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Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks) [Paperback]

Jim Corbett
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)

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Book Description

June 17, 1993 Oxford India Paperbacks
Jim Corbett was every inch a hero, something like a "sahib" Davy Crockett: expert in the ways of the jungle, fearless in the pursuit of man-eating big cats, and above all a crack shot. Brought up on a hill-station in north-west India, he killed his first leopard before he was nine and went on to achieve a legendary reputation as a hunter.

Corbett was also an author of great renown. His books on the man-eating tigers he once tracked are not only established classics, but have by themselves created almost a separate literary genre. Man Eaters of Kumaon is the best known of Corbett's books, one which offers ten fascinating and spine-tingling tales of pursuing and shooting tigers in the Indian Himalayas during the early years of this century. The stories also offer first-hand information about the exotic flora, fauna, and village life in this obscure and treacherous region of India, making it as interesting a travelogue as it is a compelling look at a bygone era of big-game hunting.

Frequently Bought Together

Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks) + The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks) + Jungle Lore
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Editorial Reviews

Review

`It was not only the ripping-yarn action of the stories and the engrossing narratives that held me, I was just as much taken by the man who recounted them. Through the most riveting episodes, his compassionate character and quiet voice seemed personally to speak to me ... The book has never paled, never dated, and I have never forgotten its significance or the astonishing, gentle man who wrote it.' Martin Booth, The Sunday Times

About the Author


Jim Corbett, who died in 1955, gave up big-game hunting in the 1920s as he became an ardent conservationist. His other books include Jungle Lore and My India, both published by Oxford.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 228 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (June 17, 1993)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0195622553
  • ISBN-13: 978-0195622553
  • Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (97 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,112 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

He writes his stories in a flowing, descriptive style that is very easy to read. Bernie Gaynor  |  23 reviewers made a similar statement
His writing also expresses a profound love for India. Neil Albaugh  |  17 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A hunter, a humanitarian, a lover of nature March 7, 2006
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
A lot of tigers and leopards die in this book. If you belong to PETA, then, this isn't the book for you. Jim Corbett begins with the premise that tigers and leopards who kill humans must be killed.

But he then begins his exposition with the story of the Champawat man-eating tigress, and how he first undertook to hunt such a beast. As I followed him into the jungle, I couldn't help but marvel at his recounting of his fear, his missteps, his eventual triumph.

But what I loved most of all was his keen eye for detail. Corbett isn't satisfied to say, "I shot the man-eater;" he must explain why that tiger's old paw injury forced her to substitute humans for her natural prey. And as you go on in the book, you begin to sense that Corbett is not a hunter who kills to bolster an inadequate ego; rather, his great joy springs from his natural affinity and long years of association with tigers, leopards, and the other denizens of the jungle.

It's probably worth knowing that in his later years, as the wilds of India became overrun with people, he turned to photo safaris; he wished to share his experiences of viewing these animals in their native habitat with the entire world, without doing any harm. If you, then, can sympathize with such a perspective, I wholly recommend this book; you'll come away with a new fascination with the great creatures we share our planet with.
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Corbett : The man, the legend August 23, 2001
Format:Hardcover
It's refreshing to read the memoirs of someone who was so famous yet so humble. He killed more than a dozen of the worst man-eating leopards and tigers in India in the early part of last century but never beats his chest or commits an unethical act. He was a true hunter and outdoorsman of the highest order and his stories reflect that.

You won't get any fluff or exaggeration with Jim Corbett. He was the REAL DEAL and his chess matches against these infamous man-eaters are legendary. From the 50 mile roadmarches to the 2 day stakeouts to the high suspense tracking of wounded killers, this man was tough as nails.

This book is one of his best and a must for any hunting/adventure collection.

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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Jim Corbett was one of eight children of a colonial postmaster stationed in the foothills of the Himalaya in India. He was born in 1875 and started hunting when he was eight years old. Between 1907 and 1938, he hunted a number of "man eating" tigers and leopards-including the Champawat Man Eater, which was responsible for over 400 deaths, and the the Rudraprayag Leopard, which was rumored to have been responsible for over 125 deaths. When a new man eater began to wreak havoc, the village people called on "Carpet Sahib" for help. In this book, which was first published in 1944, Corbett tells ten exciting and enlightening stories that keep the reader turning pages to see how they turn out. Sometimes the reader begins to wonder whether Corbett will get the tiger or the tiger will get him. Listen to Corbett tell of his meeting with the Chowgarh Tigress who killed at least 64 people and maybe twice that...

"As I stepped clear of the giant slate, I looked behind me over my right shoulder and--looked straight into the tigress' face. I would like you to have a clear picture of the situation. Her fore paws were stretched out and her hind legs were well tucked under her. Her head, which was raised a few inches off her paws, was eight feet from me. On her face was a smile, similar to that one sees on the face of a dog welcoming his master home after a long absence."

Along the way through his stories, Corbett displays amazing understanding of jungle lore and insights into the animal that probably most deserves the title "King of Beasts." He also explains what causes his prey to begin preying on people. Corbett obviously admired his quarry and considered the "tiger a gentleman." Later in life, Colonel Corbett gave up the rifle for a camera and focused his efforts on conservation. He was instrumental in creating India's first national park, Hailey Park, that has since been renamed in his honor. This is a delightful book by a modest teller of great true-life stories that will appeal to those interested in nature, life in colonial India, hunting or adventure.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A better read has never existed!
This book belongs in every sportsman's library

Relentless, unpretentious, Corbett was a helluva man and a credit to hunters the world-over

Can't add much to... Read more
Published 25 days ago by Anthony W. Waggoner
5.0 out of 5 stars A Hunting Adventure Classic
For readers of big game hunting tales and true adventure stories Jim Corbett deserves to be near the top. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Gregory Hope
5.0 out of 5 stars From a more adventerous time
Very good read, daring exploits from a time when the tiger had all the advantages over the locals...right up there with the Tsavo read.
Published 1 month ago by Jeff Wrbelis
5.0 out of 5 stars Riecke
Corbett's writing style flows so well that it's lyrical.
He describes brutal events so smoothly that you don't even realize how brutal the attacks are. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Riecke
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommend this book
This book goes into detail about his adventures of hunting man eating tigers. While the events are excellent reads, he is not too boastful to explain his mistakes in the trip. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Ryan Nathaniel Parks
3.0 out of 5 stars Good as far as it goes...
I read the original hardbound book many years ago when I was about ten years old. This paperback is an abridgement and does not have the photos the original book had nor does it... Read more
Published 1 month ago by R. Davis
5.0 out of 5 stars Detailed and informative, a great read
I read this book at least 15 times as a teenager. I was never sure why I loved it so much until I learned more about the author recently. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Julie Holland
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Read!
I'd heard about this fellow and his exploits from Wikipedia, and when I saw he wrote a book detailing his experiences, I had to have it! And it is a very very worthy buy. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jonathan R. Dittert
5.0 out of 5 stars Man-Eaters of Kumaon
This was one of the most fascinating books that I have ever read. Corbett is not as dry as other British authors of the time period and he does an outstanding job of drawing you... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Brad Shultz
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
This was a great book to read. Very well written in my opinion, and with an unexpected viewpoint in regard to these big man-eaters. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kevin P. Griffis
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Robin
I recently read it. (I found a first-edition copy in a used book shop, regulated to the discard room, and I snatched it up for a dollar, knowing it was magic before I even cracked the cover.) I thought one of the most moving scenes was one in which he killed the tiger in its sleep. I wonder if... Read more
Dec 16, 2008 by W.W. |  See all 2 posts
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