How do you explain these cultural contrasts between the Burmese and the Europeans? Quick View. On the other hand, it's the tale of the tragedies that are inevitable when humans exploit the labor and other products of non-human animals. Born in 1897, during the declining years of the British colonial empire, J.H. Colonel J. H. Williams, the author was known to the world at large as Elephant Bill. If you want to discover two crucial periods in the history of India without reading boring textbooks, then check out this book! Please help. ), but his love and respect for elephants (especially Bandoola) a. “The big tuskers could splash into the water but no one would follow them. The amazing part of the book was how the elephants faithfully … How To Revive Dying Plant : … If you are interested in WWII, this is a great novel for you. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Random House Trade Paperbacks; Illustrated edition (April 14, 2015), Previous page of related Sponsored Products. The remarkable story of James Howard “Billy” Williams, whose uncanny rapport with the world’s 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 “forest man” for a British teak company. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, Historical India & South Asia Biographies, © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Unexpected relationship between elephants & humans of Burma (Book Review) May 02. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Tell us about Bandoola, the hero of the book. Don't get me wrong: fantastic book about an incredible guy... but very little of the book is about the elephants in WWII. Jim Williams clearly suffered during his time in WW I and just wanted to get away to the jungles and to the natural world. Much of the book is about his overcoming obstacles (language, working environment, health, etc. Williams O.B.E. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. No matter how many non-specialist books about elephants that I read, I … Even though jungle life in Burma could be dangerous, there were so many descriptions of joy and beauty that were completely transfixing. –Sara Gruen, author of Water for Elephants in The New York Times Book Review. A century later, Japanese forces invaded Burma just weeks after bombing Pearl Harbor. Billy Williams returned from the Great War and desired nothing more than adventure in the company of elephants. Mr. Williams arrived in Burma in 1920 following service in WWI to harvest teak for his British company. Such an incredible story! Mystical. Bill Williams was called "Elephant Bill" and was a man of s. Absolutely fascinating. Discover Taiwan’s story—a story of an island that walks a tightrope searching for its identity, balance, and fate. One might assume, based on title and subtitle, all 368 pages of "Elephant Company" is heavily entrenched in military jargon, battlefields, and horrific war imagery; typically not themes animal lovers and humanitarians gravitate toward. Rather than being trained with force, a master mahout named Po Toke trained Bandoola with tenderness. And when you talk of an enemy the very jungle was the enemy with snakes, crud, heat, malaria, etc.. She praises her subject so much, it's hard to feel that one actually learns anything about him, and she seems to make use of his family papers almost exclusively, rather than drawing on any other historical sources. number of domesticated elephants in Burma and gives a historical perspective on the logging industry. Read the original book by the man himself, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2015. In this thrilling journey through the jungles of Burma, Roland Smith explores the far-reaching effects of World War II, while introducing readers to the fascinating world of wild timber elephants and their mahouts. British Path é ... Myanmar's Unemployed Elephants | The New York Times - Duration: 4:39. It is masterfully told without getting into anthropomorphism and over the top sentimentality. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the Enter key is pressed. For one Irish family however, life is never that simple. The portion of the book devoted to the war is relatively small, but by the time I reached this part of the book I was totally engrossed in the story of Billy Williams and the amazing elephants. Good but not really the WWII book that I was expecting, Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2019. As the book opens, Williams, an English World War I veteran, is just arriving in Burma in the 1920s to work in the Bombay Burmah Trading Corp.’s teak-harvesting operations." The essay mainly illustrates how a white British imperial police officer in Burma reacted and responded when he ought to encounter a ravaging elephant while he was on duty. India has the most, but the second-largest population of elephants in the world is found in Myanmar, with 4,000 in the wild and 4,000 in captivity. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. The first part of the book is about Williams going to Burma working for a teak tree logging company, living in the jungle and learning about elephants. Refresh and try again. But most of all, you never forget the elephants! And those who have previously shied away from reading this fascinating book about the brilliantly compassionate and brave – James Howard “Billy” Williams, might want to reconsider. A dark secret spans several... Billy Williams came to colonial Burma in 1920, fresh from service in World War I, to a job as a “forest man” for a British teak company. Start by marking “Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II” as Want to Read: Error rating book. It is masterfully told without getting into anthropomorphism and over the top sentimentality. Our most popular tours and activities. Nick endures servitude, beatings, and more after his British father's plantation in Burma is invaded by the Japanese in 1941, and when his father and others are taken prisoner and Nick is stranded with his friend Mya, they plan a daring escape on elephants, risking their lives to save Nick's father and Mya's brother from a Japanese prisoner of war camp. Always? We’d love your help. In this thrilling journey through the jungles of Burma, Roland Smith explores the far-reaching effects of World War II, while