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Overview
"I asked the sailor what an Elephant looked like; he replied that it was like nothing on earth."England, 1766: After a long voyage from the East Indies, a ship docks in Bristol, England, and rumor quickly spreads about its unusual cargo—some say a mermaid is on board. A crowd forms, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creature. One crate after another is unpacked: a zebra, a leopard, and a baboon. There's no mermaid, but in the final two crates is something almost as magical—a pair of young elephants, in poor health but alive.
Seeing a unique opportunity, a wealthy sugar merchant purchases the elephants for his country estate and turns their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. Tom's family has long cared for horses, but an elephant is something different altogether. It takes time for Tom and the elephants to understand one another, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond is formed.
The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and the two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them.
Synopsis
"I asked the sailor what an Elephant looked like; he replied that it was like nothing on earth."
England, 1766: After a long voyage from the East Indies, a ship docks in Bristol, England, and rumor quickly spreads about its unusual cargo—some say a mermaid is on board. A crowd forms, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creature. One crate after another is unpacked: a zebra, a leopard, and a baboon. There's no mermaid, but in the final two crates is something almost as magical—a pair of young elephants, in poor health but alive.
Seeing a unique opportunity, a wealthy sugar merchant purchases the elephants for his country estate and turns their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. Tom's family has long cared for horses, but an elephant is something different altogether. It takes time for Tom and the elephants to understand one another, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond is formed.
The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and the two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them.
The Washington Post - Ron Charles
Christopher Nicholson's enchanting first novel is full of the mingled affection and tragedy that have long marked our relationship with the world's largest terrestrial animals. The Elephant Keeper is a strange tour of late 18th-century England, a natural history of elephants and the story of a most unusual friendship, all told with a touch of the otherworldly elegance and wit of Babar…What's evident in every chapter…is Nicholson's attention to these animals, their incongruous heft and grace, the dexterous twist and twirl of their trunks, their haunting sense of wisdom and forbearance. It's no accident that Tom refers to Gulliver's Travels several times. Like Swift's intrepid adventurer, Tom has been won over by an expression of humanity greater than humankind's. You may be, too.
Editorials
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"An extended meditation on human needs and how our choices shape a better or lesser existance. [A] poignant, heartfelt novel."Boston Globe
"Nicholson’s light touch and sly humor ensures that the animal-human dialogue is entirely natural and intensely moving. (An) exceptional novel."The Independent (UK)
“[Nicholson’s] lush new novel of the late 18th century…Jenny is a magnificent character…She gives the book its weight, in every sense…the sheer richness of the story’s texture. The Elephant Keeper evokes 18th-century village and estate life beautifully, and is stuffed with fascinating data from medical and veterinary history.”BookPage
"[A] remarkable debut. An unforgettable picture of an elephant/human relationship so close that, as the elephant learns to think like a human, she teaches her human to think like an elephant. This is one of the best books of the year."Deseret Morning News
"This elegant story is not just for animal lovers. In it, readers see how the bonds of friendship go beyond time, age or species. Definitely one to put on your "to read" list."Minneapolis Star Tribune
"While deftly portraying 18th century village and estate life as well as the dark, fog-bound streets of London, The Elephant Keeper examines themes such as human choice, fate and the cruel British class system."Times Literary Supplement (London)
“Christopher Nicholson traces the arc of Tom and Jenny’s surprising journey with delicate empathy. He confronts sex, violence and power, but he does not shy away from less dramatic themes, such as gentleness and companionship, which help to make The Elephant Keeper such a rewarding book.”San Francisco Chronicle Book Review
"A sensitive boy suddenly becomes groom to Timothy and Jenny, the first pair of young elephants brought into England in the 1700s. This informative, engaging and moving book has clear insight into the impact of poverty, alienation and isolation that is as relevant today as it was then."Financial Times
"A pleasingly ambling tale."Daily Mail (London)
"A captivatingly original novel…This is a wonderful feat of story-telling, remarkable for its ability to wrench your heart without resorting to easy sentimentality."Booklist
"An endearing account of a virtually telepathic relationship between man and animal."Washington Post
"THE ELEPHANT KEEPER is a strange tour of late 18th-century England, a natural history of elephants and the story of a most unusual friendship, all told with a touch of the otherworldly elegance and wit of Babar."The Guardian
"Endearing...Like the elephant at its centre, Nicholson’s book is gentle, profound and sweet-natured."The Independent(UK)
"[Nicholson’s] lush new novel of the late 18th century…Jenny is a magnificent character…She gives the book its weight, in every sense…the sheer richness of the story’s texture. The Elephant Keeper evokes 18th-century village and estate life beautifully, and is stuffed with fascinating data from medical and veterinary history."Time Magazines Literary Supplement (London)
"Christopher Nicholson traces the arc of Tom and Jenny’s surprising journey with delicate empathy. He confronts sex, violence and power, but he does not shy away from less dramatic themes, such as gentleness and companionship, which help to make The Elephant Keeper such a rewarding book."Ron Charles
Christopher Nicholson's enchanting first novel is full of the mingled affection and tragedy that have long marked our relationship with the world's largest terrestrial animals. The Elephant Keeper is a strange tour of late 18th-century England, a natural history of elephants and the story of a most unusual friendship, all told with a touch of the otherworldly elegance and wit of Babar…What's evident in every chapter…is Nicholson's attention to these animals, their incongruous heft and grace, the dexterous twist and twirl of their trunks, their haunting sense of wisdom and forbearance. It's no accident that Tom refers to Gulliver's Travels several times. Like Swift's intrepid adventurer, Tom has been won over by an expression of humanity greater than humankind's. You may be, too.—The Washington Post
Publishers Weekly
A tale by BBC radio documentary producer Nicholson about a man and an elephant canters along at a delightful pace, from the first meeting between the two on the quay in Bristol, England. In 1773, Tom Page writes a history of the well-trained elephant, Jenny, and his life as a "humble groom" for the Harrington family's elephants that he learned to care for as a teenager. Lizzy Tindall, a bold young maid, endears herself to Tom and his elephants, but when the female, Jenny, is sold, Lizzy urges Tom to stay-that Jenny is "only an Elephant." Tom, outraged, chooses to go with Jenny. The animal and keeper communicate, converse even, in their quarters in the elephant house. The pair subsequently move from master to master, ending up in a miserable menagerie in London. "Befogged and befuddled" in the cruel city, an aged Tom strays from Jenny only to discover that his respect for the tenderhearted elephant is singular. Nicholson's elegiac alternate endings leave only the memory of their lasting bond-the elephant's legendary ability to "never forget" is finally ours. (Aug.)
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