Year of the Tiger (National Geographic) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Geoffrey Ward (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-This photographic essay tracks the status of the tigers of the world. The authors present over 100 color photographs of these animals in the wild, in zoos, and in other places such as Las Vegas shows. There are many haunting pictures of captive tigers held in commercial breeding facilities or zoos, and even privately owned. However, over half of the book is devoted to the tigers of the Bandhavgarh National Park in India, where Nichols and Ward photographed Sita, her cubs, and her mate over a two-year period. The result is an unprecedented look at these magnificent animals in all their glory. There are shots of the tigers drinking, stalking, playing, and eating-images that vividly contrast with those taken of the captive tigers. This book is visually stunning. It is short on text, but in this case the old axiom that a picture is worth a thousand words is true.
Robert Burnham, R. E. Lee High School, Springfield, VA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Sleek, stealthy, powerful, and beautiful, the tiger has always evoked awe, fear, and utter fascination. Once undisputed lord of vast stretches of Asia, India, and Indonesia, the tiger now stalks a sadly diminished realm, despite the best efforts of dedicated conservationists all over the world. Some strains are extinct; all are threatened. But, as this dramatic volume demonstrates, the species has lost none of its mesmerizing appeal.

Glorying in more than 100 stunning full-color photographs, The Year of the Tiger combines the talents of two gifted, knowledgeable men: National Geographic veteran Michael "Nick" Nichols, who has been described as the Indiana Jones of photography, and writer Geoffrey Ward, a tiger admirer ever since his youth in India. Together, they have created an engrossing, unforgettable portrait of this magnificent creature, featuring many images of tigers in the wild never before captured on film.

Here are arresting visions from Southeast Asia and Siberia, along with remarkable and unprecedented photographs that reveal the hidden life of an Indian tigress, named Sita, and her cubs. Over a period of two years, Nichols visited the tigers, documenting Sita's unflagging efforts to feed and safeguard her young. To obtain his extraordinary shots, Nichols tracked the tigers on elephant-back through rough terrain and more than once risked his life to bring back a unique record of their lives.

Here too is a gallery of tigers in captivity, heartbreaking in its juxtaposition with their wild brethren. For whether they're entertaining Las Vegas crowds or living in the relative security of a first-rate zoo, these are animals who have lost -- or never learned -- the skills that would allow them to survive in the wild. And yet they too have inherited all the majesty and wonder that mark their breed -- and may perhaps be the last, best hope for the most endangered of today's great cats.

Stunning in its visual appeal, sobering in its message, The Year of the Tiger is at once a vivid celebration and a vital call to arms on behalf of a creature whose very existence is menaced by mankind's encroachment on its delicately-balanced environment. It's a book for anyone who cares about preserving our world's astonishing diversity, and for anyone who's fallen under the tiger's spell -- and that, it's safe to say, is everyone.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 079227377X
• ISBN-13: 978-0792273776
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 9.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #385,599 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful for Tiger lovers, May 2, 2000

By	Angel Lee "Liocorno Amethyst Moonstone" (Cleveland, OH United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is a wonderful book for anyone who loves tigers. It is packed with spectacular photos of tigers, most in their natural environment. There are also some pictures of other wildlife & of native peoples.

There are pictures of tigers with their cubs, ready to pounce & many close-ups. Sadly, there are others of tigers in captivity. I loved the pictures of the white tigers especially a rare one with orange stripes instead of black.

If you can tear yourself away from the pictures the text is equally impressive. The author tells of his adventures in national parks throughout Asia.

He also discusses the plight of tigers & other animals of the area being killed for there furs or horns and what is being done to protect them. There is a list of conservationists in the back if you want to help.

3 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, March 31, 2000

By	Susan Marie Baker (Ashland, WI USA) - See all my reviews

I thought that this book was remarkable in the explanation of the year of the tiger and with what cultures that it pertains to.