Book Description
Jim Corbett's fame rests on his tales of hunting in the Indian jungle, but he was acutely sensitive to the fragility of nature and well ahead of his time in understanding the need for conservation. Jungle Lore is the closest Jim Corbett ever came to an autobiography, revealing his life-long passion for the people, jungle, and animals of the Kumaon hills in the Himalayan foothills, and his despair at humanity's estrangement from its environment.
Customer Reviews:
My all-time favorite author.......2006-02-27
Jim Corbett is one of my all-time-favorite authors. I have read all his books, but the one I love the most is `Jungle Lore'. I have the first Indian edition of the book. It belonged to my dad who bought it in 1971 for 2.50 Rupees (which is roughly 5 cents)!
Corbett loved the jungle. He is considered the greatest tiger hunter India ever knew, and the reason he was so successful was not only because he knew the Kumaon jungle like the back of his hand, but also because he understood the jungle. He could understand the sounds of animals and birds. He could even make those sounds with great accuracy. He could look at the pug marks of animals on a mud path and tell a whole story of what happened there that morning. He had a sixth sense of jungle which he called his "jungle sensitiveness".
This book is not about hunting. This is a book about nature. Corbett writes with lot of humbleness and humor. One cannot stop admiring his courage and his vast knowledge of the jungle after reading this book.
The book of nature has no beginning, as it has no end.......2005-10-10
Jim Corbett - who is more famous for his books on hair raising encounters with man eating tigers and leopards - had also written two slightly different books: Jungle Lore and My India. Jungle Lore has fascinating accounts of Corbett's experiences in the Jungles on the foothills of Himalayas in India.
From his early childhood when he used to venture into the jungles armed with a catapult (from which he graduated to pellet-bow followed by a muzzle-loader and finally rifles), Corbett absorbed as much as he could about the way of the jungle. He says that jungle lore is not a science that can be learnt in textbooks; it can only be absorbed, little at a time, for "the book of nature has no beginning, as it has no end." Based only on his observations, Corbett describes a wide variety of birds, animals, and reptiles living in the jungles, and classifies them into different categories based on their behavior, eating habits, role in maintaining the balance of nature, etc.
Though there are certain sections of the book that describe Corbett organizing "beats" for the aristocracy (British and Indian) to hunt down tigers for sport which appear a little out of character with Corbett's avowed respect for animals (there is even a section where Corbett decides to kill a big male leopard just because he was "worth shooting"), there is no doubt that Corbett, through his books, had done more towards raising awareness on the conservation of the wild life in the jungles of India than anyone else. It's a shame that most of the jungles described in Corbett's books are slowly becoming a thing of the past, and unless desperate measures are taken, rapid population growth and indiscriminate poaching will forever deprive India of the finest of her flora and fauna.
Too much wanton killing for sport.......2004-08-29
This is a wonderfully written book on how to kill a whole bunch of animals now on the endangered species list. Jim Corbett needs no introduction of course, and 'Jungle Lore' is as beautifully written as any of Corbett's books. But there are some contradictions in Corbett's books that I find hard to understand, and Jungle Lore is no exception. In fact, whole chapters of the book are devoted to pure sport hunting in the style of his bloodthirsty contemporaries.
In Jungle Lore, we are told how Corbett killed "the biggest leopard in India" - because it was "worth shooting". No justification is given or deemed necessary!
We are also given a detailed description of a "beat" carried out to please the Viceroy of India. We learn that the hunt went so beautifully that each member of the Viceroy's party "bagged" a tiger.
Among other stories, there is one of a tiger - not a man-eater or even a cattle killer - which had been outwitting its would-be killers (a local maharajah and his minions) for years, and which was finally hunted down owing to Corbett's tracking skills.
The last couple of stories are particularly distasteful as they show, in microcosm, the demise of Indian wildlife at the hands of the British and Indian aristocracy. Though Corbett calls the tiger a 'gentleman', he does serious damage to his credibility by not recording his opposition to wanton sport-killing. Indeed, he organizes beats for the aristocracy, and frequently shoots tigers and leopards either for sport or for trivial reasons. The common assertion that Corbett ever gave up sport hunting for the camera is surprising, since Jungle Lore clearly states that he shot his last tiger after the Second World War (when he was past 70).
