The Tribe of Tiger

Book Description

From the plains of Africa to her very own backyard, noted author and anthropologist Elizabeth Marshall Thomas explores the world of cats, both large and small in this classic bestseller. Inspired by her own feline's instinct to hunt and supported by her studies abroad, Thomas examines the life actions, as well as the similarities and differences of these majestic creatures. Lions, tigers, pumas and housecats: Her observations shed light on their social lives, thought processes, eating habits, and communication techniques, and reveal how they survive and coexist with each other and with humans.

Customer Reviews:

The Tribe of the Tiger: Cats and Their Culture.......2007-09-07

This is the SEVENTH copy The Tribe of the Tiger's I have purchased-simply because my friends "borrow" my copy and then pass it along to their other friends who are interested in cats. Needless to say, it is cheaper buying another copy than hiring a "Private Eye" trying to locate another "traveling copy" of TTCTC. "Set my borrowed copy free-and educate the world about felines"-CJC

Normally I would be angry, I am taking the time to order to order copy number 7-but this visit, I took more time by adding a review because this read is worth it. I wonder if I should face the facts, and just start a "give away" book club-for THIS TITLE book only.

Tribe is not only one of the best for information about cats, BUT-is a "hot item" when it is discovered by readers. (Don't lend your copy out if you really intend on keeping it-for rereading.)

This time I ordered 2 copies, so I could "borrow out" one-while holding on to a "house copy". Maybe this way I can refrain from ordering another for a few months. OR MAYBE (wishful thinking) a borrower will actually RETURN any one of my formely lent copies. NAH, that ain't going to happen.

If you are truly interested in more than how to take care of your pet, love to be able to "speak in feline body language" or want to understand life through your cats eyes-THIS is the book.

No magical mystical wonderments-offered inside, just common sense and great thinking. If your set of beliefs include "mystical junk" about your cat-you may want to educate yourself-into the real world by reading this book. I promise you your cat WILL a better life because you have taken the time to learn from this book.

Insights into human/cat interactions, beautifully written.......2004-04-03

This is without doubt one of the best books on animal behavior I have ever read. What Thomas does that others do not (and often cannot) is three-fold:

First, using her long experience with animals both domestic and wild, she INTERPRETS their behavior from her observations. Most of us do that, but scientists in general do not. They cannot because such interpretations, unless established scientifically, would be labeled "anthropomorphic," and prove dangerous to their careers. You and I interpret the behavior of our animals, but most of us have only a small fraction of the experience that Elizabeth Thomas has. She has spent decades in the wild, especially in Africa, studying animals and their interactions with humans.

This interaction between humans and their way of seeing the world and that of cats and their way of seeing the world--our differing "cultures" as Thomas rightly uses the term--is the second thing she does so very well. Her stories about how the Ju/wasi people, for example, treat lions and how the lions treat them--with mutual respect--and how that differs from the way non-indigenous people treat lions is just fascinating to read. She describes the Ju/wasi talking to a couple of lions, telling them firmly and politely that a certain fallen wildebeest was theirs and that the lions should leave. After listening, the lions left. (p.118) And how the Ju/wasi behaved if by chance they should come upon a lion in the wild: the person would take an oblique angle away from the lion and walk with purpose, keeping the lion in sight but not staring. Thomas discovered that a lion meeting people sometimes would do the same!

The third thing that Thomas does extraordinary well is to use her novelist's sense of description and IMAGINE how the cat is feeling. She writes beautifully with love and understanding, but without mawkish intent or any phony sentimentality. Here's an example:

"Even people with very inconspicuous disabilities are quickly zeroed in on by cats...the entering tigers stopped...to stare...at someone they had spotted deep in the [amphitheater] crowd. Following their gaze I finally found what they had noticed immediately: a child with Down's syndrome sitting quietly and (to me) inconspicuously amid his family." (p. 123)

If you limp by a caged carnivore, a wolf or a leopard, say, your limping will excite the animal because an injured or disabled animal is its best prey. As Thomas explains, carnivores want to obtain their meals with as little risk of injury to themselves as possible because any injury in the wild can prove fatal.

Here's Thomas on the roaring of lions: "At about ten o'clock that night a lioness suddenly appeared between the two camps and began to roar. The loudness of lions cannot be described or imagined but must be experienced. My body was so filled with the sound that I couldn't think or breathe, and in the brief silences between the roars my ears rang." (p. 135)

She goes on to speculate later in the book that lions may use their roars to frighten and flush out their prey.

