Jumbo

This Being the True Story of the Greatest Elephant in the World

Nonfiction, Entertainment, Performing Arts, Theatre, Circus, Biography & Memoir, Historical
Cover of the book Jumbo by Paul Chambers, Steerforth Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Paul Chambers ISBN: 9781586421533
Publisher: Steerforth Press Publication: April 15, 2008
Imprint: Steerforth Language: English
Author: Paul Chambers
ISBN: 9781586421533
Publisher: Steerforth Press
Publication: April 15, 2008
Imprint: Steerforth
Language: English

Jumbo was a superstar of the Victorian era. Every day tens of thousands of people would visit this adored animal known as “the Children’s Pet” or, more simply, “the Giant Elephant,” at the London Zoo. When P.T. Barnum purchased him for his Greatest Show on Earth, Jumbo’s transport to the U.S. made headlines for weeks, and he was an instant sensation in America. His name entered our lexicon as an adjective for oversized things, and half a century after his death his still-famous and unrivalled popularity was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Dumbo. But fame comes at a price and, like so many modern celebrities, Jumbo led a troubled private life that was far from idyllic. His best friend – a zookeeper named Matthew Scott, who remained by Jumbo’s side in Britain and the United States for twenty years – was moody and manipulative, and Jumbo himself attracted rumors of violent tantrums, a fondness for drink, and of a “wife” he left behind in order to make it big in America.
From an eyewitness account of Jumbo’s capture in Africa after ivory hunters had killed his parents, to his early years at the Paris zoo where he was mistreated and regarded as a disappointing runt, to his stunning growth spurt in London where he became the largest elephant in captivity, to the “Jumbo craze” that swept across Britain and the United States, Paul Chambers utilizes new archival material in fully telling Jumbo’s story for the first time.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Jumbo was a superstar of the Victorian era. Every day tens of thousands of people would visit this adored animal known as “the Children’s Pet” or, more simply, “the Giant Elephant,” at the London Zoo. When P.T. Barnum purchased him for his Greatest Show on Earth, Jumbo’s transport to the U.S. made headlines for weeks, and he was an instant sensation in America. His name entered our lexicon as an adjective for oversized things, and half a century after his death his still-famous and unrivalled popularity was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Dumbo. But fame comes at a price and, like so many modern celebrities, Jumbo led a troubled private life that was far from idyllic. His best friend – a zookeeper named Matthew Scott, who remained by Jumbo’s side in Britain and the United States for twenty years – was moody and manipulative, and Jumbo himself attracted rumors of violent tantrums, a fondness for drink, and of a “wife” he left behind in order to make it big in America.
From an eyewitness account of Jumbo’s capture in Africa after ivory hunters had killed his parents, to his early years at the Paris zoo where he was mistreated and regarded as a disappointing runt, to his stunning growth spurt in London where he became the largest elephant in captivity, to the “Jumbo craze” that swept across Britain and the United States, Paul Chambers utilizes new archival material in fully telling Jumbo’s story for the first time.

More books from Steerforth Press

Cover of the book Tench by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book The Spinning Heart by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Marina and Lee by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Turn, Magic Wheel by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book The Embroidered Armour by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Heretic Dawn by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Wildwitch: Oblivion by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book 1914 - Goodbye to All That by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Stone Upon Stone by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Why Did You Leave the Horse Alone? by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Love by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Moving Parts by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Maddy Alone by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Tranquility by Paul Chambers
Cover of the book Fists by Paul Chambers
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy