This story of 2 Asian elephants, who arrive in England on 1766, and their keeper, Tom Page, is a synthesis of an animal behaviour dissertation, a love story and a history of eighteenth century mores.

I most enjoyed the first part of the book where Tom, the young elephant keeper, is writing his “True History of the Elephant”.  His information comes from a variety of sources and the reader watches with amusement as Tom tries to determine what is true and what is not.  We also share Tom’s pain as he struggles to put pen to paper, with constant revisions as he is unsure of both facts and language.  He observes that “once (a man) has taken a pen into his hand … he does not meet an elephant, but encounters it, and instead of trying to mount the same Elephant he attempts, or strives, or endeavours, to climb on its back.”

As the story develops, so too does Tom’s obsession with the female elephant, and the sexual connotations add a touch of humour and whimsy to the book.

The second part of the book is more of an adventure story, reminding me of a David Copperfield or a Black Beauty.  The depiction of eighteenth century village life is very well done but by this point I found the unlikeliness of the plot nagged at the back of my mind.  I was warned at the beginning of the book though: after Lord Bidborough asks Tom to write the elephant history, he explains “so long as you write what is accurate and free from Invention – so long as it is faithful to the Truth – you cannot go far wrong”.

Jenny is a magnificent character, with a sense of humour to boot, who steals the show, with Tom a pale figure in comparison. It is Jenny that holds the book together.

This is a gentle book with an easy going manner and a sense of humour.  At the end of the book we find that Jenny is also writing a book, in her head.  It is the “True History of Tom Page”!  I do recommend this as holiday reading, especially if you are going on Safari in Asia or Africa.

The Elephant Keeper / Christopher Nicholson. – Harper Collins, 2010. -ISBN 9780007278831