The Tiger by John Vaillant (author video)

It's December 1997, and a man-eating tiger is on the prowl outside a remote village in Russia's Far East. The tiger isn't just killing people, it's annihilating them, and a team of men and their dogs must hunt it on foot through the forest in the brutal cold. As the trackers sift through the gruesome remains of the victims, they discover that these attacks aren't random: the tiger is apparently engaged in a vendetta. Injured, starving, and extremely dangerous, the tiger must be found before it strikes again.

As he re-creates these extraordinary events, John Vaillant gives us an unforgettable portrait of this spectacularly beautiful and mysterious region. We meet the native tribes who for centuries have worshipped and lived alongside tigers, even sharing their kills with them. We witness the arrival of Russian settlers in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, soldiers and hunters who greatly diminished the tiger populations. And we come to know their descendants, who, crushed by poverty, have turned to poaching and further upset the natural balance of the region.

This ancient, tenuous relationship between man and predator is at the very heart of this remarkable book. Throughout we encounter surprising theories of how humans and tigers may have evolved to coexist, how we may have developed as scavengers rather than hunters, and how early Homo sapiens may have fit seamlessly into the tiger's ecosystem. Above all, we come to understand the endangered Siberian tiger, a highly intelligent super-predator that can grow to ten feet long, weigh more than six hundred pounds, and range daily over vast territories of forest and mountain.

Beautifully written and deeply informative, The Tiger circles around three main characters: Vladimir Markov, a poacher killed by the tiger; Yuri Trush, the lead tracker; and the tiger himself. It is an absolutely gripping tale of man and nature that leads inexorably to a final showdown in a clearing deep in the taiga.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• The Tiger
• John Vaillant
• Amur Tiger
• Siberian Tiger
• Taiga
• Russia
• Conservation
• Yuri Trush

[alastaircava]

@GoogleGas thats bullshit why would you even go on youtube if you are blind...

[GoogleGas]

can I get book in Audio like MP3 I am blind help me

[174rose]

i just finished the tiger. he is coming to my school and i get to introduce him. i can't wait. the amount of detail and research he puts in to his work is outstanding. it was one of the best books i have read in a long time.

[pearmac]

Lucky that didn't happen to me...

[EwEbOOb2]

I just finished the Golden Spruce...couldn't put it down...amazingly well written...who knew logging could be such a fascinating profession; that we have such a timeless culture in the Haida right here on the 'Wet' Coast; not to mention the intriguing character of Grant Hadwin. Thank you for that John. The Tiger is definitely my next read.

[Edmulrenin]

Great book. Valliant is an objective, suspenceful writer and did not take sides, but he did not change my mind that in these man vs. animal situations, the animal always loses.Markov could have pulled himself up from his bottom-of-the barrel life but did not. As the result, the tiger suffered, and so are we will from the actions of Markov and others like him.

[kakulema1]

He is a good writer he just came as a guest speaker to our creative writing lecture today!!! He has an intriguing sense of writing and defintly a great personality

[eggbaax]

@400OTD absolutely. I couldn't agree more! I was assigned to read The Golden Spruce in one of my college classes & fell in love after just a few pages.

I did not know he had other works, thus, I have a to hit the bookstore soon!

[400OTD]

I have read both The Golden Spruce and The Tiger and i must say that i am anxious to read J. Vaillants' next release , whatever it may be.

this is an author that takes INCREDIBLE care to make sure that the reader sees all sides of the story. These include social, economic, geographical, mental and even the metaphysical aspects,,,, i HIGHLY recommend reading both of these book!

please keep up the great work John!

this avid fan of your works says

THANK YOU !

[Racquelle40]

@pinkificationful Very Cool!