Travels on my Elephant [Paperback]

Mark Shand (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1998

This book tells the story of one man's adventures with an elephant. There is no better way to see India than on the back of an elephant, which is exactly what Mark Shand discovered as he set out on a 1000 kilometre journey on Tara, a 30-year old female elephant. Their destination was the Sonepur Mela, the world's oldest elephant market. What began as an adventurous whim soon developed into an unlikely romance. Tara, a scrawny and ill-treated begging elephant which Shand had acquired, was transformed through tender loving care on the journey into a star attraction. This book provides an account of the trials and tribulations of their journey.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A few years ago, British writer Mark Shand cut an 800-mile swath across southern and central India atop a 30-year-old elephant named Tara. What he saw along the way makes up the heart of this entertaining memoir. His reminiscences of the good food and warmly hospitable people of the nation make you want to head out the door and find the nearest mahout, but the real star of the show is Tara, who has a sweet personality and a penchant for mischief, such as shoplifting fruit from vendors' stalls and lifting prostitutes' saris. However, Shand sadly notes, "The Indian elephant is running out of living space." His sort of adventure may thus be harder to come by in the future--so find that mahout now. If you can't, as vicarious experiences go, following Shand across the subcontinent is tough to beat.

From Publishers Weekly

This tale of a recent 800-mile journey across India on an elephant is at once entertaining and exasperating. Shand ( Skulduggery ), who has also head-hunted in Indonesia and motor-raced from London to Sydney, impulsively buys a 30-year-old elephant to ride from Konarak on the Bay of Bengal to Sonepur across the Ganges to the great elephant bazaar. In addition to Tara, the elephant, Shand gathers Indian helpers and advisers as quirky as himself, and together they travel across the country--Shand on Tara, his party in a jeep--astounding, amusing and puzzling those they encounter. Along the way, Shand learns about the care and feeding of elephants; and about rural India, which still worships the elephant God Ganesh and which leaps to life in this book. The group attends village festivals, receives the hospitality of princes and policemen, and Shand becomes so enamored of Tara that they share a slug of whisky and mingle their tears at his leave-taking. Overly coy in the telling, The characters (including the elephant) are difficult to identify with, but the local color is delightful, despite the overly coy prose. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 266 pages
• Publisher: Overlook TP (July 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879518685
• ISBN-13: 978-0879518684
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #640,656 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring, captivating...this book doesn't last long, April 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Travels on my Elephant (Paperback)

I have read all of Mark's books and this is my favourite. Full of humour, you can't help but fall in love with Tara and the magic of India. The sequel Queen Of The Elephants is also worth reading; this film of QotE is shown regulary on Discovery/Animal Planet.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Travels on my Elephant, January 22, 2002

By 

Santry_Man "ciaranstaunton" (Dublin 9 Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travels on my Elephant (Paperback)

A remarkable story about one of the few Europeans to enter the mystical, beautiful, dangerous, austere and disappearing world of the Indian Mahoot. Shand writes honestly and insightfully about his experiences on an elephant Trek through India which makes the book all the more refreshing. An easy afternoon read by the fire with your map of India on your lap.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book, December 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Travels on my Elephant (Paperback)

This book gripped me from the start. Mark Shand's matter-of-fact writing style and unshamedly romantic account of a trip across India on his elephant Tara, will make you curious about India and fall in love with this beautiful creature that became a grown man's best friend. A beautiful story for readers of all ages. I loved it and am about to read it again!