Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1617631 in Books
• Published on: 1978-01-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 184 pages

Customer Reviews

Drama, nostalgia, Americana and real-life!
"Slim" Lewis loved the "bad boys" of the zoo and circus: the elephants that no one else could handle, the most dangerous and unpredicatable creatures in captivity. Elephants are uncanny animals, sometimes gentle and compassionate, sometimes dangerous and cunning; very like humans in ways good AND bad. Circus life can be brutal to humans and non-humans alike. But even so, most animal handlers like Mr. Lewis truly cared for (yes, loved) their charges (hence the decision to work with them in the first place). As a former zoo keeper myself, and having worked with Asian Elephants in a limited capacity, I find this book refreshingly honest and insightful. My (ex) husband (and former zoo keeper as well) had met Mr. Lewis at a zoo keepers conference and had his treasured copy of this book signed by him. What a piece of history this book is! You will be drawn instantly into a captivating auto-biographical memoir full of nostalgia, lore, Americana, and adventure. Parts will amuse you, parts will shock you, and parts will make you cry. This is REAL experience from a pro elephant trainer. His perspectives are often brutally honest and heartfelt. His love of Elephants is undeniable. Even if you have no interest in the circus or in elephants, the wealth of history here makes compelling reading. The photos alone are priceless. My hope is that this book (an enhanced and expanded version of the earlier "Elephant Tramp") will be published again and remain in print for years to come. You will want to share this book with your friends. In fact, I have just ordered my own copy to replace the one I left behind.

Fascinating
You don't have to 'judge' a person's life to read about it. This book is an excellent window into a time and place. The many photographs add greatly to what is essentially an unvarnished memoir of a circus elephant trainer.

nasty book
This nasty book is filled with black and white photos of elegant elephants in captivity. Large chains, etc. First edition. The circus guy who wrote it is proud he handled rogue elephants. See "Ziggy's" last photo. See "Ziggy" unable to get to his feet underneath hoisted to an upright position. See "Ziggy" in shock with right trunk broken off. "He had lashed across the moat at a keeper standing where the six men are looking down at him." See "Black Diamond encased in chains, "taking his last walk". See "Tusko": " He had grown to full size and temper. No elephant had wore as many chains in order to be exhibited, as he was here on the AI G. Barnes show..." (an esp. pitiful photo). And on and on. This hardcover, unusual book is in pretty good cond. Some water stains on the outside pages. The jacket is in bad shape. This book is disgusting if you have any moral values about animals in captivity. The guy who wrote it apparently did not.. 20 % of proceeds will be donated to animal anti-cruely non-profit organization. Buyer Beware. Depressing.