As a conservationist, it thus seems that Corbett is not in the same league as his great contemporary, F.W. Champion, whose books 'With a Camera in Tiger-Land' and 'The Jungle in Sunlight and Shadow' inspired a generation of people to give up the gun for the camera. Champion recorded his objection to the hunting of wildlife for sport unequivocally in his books. Moreover, he actually practiced what he preached by completely ceasing to shoot after the mid 1920s, an age when tigers - and huge trophy tigers at that! - were still abundant. Contrast this with Corbett, who shot the magnificent Bachelor of Powalgarh for sport (as described in gory detail in 'The Man-Eaters of Kumaon') in 1930. It is tragic that Fred Champion - whose pioneering efforts produced the first ever photographs of wild tigers, leopards and a host of other wildlife - is hardly known.
In the midst of the descriptions of the thrills of hunting, Jungle Lore does contain material, written in Corbett's inimitable style, that describes the rich wildlife of India in a forgotten era. Classic descriptions of the battle between a pair of mating tigers and a big tusker elephant, of the method employed by otters to kill pythons, and of a battle between a crested eagle and a fishing cat are highlights of the book. So also are the descriptions of the methods of tracking wild animals, though it is frequently to put a bullet through them. Given the historical importance of the book, and also its price, it is certainly worth buying if you are interested in Indian wildlife.
Entertaining narrative with genuine depth.......2003-12-12
James E. Corbett grew up in an India that was still a colony of Great Britain. This is an autobiographical account of episodes in his life -- by no means complete, but a taste of what it was like to grow up, not in the culture of British India, but in the jungles that surrounded it. He was a self-taught naturalist and tracker, learning to hunt, track, find direction, and survive in the jungles. The stories are mostly entertaining -- except toward the end, where I found myself flipping forward in some distaste because of his description of hunting tigers for sport. But Corbett himself demonstrates a healthy reverence for life, and moreover, a strong appetite for learning about the natural world, and for developing his sensitivity to it.
The book is largely narrative, but mixed in with it is a little bit of his philosophy of jungle law, and some material about what he has learned through his experiences, supplemented, of course, with more stories. This, like other anecdotal evidence, should be taken with a grain of salt and tested against one's own experience. For instance, he writes that venomous snakes, with one exception, are slower and so have to wriggle more in order to move around, and so their tracks will reflect this, while non-venomous snakes are speedy and agile and will have straight rather than wave-form tracks. A friend of mine who's very familiar with snakes disputes this.
But, as Corbett himself says, "Having stated that the book of Nature has no beginning, and no end, I would be the last to claim that I have learned all that is to be learned of any of the subjects dealt with here, or that this book contains any expert knowledge." Undoubtedly, though, through his extensive experience alone, he has learned enough to be a master, in harmony with his jungle.
THE TRUE NATURALISTS BOOK........1998-12-13
It will take you far, far into past, into the very heart of India, the land of jungles, of love, of true simplicity,
Jim Corbett will accompany you into the past with you and lead you into the future, this is a book that reiterates, that nature has no beginning as it has no end..., a revealing insight into one remarkable man, a britisher who was in India to live with its wonderful people and animals and who richly deserves the honour of being remembered even today, in the land he loved, and the place he tread, bears the call, CORBETT NATIONAL PARK.
Average customer rating:
|
Jungle Lore
Jim Corbett
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0000CIN7T |
Average customer rating:
|
Jungle Lore
Jim Corbett
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKPR5E |
Customer Reviews:
Leopard of Rudrapryag/Man-Eaters of Kumaon/My India.......2000-01-08
Brings out the charm of nature and wild life. The foothills of the Himalayas, the simple people, the cry of the birds warning you of danger lurking around the next chapparal tree, the wait on the maachan..... all work their magic on you. The fluid language of the author takes you on a journey which makes you cry out for a change from city life.
Product Description
Jim Corbett was known as a hunter and writer about the world of safari until his death in 1955. In 1990 Safari Press published this deluxe edition of green leather, gold gilt illustrated hardcovers in a decorative safari slipcase. Dimensions 8.5" x 4" x 5.5".
Average customer rating:
|
Jungle lore and other tales
Benjamin Northling Swemmer
Manufacturer: Nasionale Pers Beperk
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| African
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Central & South African
| African
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Folklore
| Mythology
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B0007JRLP6 |
Book Description
You're in the ring when three flashing kicks from the Muay Thai boxer knock you to the canvas. Muay Thai, the hottest style of kickboxing to hit the sports world, integrates the use of legs and fists in one clean, fluid, yet savage style. Get the facts on how to master Thai Boxing Dynamite.