On page 161 Thomas describes exchanging yawns with a lioness lying by a water hole. Thomas yawned and then, "To my amazement, without taking her eyes off me she also yawned. Was it coincidence...Was it empathy? Fascinated I deliberately yawned again. She yawned again!"

I've had similar experiences with cats. A yawn is a signal that they are comfortable with your presence. Domestic cats in the yard will also turn their back on you as they lie on their side to signal that they are comfortable with your presence.

I always wondered about water holes on the savannas in Africa. How could the various animals come to drink in safety, and how did they manage to avoid one another? Thomas gives a convincing explanation. The lions, who are most active at night, come in the night to drink. During the heat of the day prey animals come when the lions are resting. And of course the humans wait until the sun is fully up before approaching. When the elephants come, the lions leave. Interestingly enough, Thomas claims that lions will not spoil the water hole with their scat.

Thomas's skill as a novelist shows in this passage. She is describing her friend Katharine Payne's experience with a lion that she had spotted just a few feet away as she lay in her sleeping bag: "He looked and looked at Katy. She looked and looked at him, hearing the wet noises of him swallowing his saliva and settling his tongue. He was thinking of eating. Cats are famous for their patience--the big lion watched Katy while the moon slowly rose behind him...The lion continued to think of eating. Eventually, he drooled." (p. 162)

One of the points that Thomas makes in this book is that all cats, from four hundred pound lions to our house cats, have much in common. Our domestic little kitties are more social than we think, and their hunting instincts are just as savage as those of a leopard. And yes lions purr.

She also claims that tigers are better off in circuses than in zoos mainly because they engage in regular activity that stimulates them, and that they enjoy their interactions with their trainers. She makes a convincing argument, and yet we must have zoos because without them most of us could not see these magnificent creatures; and indeed someday sadly zoos will be their only home. Maybe what is needed are zookeepers who know the culture of their animals well enough to provide them with something more than meat and boredom.

It is wonderful how Thomas becomes, for the purpose of this book, the animals she describes. Here she describes a lioness observing cattle: "One whiff of that dizzying, grassy scent would have set a lion's mouth watering." (pp. 181-182)

The Circus culture.......2004-02-16

I spend a lot of time in India and am very knowledgeable about tigers. I was absolutely amazed to read that Ms Thomas thought it perfectly acceptable for tigers to be kept in tiny cages, and dragged around America only to emerge in a circus ring and then be put back in a cage. Ms Thomas seems to think this a wonderful life guaranteed to keep tigers alert and happy, and reccomends the practice continue. She even sings the praises of John Cuneo who breeds tigers for circuses in the US and is currently being prosecuted for animal cruelty.
On the tiger in a circus: Ôthe owners live in small trailers and tigers live in travellin cages on wheels, each cage about twice the length of the tiger who inhabits it. Sometimes nothing beteter than a large tarp or the edge of a circus tent shelters these little groups of people and tigers just barely protecting them from wind sun & rainÕ

The tiger is a top predator, it is extremely intelligent and built to hunt. That is its raison d'etre.

Even when not hunting a tiger will prowl may be 15 miles a night.
They spend 2 years teaching their cubs to hunt.
If Ms Thomas seriously think that learning a few miserable tricks to perform in a ring, keep an animal such as this stimulated and happy, she clearly has no knowledge of tigers at all and frankly makes one wonder what if anything else she writes about in the book has any validity.

If you are interested in tigers, don't buy this ridiculous book buy anything by Valmik Thapar, a man who really does know about this majestic predator.

Skip it.......2003-12-31

I think her dog book was good cuz she's a dog person. She's not a cat person, and it shows.

Misled by Cover Photo..........2003-02-28

I generally liked her other book, the Social Lives of Dogs, and in fact read it twice over the course of the previous year. I felt as though I learned a lot about canine behavior and their social organization. This book however was a terrible disappointment for me. I checked it out of the library after giving one as a gift to a friend, only to find that there was very little written about house cats (my primary interest), and all the talk of big cats and anecdotes from the author's many years in Africa seemed indulgent and not even terribly insightful for those interested in these topics.

I'd urge you to look for a copy in your local library or bookstore and scan through it before commitment to the cover price.

The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture

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The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K6Q8H8

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Getting in touch with the author, Kate Fox
Anthroplogical Review

The Racing Tribe
Kate Fox
Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Anthologies | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Watching the English - The Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

ASIN: 0765808382

Customer Reviews:

Getting in touch with the author, Kate Fox.......2000-04-19

If Sally Baker would care to get in touch with me (my e-mail address is richardson@tote.co.uk) I would be happy to help her make contact with Kate Fox, the author of The Racing Tribe. I commissioned the original research project undertaken by Kate whilst I was marketing director at the British Horseracing Board, and from which the book came to be written. I can't, therefore, review with any real objectivity this book, as I am naturally biaised(!); safe to say it is a truly fascinating read, and successfully debunks various myths associated with horseracing and it's participants.

Anthroplogical Review.......1999-12-14

I am currently studying Social Anthropology at the University of Kent. Thus this book was a refreshing change for me - instead of reading about far away, bizarre locations - it was something I could actaully connect with and properly understand. I am also doing a dissertation this year on the topic of Foxhunting: A Rural Ritual - and I would be very interested to somehow contact Kate Fox and maybe get some input from her on the topic. Does anyone know how I might be able to get in touch with her? Her approach to the Racing Tribe is similar to my project - participant observation and interviewing a group of people withing the England - with an equine theme.

Beyond the Trees, Tigers and Tribes: Historical Sociology of the Eastern Himalayan Forests

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Beyond the Trees, Tigers and Tribes: Historical Sociology of the Eastern Himalayan Forests
A. C. Sinha
Manufacturer: South Asia Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Tribe of the Tiger
Joe Dacy
Manufacturer: Atlantic Disk Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
ASIN: 1571060049

The Tribe of the Tiger:Cats and Their Culture

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The Tribe of the Tiger:Cats and Their Culture
Elizabeth M. Thomas
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000QY9L4G

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The Tribe of Tiger
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Manufacturer: Orion Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HF29QG

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The Tribe of Tiger - Cats and Their Culture

Manufacturer: Recorded Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 0788701916

Product Description

Anyone who has incurred the displeasure of a cat is well familiar with the differences between the intuitive feline and the average lumpish canine. In her latest animal exposé Elizabeth Marshall Thomas has concentrated her studied eye on the varied family of cats. With respect for individuality and an anthropologists eye for cultural patterns, she brings listeners an understanding of the feline personality to its basic elementthe pursuit of prey.

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The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture
Elizabeth M. Thomas
Manufacturer: G. K. Hall & Co./Simon & Schuster Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O8CQXC

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Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture
Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSXS2U

Book Description

Magnificent ready-to-color illustrations of authentic clothing styles worn throughout the long history of Egyptian civilization. Gowns, kilts and headdresses for royalty, costumes for dancers and musicians, ceremonial garb, and much more. Also, accurate representations of such accessories as weapons, fans, and musical instruments. 45 black-and-white illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

Ancient Egyptian Fashions (History of Fashion).......2007-01-12

I know when I see the name Tom Tierney on a book of fashion paperdolls and costumes that it will be accurate, historic, and colorful. His work never ceases to delight me. The paperdolls and costumes were (are)wonderful!

ancient egyptian fashions.......2001-04-06

ancient egyptian fashions by tom tierney is a great book. in this book you will see what old kingdom pharaoh's and their wifes dressed in, as well as princess's, scribes, painter's, egyptian couples of rank, dancer's, and women. you will also see middle kingdom pharaoh's and queen's, men and women, maidservant's from the court, dancer's and slaves. you will also see new kingdom pharaoh's including hatshepsut the female pharaoh, you will see queen's, noble couples, priest's, soldier's, court musicians, musicians, and a princess and a slave. you will also see gods like osiris, thoth,anubis, and amun. you will see the hair styles of ancient egypt as well. this is a great book on ancient egyptian fashions.

entertaining and informative drawings.......2000-08-30

This is a coloring book, whose illustrations are based on representations of the Ancient Egyptian people as seen on various temples, paintings and artifacts. Images presented herein show the fashions of Old, Middle and New Kingdoms. An entertaining booklet for children of all ages.