introducing readers to the fascinating world of wild timber elephants and their mahouts. It goes on to examine the current conditions for working elephants as well as their management and care. He was hired to oversee the elephant "workers" at multiple camps throughout the northeast of the country. Most captive elephants are subjected to impossibly cruel conditions. You read it as a small child, or even an adult, and never forget the images it conjures up of a wonderful Englishman who lives in the mysterious forests of faraway Burma and of the kind native people who teach him about their lovely country. It was also of particular interest because of my long -time attraction to these amazing animals. Unfailingly? After Burma’s last king fled into exile, the British drafted elephants to work in the lucrative teak-logging industry. The book chronicles his adventures with the elephants, his Burmese workers, falling in love and marrying, being involved in the Allied war effort in the CBI (China-Burma-India) theater. He then formed the first Elephant Company to make bridges and also save refugees by helping them flee Burma and into India. The best and most beautiful book I've read all year. Can you come up with some good discussion questions for this great book? On the one hand, it tells the story of a man becoming something of a proto-animal rights advocate, as his work with elephants makes him realize how intelligent, emotionally mature and generous they can be. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. It chronicles Burmese jungle culture and how that conflicts with British colonialism, Jim's affinity with the elephants, how he meets his wife in the jungle, and provides more information about elephants than you ever probably thought you needed to know. Burma has a long history of elephants. Absolutely fascinating. Croke did not disappoint me! Burma (Myanmar): List of locations whith elephants in Burma (Myanmar) in the elephant database At first, the action isn't 'apparent', but keep reading! Asian elephants are found in 13 countries. Captain James “Billy” Williams was discharged from the British Army in 1920 after serving in combat for four years in WWI. You read it as a small child, or even an adult, and never forget the images it conjures up of a wonderful Englishman who lives in the mysterious forests of faraway Burma and of the kind native people who teach him about their lovely country. I love the story and the writing but am finding it hard to get discussion questions. “Elephant Bill” Williams was a veteran of both World Wars. He had been in the camel Corp in the war so why not? As a child growing up in Cornwall, England, he often set out alone to explore the countryside. (Prices may vary for AK and HI.). I not only learned more about the days of the British Empire in Burma but also about WWII in Burma under the Japanese rule. I had hoped for more of the book to be about the World War II aspect but quickly discovered that the best part was his finding himself in the jungle. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. While elephants did play a big part in the war in Burma, the book is really about Elephant Bill and the elephants he loved. Burma Elephant Report EleAid trustee Charles Begley has long had an interest in the status and circumstances of elephants in Burma. This is an interesting and easy read. Working elephants of mountainous Myanmar and northeastern India haul timber or transport people by day, then return to the forest at night. Elephant Company The Inspiring Story of An Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II (Book) : Croke, Vicki : "At the onset of World War II, [Billy] Williams formed Elephant Company and was instrumental in defeating the Japanese in Burma and saving refugees, including on his own 'Hannibal Trek,' [becoming] a media sensation during the war, telling reporters … July 15th 2014 Jim “Elephant Bill” Williams fought in World War I, and decided to seek adventure, travelling colonial Burma in 1920 to work as a forest man for a British teak company, a short-lived job for most. I wasn't thrilled to read it based on the title and description, but both proved to be misleading. Croke tells the story of Bill Williams and also Bandoola, an unusual male bull elephant. They were then protected by the Burma Wildlife Protection Act, 1936 (revised in 1956), under which hunting was prohibited except by licence. This was the March selection for my in-person book club. Elephant Company The Inspiring Story of An Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II (Book) : Croke, Vicki : "At the onset of World War II, [Billy] Williams formed Elephant Company and was instrumental in defeating the Japanese in Burma and saving refugees, including on his own 'Hannibal Trek,' [becoming] a media sensation during the war, telling reporters … This book was just incredible, I learned so much and in such a wonde3ful way. James Howard “Billy” Williams was an avid outdoorsman. This read, to me, as if Kipling had set out to write a biography. I did read Bandoola the Elephant many years ago so it was really good to read more of him too. The author is oddly uncritical of both her subject and the broader colonial milieu in which he operates; in that respect, the book reminded me of Roald Dahl. The portion of the book devoted to the war is relatively small, but by the time I reached this part of the book I was totally engrossed in the story of Billy Williams and the amazing elephants. Books Best Sellers & more Top New Releases Deals in Books School Books Textbooks Books Outlet Children's Books Calendars & Diaries Audible Audiobooks Unlimited One-Day Delivery and more Prime members enjoy fast & free shipping, unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Prime Video and many more exclusive benefits. How do you explain these. Although his elephants did good work building bridges and leading refugees to India, barely escaping the clutches of the brutal Japanese, "Elephant Bill's" elephants were not vital or even important. More info. I'm always on the lookout for books that might interest my 12 (soon to be 13) year old daughter. That is because he spent 25 years living with the elephants in the mountains and forests of Burma. 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