Customer Reviews:
Accurate, factual, humble, dated.......2005-02-16
The author Zoran Rebac is level-headed and appears immune to the hype and BS often associated with martial arts. He accurately states that muay thai is a hard-nosed ring sport descended from more brutal fighting methods. Rebac is from eastern Europe. This book is a translation, so the writing is fairly concrete; if there were more nuances they were lost in translation. Rebac put in his time; he trained in the camps, did his roadwork and took his knocks. Rebac trained in SE Asia in the early 1980's, so this book predates the rise of Thai Boxing in the US and the aerobo-"kickboxing" fad.
A Muay Thai Guide.......2003-08-28
This is a good book to introduce you to the culture and history of Thai boxing. There are explinations of techniques and an explination of how to generate power. This book seems to be intended more like a documentary into the world of Thai boxing more than a how-to guide. Shots are from Thailand and make the book interesting.
While the techniques of this sport have been assimilated into NHB, striking, and self-defense areas and are used by fighters/martial artists who are not into the culture this book is a great reminder of where the techniques originated.
Thai Boxing Dynamite, Pretty Good Book........2003-01-18
This book is great for beginners, it is not the best book out there, but it is pretty thourough with good pictures and illustrations. Also another big plus is that it is cheap, and easy to find unlike other books on muay thai. If your just getting started, it is a great investment, for just a few bucks you can learn quite a bit abou muay thai and it's history. If you are a veteran Muay thai person, if you havent read it, just get it, its cheap, and youll enjoy it.
Excellent.......2002-07-17
My opinion is that this book was extremely well-done. Muay Thai is a rare and unusual, yet highly effective and simple ancient martial art. To the open-minded, this book is a wealth of treasure. I particularly enjoyed the way techniques were presented in a logical and interesteing manner. This one is worth adding to your martial arts library for sure.
The best work available on Muay Thai.......2001-11-08
As a muay thai boxer and a martial arts enthusiast, I have the honor to have as my teacher one of Brazil's most experienced and bright masters.
Muay Thai has been misunderstood, especially in the West recently. Many people mistake it for regular kick-boxing, although it is an art and a science on its own.
Thai entities have strived to preserve its essence, altough there are some minor variations in local schools.
I believe the greatest merit of this book is to bring to the audience the authentic form of the King of Martial Arts.
The author is visibly someone with a deep knowledge of Thailand's culture and indeed a very skilled fighter.
Despite the book's exaggerated title ( the original name is just "Thai Boxing" ), it is an invaluable aid and a big differential to someone practicing this millennial art, as well as other forms of fighting sports and self-defense.
Average customer rating:
- A memorable essay in the history of ideas
- Tolstoy's views on history elucidated
- A brilliant book....
- A creative interpretation of Tolstoy
- A view of existance, history that many never think.
|
The Hedgehog and the Fox: An Essay on Tolstoy's View of History
Isaiah Berlin
Manufacturer: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Literary Theory
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Eastern European
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Reference Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Eastern European
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Russian
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Literary Theory
| History & Criticism
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Philosophy
| Nonfiction
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
General
| Reference
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
All 4-for-3 Deals
| 4-for-3 Books Store
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Liberty: Incorporating Four Essays on Liberty
-
The Power of Ideas
-
Against the Current: Essays in the History of Ideas
-
Russian Thinkers (Penguin Philosophy)
-
The Roots of Romanticism
ASIN: 1566630193 |
Book Description
The masterly essay on Tolstoy's view of history, in which Sir Isaiah underlines a fundamental distinction between those people (foxes) who are fascinated by the infinite variety of things and those (hedgehogs) who relate everything to a central, all-embracing system. This little book is so entertaining, as well as acute, that the reader hardly notices that it is learned too. --Arnold Toynbee
Customer Reviews:
A memorable essay in the history of ideas .......2004-10-18
This is perhaps the most famous essay ever written in the history of ideas. Berlin analyzes the mind of Tolstoy as revealed in 'War and Peace'. He uses a quotation from Aristochulus , "The hedgehog knows one big thing, but the fox knows many little things "He then categorizes various intellectual figures as hedgehogs or foxes. He says that Tolstoy was a fox who wanted to be a hedgehog. In other words Tolstoy longed to put all reality into one great explanatory system but his faithfulness to his own remarkable sense of perception led him to see everywhere the fine distinctions and individual differences which constitute his own richly varied world.
What is interesting is that Berlin himself was fundamentally a fox in the world of ideas. He believed that there could be no one fundamental system explaining all. He not simply reveled in the variety of ideas, but he thought in terms of values that ' ideal ends' even within the individual's own thought are incompatible. That is that it is not simply a question of the ' variety of the world' which confounds the system - builder but the ' inherent contradictions ' within it , which cannot be resolved into any great single Platonic or Hegelian system.
A celebrator of the variety of life and existence Berlin saw that Tolstoy could represent and create such variety in the highest possible way while still somehow wishing he were able to unite it all into one.
Apparently there is 'no unified field theory' in the world of history or the history of ideas , either.
Tolstoy's views on history elucidated.......2003-05-28
Sir Isaiah Berlin has written a critical acclaim of the historic views of famous Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy as expressed in one of his masterpieces "War and Piece". In 'The Hedgehog and The Fox' (1953), Dr. Berlin compares and contracts the monist and pluralist historical philosophies. According to Archilochus "The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing." This can be interpreted that there is a philosophy of a single undiminished holistic truth or principle governing all history, or there is a myriad little ideas, truths and inclinations which together govern mens historical experience.
Tolstoy, according to Berlin, is a fox (whose talent is by the way in precisely being a fox), who is however convinced in the ways of the hedgehog. Tolstoy is at his greatest when he describes the subtle undertones of human existence, these barely perceptible little differences which makes living so full and colorful, range of emotions and feelings. He does not believe, however, that this is all that is, and insists on some ill-defined fundamental truth. This makes his writing wooden, unhistorical, and simplistic at times.
Berlin makes a perceptive observations on the interest of Tolstoy's in some of the figures of Counter-Enlightenment (such as Maestre and Vico). These proponents of the view of the world which denies all-pervasive powers of reductionist science and allocates the central place to a simple idea (e.g. Christian moral idea) are closer to Tolstoy; and from this point of view and interest Tolstoy's last "religious" period owes its inspiration. Berlin shows Tolstoy as a tragic genius riddled with contradictions and frustrations of misapprehension of his enormous talents in inability to say what he wanted to say the most - paint a true picture of human historical experience.
Style of Berlin's polemic is as always colorful, insightful, supremely observant and scholarly. Essay is no longer then 75 pages and would make for a delightful Sunday afternoon reading. Highly recommended!
A brilliant book...........2000-10-19
I really want to disagree with the reviewer below who said that this book is "overly academic" and "not interesting to someone without a serous research interest in Tolstoy". C'mon.
This is a HIGHLY readable book though probably only one that should be read after having read 'War and Peace'. In combination, the boring sections of 'War and Peace' and this book provide a pretty interesting dialogue and line of thought that can be comprehended by most anyone.....
This is a beautiful book and one that can be appreciated by tons the teeming multitudes and not just self-righteous undergraduates at small colleges in Massachusetts. Berlin is a very readable philosopher, which explains much of the reason WHY he is held in such esteem in the Anglo-American philosophical community....
Finally, who could ever say that this little tiny red book was worth neither the effort nor the expense. A must-buy.
A creative interpretation of Tolstoy.......2000-07-19
In this essay, Isaiah Berlin discusses and interprets Tolstoy's view of history. In the process, he uses Tolstoy's enormous novel, WAR AND PEACE, as his major source. Those of you who have read WAR AND PEACE will remember the frequent theoretical passages that discuss the practice and philosophy of history. These passages provide Berlin with fodder for his examination.
Berlin claims that there are two broad categories of thinkers: hedgehogs and foxes. Hedgehogs single-mindedly pursue one ideological goal and organize their thoughts in relation to it. Foxes are knowledgeable in a number of areas but do not specialize in any one.
The basic claim of Berlin's essay is that Tolstoy is a fox masquerading as a hedgehog. Tolstoy desperately wants to believe in a single thing, but is thwarted by his own personality. This dynamic profoundly affects Tolstoy's view of history. As a fox, he exposes past philosophies of history as the oversimplifications they are. They do not sufficiently take into account the complexity of every event and of every individual. However, Tolstoy is unable to produce the positive theory of history which he demands of himself (i.e. he is unable to make himself a hedgehog).
Berlin's essay is a very innovative and interesting interpretation of an aspect of Tolstoy's thought that is frequently dismissed. It is also a work of literary and philosophical criticism. Its tone is academic, and if Tolstoy's own digressions in WAR AND PEACE bore you, you may not want to pick this book up. Given the interest, though, this book is a thought-provoking complement to the work of this sometimes enigmatic Russian author.
A view of existance, history that many never think........1998-05-04
An easy read--written in extremely beautiful language--that makes one re-think of the world and society around.
Customer Reviews:
The one who knew so many little things, and wanted to know one big one '.......2006-04-28
This is one of the most brilliant and famous essays in 'the history of ideas'. Berlin's analysis of Tolstoy who foxlike knew so many things, and wanted vainly to know only one big hedgehog like one is part of a general survey of intellectual history in which Berlin classifies various thinkers in accordance with the basic Hedgehog- Fox distinction. It is also a reading of Tolstoy's theory of history one in which Tolstoy in contrast to Berlin's own view sees that the higher on the heirarchy of power the historical figure the more powerless they are.
No review words can do justice to the magnificent insights provided by this great essay.
Book Description
*Prices for silver, gold, platinum and palladium are at a 26-year high
*Features 2,000 more high quality coin images from the world's leading auction houses
An indispensable reference for collectors of 19th century coins, this guide delivers descriptive and metallic details plus invaluable pricing, in five grades of condition, for everything from tokens and patterns to sets and standard issues. With prices for classic coins driving the market in Europe, and collector interest driving the prices in Russia, and the significant increase in general coin collecting by the Peoples Republic of China driving the entire market, it's clear there's a world of collectors in need of information only provided by this comprehensive catalog of 19th century world coins.
Customer Reviews:
Standard Catalog of World Coins 1801-1900.......2007-04-11
This publication is essential for anyone buying, selling or evaluating coins.
Been reading it for 49 years.......2007-03-12
This is the most comprehensive coin catalogue and when put together with Catalogue of World Coins 1901 - 2006, it really gives you an accurate picture and value report of what you have in your collection or are thinking about adding to it.
Standard Catalog of World Coins:1801-1900.......2007-01-10
Material is horribly dated. Publication date apparently 2004, using 2001-2003 price date. Effectively useless.
You MUST show date of publication in description of item.
Not likely to buy again.
Content Missing (contained in previous editions)........2007-01-10
Readers will find missing the following (there is probably more):-
Philippines silver 1880-1885
Large amounts of Indonesian &/or Neth. E. Indies.
Egyptian 5 Ghirsh AH1293.
Getting Off to a Good Start and More.......2006-03-22
This is a publication of note. Highly informative for the beginner or seasoned collector there is a certain lure for these magnificent looking coins and abundant information on them. I will have to admit that I was certainly intrigued by this publication and spent several hours rummaging through the information contain herein. I have collected coins on and off for years and this was a good place to start and jump back in to that rewarding and enriching hobby.
Books:
- Lake and Pond Management Guidebook
- Land of Lost Monsters: Man Against Beast--The Prehistoric Battle for the Planet
- Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
- Mountain Lion: An Unnatural History of Pumas and People
- Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition: The Remarkable Journal of Shackleton's Polar-Bound Cat
- On This Earth: Photographs from East Africa
- Once Around the Sun
- Our Stolen Future: How We Are Threatening Our Fertility, Intelligence and Survival-- A Scienti
- Pennsylvania Wildlife: A Viewers Guide
- Phar Lap
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Art of Project Management
- Memories of a Lifetime: Vintage Labels from a Lady's Dressing Room: Artwork for Scrapbooks & Fab
- First Principles
- Kids Dance
- James Bama: American Realist
- Suburban Nation: The Rise of Sprawl and the Decline of the American Dream
- Multisensory Control of Movement
- Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul
- Financial Risk Manager Handbook 2001-2002
- Ward's Business Directory 1996 of U.S. Private and Public Companies
Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks)
The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon (Oxford India Paperbacks)
The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag (Oxford India Paperbacks)
The Jim Corbett Omnibus
The Oxford India Illustrated Corbett (Oxford India Collection)
