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The Tiger
The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival | John Vaillant
27 posts | 26 read | 36 to read
Its December 1997, and a man-eating tiger is on the prowl outside a remote village in Russias Far East. The tiger isnt just killing people, its 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 arent 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 tigers 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.From the Hardcover edition.
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Oblomov26
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Pickpick

A enthralling tale of a man killer tiger and the men sent to destroy it in the Russia Far East. What makes this story different is the action of the tiger which appear deliberate and planned acts of Vengeance against the poachers who had wounded it. A microcosm of the world at large; shrinking domains, increased human demands for resources while in the background the Soviet Union and the lifelines it provide to local citizens collapse.

52 likes1 stack add
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Addison_Reads
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Mehso-so

Last of my reviews to catch up on. 👍

I wanted to like this one more than I did, but there were parts of it that were too sensationalized for me. The tale of a small community dealing with a man-eating tiger lurking about was intriguing, but the author tried too hard to attach dialogue to the tiger's thoughts during the attacks which I found distracting.

This wasn't a pick for me, but it was still interesting.

PaperbackPirate I really liked The Golden Spruce by this author. I have this one too but it‘s still on my tbr. 5y
Addison_Reads @PaperbackPirate I enjoyed his writing, there were just some sections my sciene-minded brain wanted more fact and less assumptions. I will have to try The Golden Spruce now. ☺ 5y
20 likes2 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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A true story about a tiger terrorising outside the remote village in Russia‘s Far East. The wounded and starved tiger is bent on revenge as a poacher has shot him. A story of the hunter and the prey.
#winterwonderland #runningacrossthinicewithtigers

Thank goodness for friends at google, or I wouldn‘t have known this book.

TrishB The tigers are having their day today! 5y
Cinfhen This book is meant to be excellent!!! You‘ve reminded me that I stacked this ages ago 5y
Reggie Wow, this was totally on the money. 5y
JennyM 👏🏼 👏🏼 5y
LeahBergen Dang! This was going to be my pick ... I may still have to go with it anyway. 😂😂 5y
75 likes5 comments
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TelevisionNeighbor
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Umwelt is blowing my mind. #wordoftheweek

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TelevisionNeighbor
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#nonfictionnovember So my son started the morning early with a stomach bug, so I get to stay home today and read (and also take care of him, of course). This book...I‘m only a few chapters in, but whoa. Like tigers are cool, but they are terrifying. I love non fiction. I used to think it was boring, but now I‘ve matured. 😂

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lauraleebc
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John Vaillant has a really intense, wonderful style. Just look at this description of the Amur tiger. I‘ve never read a more lovely and frightening description of an animal.

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CharissaWeaksAuthor
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Pickpick

I highly recommend John Vaillant's The Tiger for anyone intrigued by this story. Here's a link to the article. http://siberiantimes.com/other/others/features/you-cant-keep-me-away-rare-big-ca...

Nebklvr Ohhh yes. 6y
68 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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lauraleebc
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Snagged this from my dad, and wow is it good so far! A classic Man vs. Nature tale with a healthy dose of insight into East Russian culture & socioeconomics.

CharissaWeaksAuthor It's a really great book. 6y
5 likes1 comment
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JacintaMCarter
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Cinfhen Did you read this one? Sounds fascinating 7y
JacintaMCarter @Cinfhen No, I just googled "books about wild animals" and this was the one that sounded the most interesting. 7y
Cinfhen Haha! I've seen it on best lists before...I really do want to read it someday 😁 7y
34 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Nebklvr
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Pickpick

An intense look at Russian history, tigers, and conservation. Just when the history could start bogging down, back on the trail of the man-eating tiger. Beautiful writing--more like what you would expect to find in "literary" fiction. #LitsyAtoZ

50 likes2 stack adds
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Nebklvr
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He closes his eyes for pictures. I read him some of "the tiger" while we were waiting to trim hooves. I don't think he approved.

Suet624 I want to kiss his nose. 7y
rubyslippersreads ❤️🐴❤️ 7y
Nebklvr @Suet624 He is treated like a big dog because he is hell on wheels to ride. He is very affectionate at ground level though! 7y
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Nebklvr @rubyslippersreads He can be very sweet 7y
Suet624 Oh boy. I had a horse like that. But I kept trying to ride him. I should have stopped trying sooner and just gone with the big dog theory. 7y
Nebklvr @Suet624 This is our second. After my Mom was bucked off, broke ribs, and had a chest tube....big dog theory. 7y
Suet624 Nnnoooo!!! I was getting bucked off too and am amazed nothing bad happened. Your poor mom!!! 7y
CrowCAH Horse! ❤ beautiful! ☺ 7y
Nebklvr @CrowCAH He is my beauty boy. Mouthy, but beautiful. Pulled on my boot, chewed on my coat, and untied his lead. 7y
CrowCAH @Nebklvr he sounds like quite the character! Someday I'll own a horse, they've been a love and passion since I was little. 7y
Nebklvr @CrowCAH Best of luck. They are beautiful 7y
46 likes11 comments
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Nebklvr
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Just a little creepy

Dragon This book is so interesting, tigers are scary cool 😎 7y
Nebklvr @Dragon Definitely scary and gorgeous 7y
36 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Nebklvr
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the_alternate_ending_library I now know as well.... 🤔💞👏 7y
45 likes2 comments
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Nebklvr
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And because it has been a somewhat brutal weekend, I am now going to read about a man-eating tiger.

