Cover of Elephant Bill

Elephant Bill

A book comes along like this once in a lifetime. You read it as a small child, or even as a adult, and never forget the images it conjures up, of a wonderful Englishman who lives in the mysterious forests of faraway Burma and of the kind native people who teach him about their lovely country. But most of all, you never forget the elephants! For this is a story about those magnificent creatures. Though he was officially known as Lt. Colonel J.H. Williams, the author was known to the world at large as "Elephant Bill". That is because he spent 25 years living with the elephants in the mountains and forests of Burma. There he trained them to haul teak logs out of the isolated jungles.

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Yet this is also a story of great courage because when the Second World War struck, it also came to Burma. The Japanese Imperial Army planned to confiscate the Burmese elephants, drafting them to make the bridges and railways they needed to invade India. When he learned of these plans to put his beloved animals to a war-like purpose, Elephant Bill knew what had to be done. The mighty kings of the jungle had to be evacuated to safety.Personal story of Colonel Williams' adventures in Burma. A bit tedious but quite interesting to read about his involvement with working elephants.

Audience
adult

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Liked Elephant Bill? Here’s where I’d start.

These suit anyone who liked Elephant Bill. Sign in and mark a few books for picks shaped around your own taste.

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  4. Our Zoo Shares nonfiction, animals, biography

“If you want more of the same (biography about animals), start with these.”

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“If it was the myanmar that hooked you, try one of these.”

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  3. Hemingway's Cats: An Illustrated Biography
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“These start from a similar idea, even if they go somewhere else with it.”

  1. Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II
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