The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (Illustrated)

This story sounds too amazing to be true, but is what actually happened. If you only get to read one book about the power of lions in Africa and to understand why they are given almost mythical status, this is that one. Good read for teenagers and adults

This book is a cracking good read and the author is a credit to the Empire. I hunted this book down due to references to it in the excellent memoirs of Jack Couffer naturalist/filmmaker The Lion and the Giraffe: A Naturalists Life In the Movie Business . (Also a very gratifying read). This book recounts memoirs of Patterson's life as a supervising engineer building a railroad through Africa, the most memorable being the campaign of terror waged by 2 lions who kept eating the help. Being written at the turn of the century by a white colonial this book is not politically correct and the casual racism and depictions of killing animals for sport may be a problem for some. However Patterson is such an engaging character who laughs at himself as much as others that it is easy to become involved in his anecdotes. It is certainly an account of a time and place now long gone and provides many observations on the (then) unspoilt African landscape and its human and animal inhabitants. It is written in a very accessible style that is not typical of accounts written in the Victorian era. It is the original ripping yarn that fired the imaginations of British school boys such as my father. My Dad commented that it was this sort of book that inspired him to emigrate to the colonies (no, he didn't find any man-eating lions in Australia). This kindle edition is excellent with no problems of readability and is a bargain.

Looks good quality. A very interesting read too. Only thing odd is there is no title on the spine of the book to identify it. So you just have to remember that the blank yellow book on the self is this on? Also the author references photographs a few times. There are no photos in this addition.

I had read about the Tsavo lions in other books but reading Col. Patterson’s first hand account is fascinating. Not only his experience in hunting two extremely dangerous animals, but his descriptions of late 19th century Africa are most interesting. This book is well worth reading.

This was a good read, it kept you going. It was almost like you were there experiencing it also. Excellent

They could have put a few pictures or a map inside the book

Great book! Lt-Col. John Henry Patterson was a great writer and amazing man. This book "spurred me on" to read several of his other books (With The Judeans in the Palestine Campaign & With the Zionists in Gallipoli) also good reads. Little known fact... Although a British Army Officer, Patterson's remains were actually re-buried at Avihayil cemetery in Israel in 2010. The reburial ceremony was attended by many high level Heads of State (England, Ireland, Israel, etc) including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu said in his speech, Patterson was "the godfather of the Israeli army" and "a great friend of our people, a great champion of Zionism and a great believer in the Jewish State and the Jewish people". That's pretty high praise coming from the leader of Israel for a non-Jewish person. Get a copy of this book. You will enjoy it.

The Man-Eaters of Tsavo by J. H. Patterson is available in several editions. It's sort of confusing which one to buy. Here are some notes on each edition: The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (Peter Capstick Libary Series). Publisher: St. Martins Press, 1985. 384 pages. When The Man-Eaters of Tsavo was originally published in 1907, it contained a wealth of photos and a map. Photos appeared on every two to three pages. These photos showed many local scenes, as well as the infamous lions. These photos are very valuable for establishing a sense of place that words alone can't do. Beware of inexpensive reprints that omit all the photos and the map. The quality of the photo reproductions is not great in the Capstick Library edition. But these are the best looking photos in any edition currently available. This edition is virtually identical to the original book. The page sequence is the same, with only the addition of some new preface pages. This is the book to buy; however, for some strange reason it's hard to find on Amazon. If you search for "tsavo", you'll find used copies of this book at horribly inflated prices. But this book is still in print. Search for "tsavo capstick" and you'll find it--along with very reasonably priced used copies (under $10). Man Eaters Of Tsavo [Hardcover]. Publisher: St. Martins Press, 1985. 384 pages. If you search for "tsavo" on Amazon, this is the hardcover edition of this book that you'll find. You'll likely see no trace of the Capstick edition. Well, it's the same book. Unfortunately, "Man Eaters of Tsavo [Hardcover]" is being sold like it's a collector's item, at inflated prices. Don't fall for this. Get the Capstick Library book listed above. The Man-eaters of Tsavo. Publisher: SMK Books, 2009. 152 pages. If all you want is the text, if you don't care about seeing approximately 100 photographs, if you don't want a map, then this is a reasonably priced alternative. All the text from the original edition is compressed onto 152 pages, in a tiny font. The map and all photos have been removed. You can get a used hardcover copy of the Capstick Library book for only $2 to $3 more than the SMK book, so I would find it hard to justify buying the SMK edition. The Man-Eaters of Tsavo: And Other East African Adventures (Classic Reprint). Publisher: Forgotten Books, 2010. 360 pages. This is a duplicate of the original book. A library copy was pulled and photographed page by page. The reproductions of the photographs from the original book are horribly muddy--and virtually worthless. Strangely, if you search for "tsavo" on Amazon, this book seems to be a reasonably priced alternative. So many people have apparently purchased this edition. Don't be fooled. Look for the Capstick Library book instead, which only costs a few dollars more and has better reproduction of the photos (as well as a few extra pages in the preface). The Lions of Tsavo: Exploring the Legacy of Africa's Notorious Man-Eaters by Bruce D. Patterson This is a different Patterson entirely. And thus a different book. Bruce Patterson is a scientist who recently studied the lions of Tsavo, while J. H. Patterson is the hunter who shot the infamous Tsavo lions. The scientist's book is good. But you should be aware that this isn't the tale told by the hunter. Ghosts of Tsavo : Stalking the Mystery Lions of East Africa by Philip Caputo This a contemporary tale of a journalist following in J.H. Patterson's steps and investigating the lions of Tsavo. This is a good book. The first chapter is incredible as he retells the story of the lions that killed a mind-boggling number of railroad workers (possibly over 120 people died). The subsequent chapters are of a more personal nature as Caputo journeys to Africa and looks for the maneless Tsavo lions. I hope this helps!

A good read from start to finish especially as I had already been in the area some time ago.

Une aventure extraordinaire de deux lions qui avaient compris que l'humain est un animal comestible ! Bien sûr ils étaient intelligents contrairement à ce que de nombreuses personnes ignorent ou feignent d'ignorer.

If you like old Safari Hunting stories and are interested in the "Expansion of Empire" then you will enjoy this book. Book often referenced by Peter Hathaway Capstick in his books.

Excellent read based on true events.

Exciting true story of lions attacking workers installing railway bridge, made into a great film with Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas.