Elephants in the Hourglass

A Journey of Reckoning and Hope Along the Himalaya

Kim Frank

A moving and adventure-filled tale of one woman’s quest for the truth about endangered Asian elephants and their evolving relationship with humans.

Delving deep into an intricate web of unlikely heroes, power struggles, and living legends, Elephants in the Hourglass takes readers on an extraordinary journey of discovery. In her non-fiction debut, Kim Frank blends personal narrative, vivid descriptions, and meticulous research as she illuminates the ways we seek to survive on our rapidly changing planet.

Like Jane Goodall or Dian Fossey before her, Kim is a female explorer who found her life completely changed as she was drawn deeper and deeper into the plight of the remarkable Asian elephant. For Kim, once she learned about the intense, multi-faceted, but little-known conflict between humans and elephants in North India, she was unable to rest until she had learned more and told this story to the outside world.

This was a place and topic totally unknown to her. Up until that point, Kim was an ordinary mom and emerging writer. After a fraught divorce, she felt a need to recapture her own voice and expand her world, and so she set out to the Himalaya with the goal of telling a story worthy of National Geographic.

What Kim experienced would change her life. It is far from a black and white story where the good guys and bad guys are immediately obvious. Not in this world of displaced habitats, exploding population growth, migration, and climate change. Filled with unforgettable characters and encounters with one of the most sensitive, intelligent, and awe-inspiring creatures on the planet, Elephants in the Hourglass will inspire readers to pursue their goals and be a force for change in unexpected places.

Kim Frank is an award-winning writer and photographer whose work has been published in The Explorers Journal, Sidetracked, Oceanographic,  Earth Island Journal, American Literary Review, SVPN (where she also served as Editor), and more. Projects include the books Born to Ice with National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen and Amaze with SeaLegacy founder Cristina Mittermeier, and writing/directing the documentary “Where the Forest Roars.”  She is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and the Royal Geographical Society, with a Master of Fine Arts from the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College and a Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice. 

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Endorsements & Reviews

“Nuanced, wise, and enthralling, Elephants in the Hourglass is Kim Frank’s extraordinary memoir about her adventures investigating the plight of Asian elephants in northeastern India—inquiries that run alongside accounts of personal healing, letting go of control, humorous self-doubts, and Frank’s struggle to balance her calling as a writer abroad with her love for her daughters in Idaho. Sharp observations fill this powerful book that explains that Asian elephants, including those in the eastern Himalayas, are moving toward extinction at an exponential rate. Elephants in the Hourglass is a captivating environmental memoir that addresses global issues related to technology, development, culture change, and gender roles in addition to examining the decline of an endangered species.” Foreword Reviews

“A journey is often a test of patience and fortitude. To travel along with Kim Frank and share her experience finding wild elephants is mesmerizing.” Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, New York Times bestselling author of When Elephants Weep

“Insightful and deeply moving, Kim Frank’s exploration of the elephant-human conflict for the Asian elephants is a rare blend of empathy and ecological awareness. I couldn’t put this book down! It’s a timely reminder that conservation is about finding balance, and this story offers hope for how we might achieve it.” Rannva Joermundsson, cave diver, explorer, and co-founder of Nixie Expeditions

“Kim Frank has an incredible gift for writing in a way that immerses you completely, making you feel as though you’ve stepped into the book and are standing right beside her. In today’s post-truth world, the search for perspectives on truth is more important than ever. Kim captures this beautifully in Elephants in the Hourglass, taking you with her on every step of the journey.” Alexandra Climent, founder, Endangered Rainforest Rescue, NPO

“Kim’s constant dedication to bringing this story to light with sensitivity and through a deeply personal lens shows true tenacity. Her journey is one of love and compassion, driven by the desire to protect these magnificent beings through deeper understanding.” Kartiki Gonsalves, Academy Award–winning filmmaker of The Elephant Whisperers

“Kim Frank has a keen eye and a keener heart. This book is her gift to these majestic creatures. And to us as well.” Steve Searles and Chris Erskine, bestselling authors of What the Bears Know