Published
On this page you can find a sample of the books and articles written by Benjamin.
We Bought A Zoo
The amazing true story that inspired the major Hollywood motion picture. We Bought A Zoo is about one family, a broken down zoo, and the wild animals that changed their lives forever. When the Mee's bought a dilapidated Zoo on the edge of Dartmoor, they were prepared for a challenge. With over 200 exotic animals to care for, Ben's hands, and those of his wife, children and tiny team of keepers, were full.
What they weren't prepared for was Katherine's devastating second brain cancer diagnosis. Ben found himself juggling the daunting responsibilities of managing the park's staff and finances, while holding the bailiffs at bay and caring for his wife.
A moving and entertaining story of courage and a family's attempts to rebuild a zoo, and carry on after Katherine's tragic death.
The Call of DIY: A Toolkit of Practical Wisdom
No-one can ever avoid DIY for ever. One day you'll look at the stained plaster, the wonky garden fence, or the hole in the door where the cat-flap should be and think, 'Why should I pay someone else when I can do it myself?' It is at that moment that you have heard The Call of DIY.
DIY is an inevitable fact of modern life. But it is not just about improving your home; it's also about improving your life. From wiring a plug to laying a patio, successful DIY is a state of mind. It's as much about fixing the leak as knowing how to stay sane and, above all, amused.
How rescuing a rundown old zoo helped one father survive a shattering tragedy
Excerpts from "We Bought A Zoo" book.
You're never too old to get fit
Older people, particularly...men, are often less well-informed about health and fitness matters than their children. But serious strategies are in place to encourage the gym-shy generation to change its ways.
Smotherly Love. 48 hours in... Philadelphia
Everybody in the city of the Liberty Bell is friendly. Even the Mayor and taxi drivers talk at the first meeting or invite strangers into their homes. Is there a conspiracy to disarm tourists with kindness?
How do you solve a problem like Marius?
Zoos have had a pretty bad press this week. What should have been a success story has gone horribly wrong. What is the real debate? From a Zoo Director's perspective.
Did humans come from the sea instead of trees?
A much-derided, alternative theory of evolution is getting a rare public airing this week. Benjamin Mee examines the case for "aquatic apes".
We bought a zoo - and then they made a movie about it
Benjamin recalls the week in which the film, inspired by his book was released in the UK, describing the ups and downs of the week in which he shot a rat, fed a tiger and waltzed down a red carpet.
Another branch of the keep-fit movement
Benjamin Mee joined holidaymakers who pay good money to do gruelling conservation work.
The cute, the weird, and the bloody: all
At a park in Namibia, Benjamin Mee meets big cats, and learns that some are cowards.
We'll see you in court
Dolphins in the dock? Legal sharks taking briefs from chimpanzee clients? You may laugh. But a surprising number of top lawyers and scientists now believe that legal rights for animals are both necessary and just.
Novelty value
Business was alien to Jonathan Elvidge. Now his gadget shops are worth millions.
A short stay in Glasgow
At Festival time, Edinburgh seems to be Scotland's only city. But a bigger one waits in the wings.
Cannabis Campaign
Review of the 1997 BMA report - The Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis - which looks at the potential uses for the drug for medicinal purposes.
At ease men. And that's an order!
Modern man responds to stress by working harder instead of relaxing, exercising and being pampered.
In at the deep end
The regeneration of Brockwell Lido in London was met with a long hot summer and plenty of happy visitors.
The truth about life down under
Review of an Equinox documentary about dolphins as "Machiavellian schemers".
Stargazer's Express
Savour London's fine musical heritage, gawping at Lloyd-Webber landmarks from a bus.
As good as gold
Dominic Holland threatens to usurp Michael Palin's reputation as the Mr. Nice of comedy.
Science: Halt the brain drain: help the whale
A moral argument against whaling can be based on the mammal's intelligence,
The zoo visitors who saw a lion kill an owl can count themselves lucky
We've had some unexpected animal run-ins at Dartmoor zoo – it can be an unforgettable educational experience.
Dartmoor Zoo's battle for survival
Four years in and Hollywood is turning his story into a film, but his little zoo is struggling against extinction – just like the endangered species he cares for...
My family and other animals
Chuck it all in and buy a zoo? Why not, thought Benjamin Mee, unaware of the grim living conditions, creditors and escaped big cat that lay in wait...
To DIY For...
Assistance for those in DIY need with this humourous but helpful column. From armchair slings to avoiding death, discover Ben's top tips for all those things we feel we should be able to do, but which aren't quite as simple as we thought.
Rising profits
Your GP may have been prevented from prescribing Viagra, but you can now get it in Boots. Benjamin Mee looks into the exploding impotence business.
Pure, white, and no longer quite so deadly...
Sugar, once thought of as being second only to alcohol in the hate-stakes, is being rehabilitated.
Search for the prostate
Where is it and what is it for? Most men would be hard-pressed to tell you the answer to either question. Benjamin Mee on the fig-shaped gland that can cause men a lot of pain in later life.
Zoo Balance
Benjamin writes a piece on the position of Zoos in the wake of the Marius the giraffe situation.
