Description
Out of a sidelined, colonial-era expedition in Africa comes a new history 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 Africas resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephantsif 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 extraordinaryand enduringstory of colonial greed, hypocrisy, and folly.
Author: Sophy Roberts
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Atlantic Monthly Press
Published: 04/22/2025
Pages: 400
Weight: 1.35lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.20w x 1.70d
ISBN: 9780802164865
Language: English
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.