September 2012 Archives

Reviewed by Leena Falciglia
Published Saturday June 10, 2021 10:48AM EDT

The Tiger
A True Story of Vengeance and Survival

By John Vaillant, Vintage, 329 pages, $22

The ancient tenuous relationship between man and animal, and the delicate balance between predator and prey are a major driving force behind evolution. As predator density increases, the number of prey consumed also increases, forcing the prey to adapt to avoid consumption. Disturbing this delicate balance would mean a disturbance in our ecosystem. Whether you perceive this read as a contest of wills, a struggle of power, or a fight to the finish, this remarkable book that keeps you wondering whose side you're on, remains a story of survival.

The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival

By John Vaillant

Reviewed by: Gabriel Millard

The world is about to lose one the most proficient and mystic predators it has ever seen. Thanks to the destruction of their homeland from forestry and mass killings by humans, the number of wild Amur tigers has dropped from around 7500 at the beginning of the 20th century to around 450 just over 100 years later, a staggering number made even more unbelievable when compared with the fact there's 2000 living in captivity in the state of Texas alone. (Vaillant 296) John Vaillant has created this novel from the gripping true story of one tiger that was driven to madness by humans' greed in order to raise awareness for this majestic species. The question Vaillant proposes is can we really sit back and watch as this majestic species that has lived with us since our humble beginnings, is simply wiped off the face of this planet.

In John Vaillant's book The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival he outlines the bloody aftermath that can happen when humans blindly violate Mother Nature's code. He provides compelling examples and allusions that serve to bring awareness to the senseless destruction, we as humans are causing to the delicate ecosystem in which we are a part of. Vaillant expertly describes the current destruction of people, wildlife, and environment in eastern Russia, which makes it difficult to ignore the devastating problems faced by its inhabitants.

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