War es verwerflich, die Giraffe Marius zu erschießen und öffentlich zu zerlegen? Nein, und dennoch war es falsch...
Read the article in German, or in English by visiting the blog section.
Standing nose to nose with 'Lucky' the 2,500 kilogram Elephant - What happened next?
On a trip to Thailand to visting elephant conservation projects, Benjamin Mee steps into the jungle to be confronted with a 2,500 kilgram elephant. This is what happened next.
24 hours in A&E
"Men have more accidents then women - we just can't help ourselves. That's probably why we're twice as likely to see the inside of a casualty department..."
Swimming with dolphins is a unique experience
Benjamin Mee travelled to Key West, Florida and bonded with these extraordinary creatures.
Dive in!
Gliding through the water can enhance not only your health and your shape, but also your whole outlook on life. Here's why you should rediscover the water...
That sinking feeling
Driving at a wall at 80 miles per hour. Sticking a fork in a plug socket... there are some things that instinct says you just shouldn't be doing, and throwing youself out of a plane at 13,000 feet is one of them.
Marijuana: The Great Debate
In California, doctors can recommend its use for medicinal purposes, but in Britain it is more illegal than heroin. Here the case is examined for and against cannabis.
Mastering golf
"And if my country ever demanded that I should play golf, I would not be found wanting. That, then, was my mission..."
Health funding: are we getting enough?
Are men getting a fair deal from the British healthcare system? We asked...a cross-section of people, from MPs to medical personnel to the man on the street.
Don't get mad
Keep control of your anger and you're likely to avoid hypertension, heart disease and a punch in the throat. Benjamin Mee shows you how to cool it.
Ditch the Fiesta and drive a Thunderbird
Benjamin Mee pays a visit to the Classic Car Club to investigate the attraction of shared ownership of these incredible vehicles.
Happiness is an old Land Rover
His dream of building the perfect car went seriously over budget and over time, but now Benjamin Mee's 'Rapid Reaction Shed' is a reality, turning heads wherever it goes
Baby you can try my car
A new arrival in the family triggers a car hunt for Benjamin Mee - Baby Milo has landed, and with him comes the need to find a sensible car.
Over the mini-roundabout and by 'eck, that's a pass, isn't it?
Stampedes of learner drivers try to book their test while still 'easy', threatening to break the records set by the great Written Theory Test panic of 1996...
Don't just sit there!
Benjamin Mee has tried more exercise regimes than most, but Shorinji Kempo is his favourite.
Designer Diaries
The latest installment on the Mee's barns. This month the final tie with London is cut, and Ben and Katherine meet that all-important figure - the builder. They both write a diary about their experiences - Ben's not sure if he's seeing things, and Katherine gets to grips with the local bureaucracy.
The French Revolution
Benjamin meets two couples with two French builds that are appearing on the program. Divorcees Doug and Deni tackle a ruin and young couple Mark and Debbie build a straw house with a view.
How to be a good client
The Health and Safety Executive tells us that construction is officially the UK's most dangerous industry, with 71 workers killed between 2002-3. In addition, 4,480 were seriously injured, and 9,587 suffered injuries that kept them off work for more than 3 days. Here's a look at how to be safe on site so that you can enjoy your project.
How rescuing a rundown old zoo helped one father survive a shattering tragedy
Excerpts from "We Bought A Zoo" book.
You're never too old to get fit
Older people, particularly...men, are often less well-informed about health and fitness matters than their children. But serious strategies are in place to encourage the gym-shy generation to change its ways.
Smotherly Love. 48 hours in... Philadelphia
Everybody in the city of the Liberty Bell is friendly. Even the Mayor and taxi drivers talk at the first meeting or invite strangers into their homes. Is there a conspiracy to disarm tourists with kindness?
How do you solve a problem like Marius?
Zoos have had a pretty bad press this week. What should have been a success story has gone horribly wrong. What is the real debate? From a Zoo Director's perspective.
Did humans come from the sea instead of trees?
A much-derided, alternative theory of evolution is getting a rare public airing this week. Benjamin Mee examines the case for "aquatic apes".
We bought a zoo - and then they made a movie about it
Benjamin recalls the week in which the film, inspired by his book was released in the UK, describing the ups and downs of the week in which he shot a rat, fed a tiger and waltzed down a red carpet.
Another branch of the keep-fit movement
Benjamin Mee joined holidaymakers who pay good money to do gruelling conservation work.
The cute, the weird, and the bloody: all
At a park in Namibia, Benjamin Mee meets big cats, and learns that some are cowards.
We'll see you in court
Dolphins in the dock? Legal sharks taking briefs from chimpanzee clients? You may laugh. But a surprising number of top lawyers and scientists now believe that legal rights for animals are both necessary and just.
Novelty value
Business was alien to Jonathan Elvidge. Now his gadget shops are worth millions.
A short stay in Glasgow
At Festival time, Edinburgh seems to be Scotland's only city. But a bigger one waits in the wings.
Cannabis Campaign
Review of the 1997 BMA report - The Therapeutic Uses of Cannabis - which looks at the potential uses for the drug for medicinal purposes.