TobeyTheScavengerMonk Interested to know what you think. It's been on my To Be Read forever. 7y
Nebklvr @TobeyTheScavengerMonk So far one gruesome attack and some Russian history. So pretty much perfect. 7y
42 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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Nebklvr
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What I must read...😳

Smrloomis May the force be with you. I assume this is for your work but it still looks intense. 🤔 7y
Nebklvr @Smrloomis It is for work and it is intense. I have taken the class twice before but I always stress out. 2 days of hell. 7y
TrishTheBibliophile TNCC! Ahhhh!!! Are you in Trauma or the ER? I was a trauma nurse for 3.5 years! 7y
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Nebklvr @TrishTheBibliophile I work in a rural ER, so our night shift usually has two nurses and a physician running traumas. Not my fave, ER. 7y
Nebklvr @TrishTheBibliophile We do have a trauma team we can call for multiple injuries. I just prefer pcu/stepdown to ER 7y
TrishTheBibliophile @Nebklvr I can understand that! I work float pool now. Usually in PCU but I go everywhere. I don't mind that because I don't have to get into the politics of things, if you know what I mean! 7y
TrishTheBibliophile @Nebklvr and good luck!!!! 7y
Nebklvr @TrishTheBibliophile Enjoyed travel nursing for 10 years for the same reason. Less politics. 7y
30 likes9 comments
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Nebklvr
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What I want to read....

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StellaDz
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Pickpick

Wow. On the face of it, this is a novel about a lesson: insult nature and it will exact payment in the harshest of terms. A tiger is seemingly brutally killing men that have 'wronged' it, including the conservationist sent to stop the killings. Secondly, this novel is about the beautiful creature that is simply trying to survive in man's world. It must also survive, and oftentimes, human and tiger must face each other.

Simply amazing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

10 likes1 stack add
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StellaDz
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So many harsh truths in this novel. This one hit hard. #currentlyreading #audiobook

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StellaDz
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The next #audiobook came in! Been waiting for this one since the middle of September! Read by the author, who sounds a bit like Idris Elba! 😉#nonfiction

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StellaDz

I've place my first hold for an audiobook with my library through Overdrive!! Excited for this one because it is read by the author and he sounds like Idris Elba!

Question on Overdrive though, because I've never used it? Does it use data? I'm asking because I plan to listen to books while driving and travelling and I'm so new to this app, I really have no idea how to use it! Thanks in advance to any and all!

missjenniferlowe You can download the book to your device prior to your trip so you won't have to stream it. It's pretty easy and makes for a nice listening experience! 8y
StellaDz @missjenniferlowe thanks so much!! I was hoping that was an option! 8y
5 likes2 comments
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BookishTrish
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My doctor was telling me about this book when I was in labour with my third. It was a long labour... I still haven't read it but feel like I have. #bookssetinasia #setinasia #somethingforsept

BookishMarginalia 😂😂😂 8y
Shemac77 I really liked this book! 8y
Liberty My favorite!!! 8y
Nebklvr Was she saying"well, at least you aren't being stalked by a man eating tiger". 7y
41 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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JacksonMyhaver
Pickpick

I think this is probably my favorite non-fiction book. Gripping and informative, utilizes spectacular reportage to tell one hell of a story.

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Vblancsbooks
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My city is having a Book Drive to help our libraries! Happy to help out and find these gems a new home!! #books #bookdrive #

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Vblancsbooks
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Pickpick

A tiger targeting humans...in Russian! It was so fascinating & great history on a area of the world I had no ideas about!

Liberty My favorite! ♥️ 8y
11 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Books4Ever
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"Some hard-line Marxists sincerely believed that plants and animals unable to prove their usefulness to mankind should simply be exterminated. In the face of such hostile dogma, the tiger didn't stand a chance. Falling squarely into the category of "harmful fauna," it had become a kind of fur-bearing enemy of the State. "

18 likes1 stack add
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Turtle3016

"...Trush pulled out a canister of Mace and sprayed into the car's air intake. The heater was on so the Mace quickly filled the passenger compartment."

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kait
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Pickpick

Terrifying and riveting.

3 likes2 stack adds