The Glory of the Hunt

Man-Eaters of Kumaon is an exciting book not only because it is a true account of the dangerous hunts for man-eating tigers pursued by Major Corbett, but because the accounts themselves are riveting. Major Corbett is an excellent story teller and includes a number of important details of the hunts. He discusses at great length the details of his preparations and the sounds he hears; he explains his strategies for hunting down the tigers and personalizes the tigers to a great degree. The reader will get a good impression of the physical feels of hunting for long stretches of time. Corbett displays extraordinary skill with the rifle and an unusual ability to standard totally still and stay up for all night vigils in a tree for half a day at a time.

Corbett also discusses the tigers with a sense of respect; he hates...