At ease men. And that's an order!
Modern man responds to stress by working harder instead of relaxing, exercising and being pampered.
In at the deep end
The regeneration of Brockwell Lido in London was met with a long hot summer and plenty of happy visitors.
The truth about life down under
Review of an Equinox documentary about dolphins as "Machiavellian schemers".
Stargazer's Express
Savour London's fine musical heritage, gawping at Lloyd-Webber landmarks from a bus.
As good as gold
Dominic Holland threatens to usurp Michael Palin's reputation as the Mr. Nice of comedy.
Science: Halt the brain drain: help the whale
A moral argument against whaling can be based on the mammal's intelligence,
The zoo visitors who saw a lion kill an owl can count themselves lucky
We've had some unexpected animal run-ins at Dartmoor zoo – it can be an unforgettable educational experience.
Dartmoor Zoo's battle for survival
Four years in and Hollywood is turning his story into a film, but his little zoo is struggling against extinction – just like the endangered species he cares for...
My family and other animals
Chuck it all in and buy a zoo? Why not, thought Benjamin Mee, unaware of the grim living conditions, creditors and escaped big cat that lay in wait...
To DIY For...
Assistance for those in DIY need with this humourous but helpful column. From armchair slings to avoiding death, discover Ben's top tips for all those things we feel we should be able to do, but which aren't quite as simple as we thought.
Rising profits
Your GP may have been prevented from prescribing Viagra, but you can now get it in Boots. Benjamin Mee looks into the exploding impotence business.
Pure, white, and no longer quite so deadly...
Sugar, once thought of as being second only to alcohol in the hate-stakes, is being rehabilitated.
Search for the prostate
Where is it and what is it for? Most men would be hard-pressed to tell you the answer to either question. Benjamin Mee on the fig-shaped gland that can cause men a lot of pain in later life.
Zoo Balance
Benjamin writes a piece on the position of Zoos in the wake of the Marius the giraffe situation.
War es verwerflich, die Giraffe Marius zu erschießen und öffentlich zu zerlegen? Nein, und dennoch war es falsch...
Read the article in German, or in English by visiting the blog section.
Standing nose to nose with 'Lucky' the 2,500 kilogram Elephant - What happened next?
On a trip to Thailand to visting elephant conservation projects, Benjamin Mee steps into the jungle to be confronted with a 2,500 kilgram elephant. This is what happened next.
24 hours in A&E
"Men have more accidents then women - we just can't help ourselves. That's probably why we're twice as likely to see the inside of a casualty department..."
Swimming with dolphins is a unique experience
Benjamin Mee travelled to Key West, Florida and bonded with these extraordinary creatures.
Dive in!
Gliding through the water can enhance not only your health and your shape, but also your whole outlook on life. Here's why you should rediscover the water...
That sinking feeling
Driving at a wall at 80 miles per hour. Sticking a fork in a plug socket... there are some things that instinct says you just shouldn't be doing, and throwing youself out of a plane at 13,000 feet is one of them.
Marijuana: The Great Debate
In California, doctors can recommend its use for medicinal purposes, but in Britain it is more illegal than heroin. Here the case is examined for and against cannabis.
Mastering golf
"And if my country ever demanded that I should play golf, I would not be found wanting. That, then, was my mission..."
Health funding: are we getting enough?
Are men getting a fair deal from the British healthcare system? We asked...a cross-section of people, from MPs to medical personnel to the man on the street.
Don't get mad
Keep control of your anger and you're likely to avoid hypertension, heart disease and a punch in the throat. Benjamin Mee shows you how to cool it.
Ditch the Fiesta and drive a Thunderbird
Benjamin Mee pays a visit to the Classic Car Club to investigate the attraction of shared ownership of these incredible vehicles.
Happiness is an old Land Rover
His dream of building the perfect car went seriously over budget and over time, but now Benjamin Mee's 'Rapid Reaction Shed' is a reality, turning heads wherever it goes
Baby you can try my car
A new arrival in the family triggers a car hunt for Benjamin Mee - Baby Milo has landed, and with him comes the need to find a sensible car.
Over the mini-roundabout and by 'eck, that's a pass, isn't it?
Stampedes of learner drivers try to book their test while still 'easy', threatening to break the records set by the great Written Theory Test panic of 1996...
Don't just sit there!
Benjamin Mee has tried more exercise regimes than most, but Shorinji Kempo is his favourite.
Designer Diaries
The latest installment on the Mee's barns. This month the final tie with London is cut, and Ben and Katherine meet that all-important figure - the builder. They both write a diary about their experiences - Ben's not sure if he's seeing things, and Katherine gets to grips with the local bureaucracy.
The French Revolution
Benjamin meets two couples with two French builds that are appearing on the program. Divorcees Doug and Deni tackle a ruin and young couple Mark and Debbie build a straw house with a view.
How to be a good client
The Health and Safety Executive tells us that construction is officially the UK's most dangerous industry, with 71 workers killed between 2002-3. In addition, 4,480 were seriously injured, and 9,587 suffered injuries that kept them off work for more than 3 days. Here's a look at how to be safe on site so that you can enjoy your project.