To the Elephant Graveyard

This book argues strongly against mankind's misuse and overdevelopment of the land that once belonged to noble beasts such as the Asian elephant. I became captivated by the story and by the author's sympathetic stance towards the elephant. The book will make you mourn what is happening to wild animals, and it reaffirms that when mankind messes with animals, the animals are the ones who get destroyed. Mankind's ultimate destruction might take a bit longer .... This is a thoughtful book with an element of magic -- the myth of an elephant graveyard that grounds the more realistic, down-to-earth elements of Hall's adventure account. I would love to read more of this author's adventures, esp. if they involve magnificent animals. Hall has a journalist's eye, yet he creates moments in which you feel you are there, under the stars, hearing the sounds of the jungle with him, waiting in fear of the thunderous sound that will signal that the rogue elephant is near. It is a very fast read -- a bit like a suspense novel -- but what I appreciated most was its folkloric touch, Hall's hope to find the mythic elephant graveyard, and the sense that animals are mysterious and magical, and that our world is impoverished with each death of a spectacular animal like the elephant. Last but not least, this nonfiction book would make an amazing film.

'To the Elephant Graveyard' is a truly brilliant travel book. It's unlike anything in the genre I have read before. It fuses the hunt for a rogue elephant with touching and vivid travel writing, taking the reader on a gripping journey through North East India, a part of the country in turmoil. Hall's unassuming insight and his powerful narrative voice makes this a real page turned. I cannot recommend this book enough.

As an Indian myself, I found this book really enjoyable and fascinating! The Northeast is a mysterious place even for most Indians. I think Tarquin Hall captures the character of the place with sensitivity and humor...without suffering from any 'politically correct' sense of guilt about being British or awe for 'the mysterious east' -- which is refreshing and honest. The hunt for the elephant is exciting, vexing and ultimately very sad. And I loved all the funny encounters. I especially loved Churchill! I hope Tarquin Hall writes on India again soon!

This is a great read. Like all good books, it is an amalgamation of many things: a memoir, a travelogue, a social & environmental critique, and a great adventure with a dash of mystery and lots of humor. The title is a bit stodgy, but the story is far from it. We really see India in a different light, a land both benign and disturbingly fatalistic. Tarquin manages to couple some very visceral descriptions of locales with a profound appreciation for India and the elephant that is rarely seen in literature. Tarquin is going to mature into a great travel writer someday soon. Meanwhile, somebody give this man a prize ($) so he can dash off on another adventure (so we can read about it in his next book).