Release Date:- 2014-07-15
Reviews Counts:- 277
User Average Rating:- 4.5
Availability:- In Stock
Kind:- ebook
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ā¢ A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK
The remarkable story of James Howard āBillyā Williams, whose uncanny rapport with the worldās largest land animals transformed him from a carefree young man into the charismatic war hero known as Elephant Bill
In 1920, Billy Williams came to colonial Burma as a āforest manā for a British teak company. Mesmerized by the intelligence and character of the great animals who hauled logs through the jungle, he became a gifted āelephant wallah.ā In Elephant Company, Vicki Constantine Croke chronicles Williamsās growing love for elephants as the animals provide him lessons in courage, trust, and gratitude.
Elephant Company is also a tale of war and daring. When Japanese forces invaded Burma in 1942, Williams joined the elite British Force 136 and operated behind enemy lines. His war elephants carried supplies, helped build bridges, and transported the sick and elderly over treacherous mountain terrain. As the occupying authorities put a price on his head, Williams and his elephants faced their most perilous test. Elephant Company, cornered by the enemy, attempted a desperate escape: a risky trek over the mountainous border to India, with a bedraggled group of refugees in tow. Part biography, part war epic, Elephant Company is an inspirational narrative that illuminates a little-known chapter in the annals of wartime heroism.
Praise for Elephant Company
āThis book is about far more than just the war, or even elephants. This is the story of friendship, loyalty and breathtaking bravery that transcends species. . . . Elephant Company is nothing less than a sweeping tale, masterfully written.āāSara Gruen, The New York Times Book Review
āSplendid . . . Blending biography, history, and wildlife biology, [Vicki Constantine] Crokeās story is an often moving account of [Billy] Williams, who earned the sobriquet āElephant Bill,ā and his unusual bond with the largest land mammals on earth.āāThe Boston Globe
āSome of the biggest heroes of World War II were even bigger than you thought. . . . You may never call the lion the king of the jungle again.āāNew York Post
āVicki Constantine Croke delivers an exciting tale of this elephant whispererācumāwar hero, while beautifully reminding us of the enduring bonds between animals and humans.āāMitchell Zuckoff, author of Lost in Shangri-La and Frozen in Time