Egyptian Textiles (Shire Egyptology Series)

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Egyptian Textiles (Shire Egyptology Series)
Rosalind Hall
Manufacturer: Shire Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Textile & Costume | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Egyptian Woodworking and Furniture (Shire Egyptology)

ASIN: 0852638000

Fustat Finds: Beads, Coins, Medical Instruments, Textiles, and Other Artifacts from the Awad Collection

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Fustat Finds: Beads, Coins, Medical Instruments, Textiles, and Other Artifacts from the Awad Collection

Manufacturer: American University in Cairo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Product Description

Corroded pieces of metal, stamped lumps of copper, broken bits of glass with partial inscriptions, fragments of textiles, tiny beads these were the raw material found at al-Fustat, the site of the first Muslim settlement in Egypt in the seventh century and the heart of Cairo for many centuries following. From the 1950s Dr. Henri Amin Awad accepted from the poor in this area objects that had no obvious market value in return for medical services rendered. Over the years he built up an extraordinary and important collection of artifacts. Carefully cleaned, sorted, and then analyzed by specialists, this material illuminates many areas of the archaeological record neglected or missing from other studies. The ten studies in this volume covering beads, bone, coins, glass weights and vessel stamps, medical instruments, medical prescriptions, metal objects, and textiles demonstrate the wide range of archaeological material once found in al-Fustat, a site no longer accessible since most of it has been buried under urban development or lost to a rising water table. Contributors: Ibrahim Abd al-Rahman, Abd al-Rahman Abd al-Tawwab, Henri Amin Awad, Jere L. Bacharach, Michael L. Bates, Lidia Domaszewicz, Katharina Eldada, Peter Francis, Jr., Sami K. Hamarneh, Nancy Arthur Hoskins, Peter Mentzel, Norman D. Nicol, Elizabeth Rodenbeck, W. Luke Treadwell

Coptic Textile Designs: 144 Egyptian Designs from the Early Christian Era (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)

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Coptic Textile Designs: 144 Egyptian Designs from the Early Christian Era (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)
M. Gerspach
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486228495

Book Description

Commercial artists and designers looking for strong, novel motifs for their graphics, textiles, advertising, will find this volume a rich sourcebook. 153 designs, including 9 in color on the covers, include animals, geometrics, human figures, wave and scroll effects, fruits, floral and leaf patterns and more.

Egyptian Designs Iron-on Transfer Patterns (Dover Pictorial Archives)

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Egyptian Designs Iron-on Transfer Patterns (Dover Pictorial Archives)
Dianne Gaspas
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486417441

Book Description

Over 100 striking images from ancient Egypt: gods and goddesses, lotus and papyrus motifs, sphinx, hieroglyphic symbols, borders containing human figures and floral designs, mythical winged creatures, a mummy case, a scarab beetle, and much more. Instructions for creating designs on fabric, wood, leather, and other surfaces that absorb ink.

Ancient Egyptian Designs (British Museum Pattern Books)

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Ancient Egyptian Designs (British Museum Pattern Books)
Eva Wilson
Manufacturer: British Museum Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Egypt | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0714180610

The Coptic Tapestry Albums: And the Archaeologist of Antinoe, Albert Gayet

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The Coptic Tapestry Albums: And the Archaeologist of Antinoe, Albert Gayet
Nancy Arthur Hoskins
Manufacturer: Skein Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

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Textiles & Costume | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Vibrant tapestries of beribboned birds, cantering centaurs, and Dionysian dancers, woven in Coptic Egypt more than a thousand years ago, were artfully arranged in a handsome pair of albums in 1913. Some of the fabrics are shown in unique collage compositions. Sandals, spindles, and a mysterious lock of hair are assembled in a shallow box at the back of one album. Many textiles in this important collection, housed at the Henry Art Gallery at the University of Washington, were once joined by warp and weft with those from the Musée du Louvre and other major museums.

Nancy Hoskins deftly interweaves the creation of the textiles in the Greco-Roman city of Antinoé, Egypt, with their discovery by the charismatic French archaeologist Albert Gayet (1856-1916). Gayet staged stunning exhibitions of the pieces in Paris at the turn of the century and ultimately gave them to museums or sold them. One collector, Henry Bryon, had his 144 fabrics bound into the two albums featured here.

Book Description

Curtains, blankets, pillows, tunics--most Coptic textiles, the ancient and early Islamic fabrics unearthed at burial grounds and other archaeological sites in Egypt, are woven wool or linen. They were produced between the third and eighth centuries AD and unearthed in the nineteenth century, and they convey both a vivid impression of ancient life and of early Egyptology. This new genre of archaeological find was presented for the very first time at what is now the MAK museum in Vienna in 1883, accompanied by a catalogue compiled by its discoverers, Orientalist Josef von Karabacek and art dealer Theodor Graf. The MAK (then the Imperial and Royal Austrian Museum of Art and Industry) purchased the core of Graf's collection that same year, bringing its significant collection of Coptic textiles to more than 1000 objects. The 115 items selected for presentation in Fragile Remnants offer a representative overview, a look back in time and inspiration for present-day designers.

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