The cheeky title of Melissa Haynes's story of adventure in Africa, Learning to Play with a Lion's Testicles, earned the book some big publicity on NBC-TV/Late Night with Jimmy Fallon on September 4,2013 where it topped the show's list of "Titles Not to Read" for September 2013. Melissa's book was also a big smash on the March 11, 2014 Ellen Show, where Ellen and guest Ricky Gervais highlighted the book throughout the entire hour.

Playing with a lion’s testicles: An African saying that means to take foolhardy chances.

For the reader who has ever dreamed of going to Africa or knows the pain of loss and guilt, Learning to Play with a Lion's Testicles will fill your soul.

Melissa, an exhausted executive from the city seeks meaning and purpose from her work volunteers for a Big Five conservation project in South Africa. Her boss, an over-zealous ranger, nicknamed the Drill Sergeant, has no patience for city folk, especially if they're women. He tries to send her packing on day one, but Melissa stands her ground with grit and determination, however shaky it may be.

Conflict soon sets the pace with a cast filled with predatory cats and violent elephants, an on-going battle of wits with the Drill Sergeant. Even Mother Nature pounds the reserve with the worst storm in a century. But the most enduring and profound conflict is the internal battle going on within Melissa, as she tries to come to terms with the guilt surrounding her mother's death. When death grips the game reserve, it is the very animals Melissa has come to save that end up saving her.

梅丽莎-海恩斯在非洲的冒险故事《学会玩弄狮子的睾丸》的厚重书名在2013年9月4日NBC电视台/与吉米-法伦的深夜节目中赢得了一些大的宣传，它在该节目2013年9月的 "不宜阅读的书名 "名单中名列前茅。梅丽莎的书也在2014年3月11日的艾伦秀上大放异彩，艾伦和嘉宾瑞奇-格维斯在整整一个小时内都在强调这本书。

玩弄狮子的睾丸。一句非洲谚语，意思是冒着危险的机会。

对于曾经梦想去非洲或知道失去和内疚的痛苦的读者来说，《学会玩弄狮子的睾丸》将填补你的灵魂。

梅丽莎，一个来自城市的精疲力尽的行政人员，从她的工作中寻求意义和目的，为南非的大五畜保护项目当志愿者。她的老板是一个过度热心的护林员，绰号 "演习警长"，对城市人没有耐心，特别是如果他们是女人。他试图在第一天就把她打发走，但梅丽莎用她的勇气和决心坚持自己的立场，不管它有多么不稳定。

冲突很快就开始了，其中充满了掠夺性的猫和暴力的大象，以及与军士长之间持续的斗智斗勇。大自然甚至用一个世纪以来最严重的风暴袭击了保护区。但最持久、最深刻的冲突是梅丽莎内心的斗争，她试图接受与她母亲的死亡有关的内疚。当死亡笼罩着野生动物保护区时，正是梅丽莎前来拯救的动物最终拯救了她。