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A training school for elephants / Sophy Roberts.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Roberts, Sophy, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Royal Elephant Expedition (1879-1880).
- Royal Elephant Expedition.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo--Colonization.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Asiatic elephant--Congo (Democratic Republic).
- Asiatic elephant.
- Carter, Frederick Falkner, 1841-1880--Travel--Africa, East.
- Carter, Frederick Falkner.
- Belgium--Colonies--Africa.
- Belgium.
- Democratic Republic of the Congo--History--19th century.
- Roberts, Sophy--Travel.
- Roberts, Sophy.
- Physical Description:
- xvii, 412 pages : illustrations, maps, 24 cm
- Edition:
- First Grove Atlantic hardcover editon.
- Place of Publication:
- New York : Atlantic Monthly Press, 2025.
- Summary:
- "Out of a sidelined, colonial-era expedition in Africa comes a new story of cruelty, deception and adventure from the acclaimed author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia. In 1879, King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa's resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephants- if only he could train them. And so he commissioned the charismatic Irish adventurer Frederick Carter to ship four tamed Asian elephants from India to the East African coast, where they were marched inland towards Congo. The ultimate aim was to establish a training school for African elephants. Following in the footsteps of the four elephants, Roberts pieces together the story of this long-forgotten expedition, in travels that take her to Belgium, Iraq, India, Tanzania, and Congo. The storytelling brings to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers to Catholic nuns, set against rich descriptions of the landscapes travelled. In an original weave of past and present, she digs deep into historic records revealing an extraordinary-and enduring-story of colonial greed, hypocrisy, and folly"-- Provided by publisher.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Other Format:
- Online version: Roberts, Sophy. Training school for elephants.
- ISBN:
- 9780802164865
- 0802164862
- OCLC:
- 1458539288
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