

In the vast, untamed expanse of the West African savannah, where the rhythm of life beats to the ancient cadence of nature, a story unfolds—a tale that spans continents, delves into the heart of medicalization, confronts the horrors of the war on nature, and dances on the precipice of climate change. This is the odyssey of Chi, the young monarch of a West African antelope herd whose fate becomes entwined with the forces of human ambition, industrialization, and environmental upheaval.

Scientists abduct Chi and traffic him to a nature preserve in California. Determined to return home, Chi escapes and is joined in his trek by Thoth, a resourceful hamadryas baboon from Egypt with advanced digital skills; Dao, a sage, red-crowned crane from China; Blossom, a graceful Monarch butterfly; Lithe, a sinewy Bolivian jaguar, and other animals. Their global odyssey serves as a powerful reminder that, in the face of adversity, the indomitable spirit of nature endures.

Through Chi’s eyes, readers gain a visceral understanding of the fragility of ecosystems and the urgent need for collective action to preserve the biodiversity that sustains life on Earth. It prompts readers to consider the interconnectedness of our actions and the profound impact they have on the delicate web of life that envelops our planet.

Alex Jack is president of Planetary Health and a macrobiotic teacher, counselor, and author.

 

Praise for Chi

 “Chi the Antelope King’s Epic Journey Home is a stirring and delightful story that captures the imagination, even as it opens our eyes to important truths about human behavior. Brilliantly written and beautifully illustrated, this book will appeal to everyone, young and old.”— Neal D. Barnard, MD, FACC, President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

“Thirty years ago, Simba, a young lion prince, conveyed invaluable lessons about the human heart; ten years later, Nemo, an astute clownfish came to life for millions but neither the lion nor the fish addressed issues that now threaten life on earth as we know it. Algorithms fuel pervasive mechanistic intelligence that overwhelms everyday life, ultimately posing the existential question of survival. If words alone, citizen action, and conceptual thinking could have solved our problems, we would have reversed this trend a decade ago. 

     “In this remarkable tale for the ages, ancient voices worth listening to arrive in all shapes and sizes through the imagination, carrying the unspoken wisdom of sentient beings. We meet Chi, an antelope with timeless grace and powerful purpose walking the African savannah, a crane named Dao, and a bestie baboon called Thoth. With a condor, bat, butterfly, and rattlesnake among many others, these beautifully illustrated characters remind the reader of the challenges we all face.