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How the Rhino Lost Its Horn

Cautionary Tales from Appalachia to Africa

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Pub Date 30 Jan 2026 | Archive Date Not set


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Description

Growing up, Jack has heard all about the supposed virtues of the modern world: connection, convenience, opportunity. But from where he stands in small-town Appalachia, those promises ring hollow. With college (and a lifetime of debt) looming, he goes with the oldest trick in the quarter-life-crisis-haver’s playbook: If in doubt, go to Africa to save the children. What could go wrong?

Quite a bit, in fact. In Cape Town, he's thrown into a backwards, lawless world, one of bloodthirst and betrayal—and that's just among his fellow volunteers. The local wildlife, meanwhile, don't turn out to be much more welcoming.

Yet something about this place keeps pulling him back again and again. His adventures over those next few years challenge everything he thought he knew, revealing the forces shaping both South Africa and the world at large.

Told with biting wit and unflinching honesty, How the Rhino Lost His Horn is a reckoning with the stories we tell about the world and our place in it, and the realities we must confront if we want to build something better.

Growing up, Jack has heard all about the supposed virtues of the modern world: connection, convenience, opportunity. But from where he stands in small-town Appalachia, those promises ring hollow...


Advance Praise

“Grounded in keen observations and contextualized in a crash course of history, How the Rhino Lost His Horn is a knowledgeable, tantalizing travel memoir–cum–social critique...With layers of humor, introspection, and social observations scaffolded by historical facts and current events, How the Rhino Lost His Horn is an inviting memoir about being alive in contemporary times.” —Foreword Reviews Clarion Review

“Without ever letting himself off the hook, [Rathmell] sharply captures the social dynamics of privileged Westerners who parachute into Third World countries to burnish their own self-image. This frank, funny memoir of a messy maturity dissects Rathmell’s need to surpass the stifling low expectations of his community and encourages readers to find their own path out of hopelessness and stagnation.” — Publisher’s Weekly Booklife

"A dazzling romp across continents and contradictions, How the Rhino Lost His Horn is as mischievous as it is thought-provoking. Jack Rathmell spins tales that sparkle with wit, satire, and a kind of reckless honesty that makes every page a delightful surprise. It’s a travelogue, a fable, and a confessional all at once: always playful, never predictable. Readers will come away grinning, pondering, and perhaps a little braver about facing the absurdities of life." —Manhattan Book Review

“How the Rhino Lost His Horn is a compelling coming-of-age story about a young man gaining an education in life while experiencing the culture and customs of a distant country...Rathmell proves insightful in his comparison and contrast of his home country and host country. Ultimately, this is a book about getting outside your comfort zone, exploring the world, and gaining an understanding and appreciation for your global neighbors. An adventurous, humorous memoir well worth the read.” — Independent Book Review

“Grounded in keen observations and contextualized in a crash course of history, How the Rhino Lost His Horn is a knowledgeable, tantalizing travel memoir–cum–social critique...With layers of humor...


Available Editions

EDITION Paperback
ISBN 9791917523264
PRICE £11.99 (GBP)
PAGES 400

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