The Lady and Her Tiger [Mass Market Paperback]

Pat Derby (Author), Peter S. Beagle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 12, 1977

Produced by Pat Derby with the permission of Peter S. Beagle to support her efforts in saving animals that have worked in film and television.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 263 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; First Thus edition (April 12, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345257111
• ISBN-13: 978-0345257116
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,219,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Walking a fine line., December 12, 2004

By 

Laurel Jenkins-Crowe "jenkinscrowe" (Memphis, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The lady and her tiger (Hardcover)

I, too, bought this book in the 70s, and was cured by it of the notion that wild animals can ever live happily with people. After ten years as a veterinary technician, I've had to back off that notion, but only a little. There are a very, very few people out there who are willing to understand a wild animal and adapt themselves to its needs. These people--many of them are trainers--can actually enrich the lives of the captive wild animals they work with. I'm not one of them. You'll probably conclude, after reading this book, that you aren't either.

That Pat (and her excellent ghostwriter Peter S. Beagle) can negotiate this boundary is remarkable. Although the book is quite sentimental, it also talks about the dangers of sentiment. And Pat doesn't pull any punches, sharing with us times when, out of ignorance and/or desparation, she did things she isn't proud of. She comes off as being deeply divided, and rightly so, about her right to have anything to do with these creatures, even though she obviously loves them deeply and devotes her life to understanding them. The last I heard, she was involved in sanctuary work, rescuing exotic "pets." Hallelujah!

For a deeper undestanding of the conversations that can happen between humans and animals when true respect and attention are maintained, I also recommend the books of trainer Vicki Hearne.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read about the plight of animals used in entertainment, May 2, 2007

By 

Galen Hazelhofer (Valley Springs, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The lady and her tiger

This book is wonderful. You will cry. You will become very angry about the injustices of the animal trade in the entertainment industry. It gives an inside look at what goes on that we on the "outside" of the industry know precious little about. Things are not all rosy, far from it. If you wish to stay in denial, this is not the book for you but if you are ready to hear the truth, it's a must read.