The Tiger

A True Story of Vengeance and Survival

By: John Vaillant

Narrated by: John Vaillant

It’s December 1997, and a man-eating tiger is on the prowl outside a remote village in Russia’s Far East. The tiger isn’t just killing people, it’s annihilating them, and a team of men and their dogs must hunt it on foot through the forest in the brutal cold. As the trackers sift through the gruesome remains of the victims, they discover that these attacks aren’t random: The tiger is apparently engaged in a vendetta. Injured, starving, and extremely dangerous, the tiger must be found before it strikes again.

As he re-creates these extraordinary events, John Vaillant gives us an unforgettable portrait of this spectacularly beautiful and mysterious region. We meet the native tribes who for centuries have worshipped and lived alongside tigers, even sharing their kills with them. We witness the arrival of Russian settlers in the 19th and early 20th centuries, soldiers and hunters who greatly diminished the tiger populations. And we come to know their descendants, who, crushed by poverty, have turned to poaching and further upset the natural balance of the region.

This ancient, tenuous relationship between man and predator is at the very heart of this remarkable book. Throughout we encounter surprising theories of how humans and tigers may have evolved to coexist, how we may have developed as scavengers rather than hunters, and how early Homo sapiens may have fit seamlessly into the tiger’s ecosystem. Above all, we come to understand the endangered Siberian tiger, a highly intelligent super-predator that can grow to ten feet long, weigh more than six hundred pounds, and range daily over vast territories of forest and mountain.

Beautifully written and deeply informative, The Tiger circles around three main characters: Vladimir Markov, a poacher killed by the tiger; Yuri Trush, the lead tracker; and the tiger himself. It is an absolutely gripping tale of man and nature that leads inexorably to a final showdown in a clearing deep in the taiga.

©2010 John Vaillant (P)2010 Random House

Critic reviews

2011, The Orion Book Award, Short-listed

“This book must be read by everybody who is interested in the conservation of wildlife. It takes you to the Russian wilderness to meet face-to-face with the Siberian tiger.” (Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human)

“This book is magnificent, surely the best chronicle ever published of the wild Amur tigers in Russia’s Far East. In it are chilling accounts of human encounters with tigers—but these encounters, however fearsome, convincingly demonstrate the role that these enormous cats continue to play in the natural world. Equally compelling are the people of Primorye, those who of necessity must hunt the tigers, and those who would preserve them. To call this book a page-turner is an understatement. It’s riveting.” (Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs, The Hidden Life of Deer, The Old Way, and Tribe of Tiger)

Could become a classic

What an interesting book. The author weaves the story of Eastern Russia, China in all its splendor, geographic, cultural, political in this story of tigers, people and the boreal jungle. This book is very well written and tells congruent stories interwoven in the fabric of the area south of Vladivostok. Take your time with the book. This could easily be assigned reading in a literature course. A combination of Moby Dick, The Guns of August and A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. A pleasure through and through.

great book remember it is a true story

this book was exciting and revealed a lot about tigers and about how they are viewed by different cultures

an immense amount of learning disguised as fun

a great way to waste away an afternoon or two. edge of the seat action which explores and explains all the details in and leading up to the main event which happens to be a tiger turned man eater in far eastern Russia during the mid nineties. The author who is also the reader lets his love of the subjects carry him away and often we the readers/listeners are forced to explore every cul de sac and avenue of events which he feels might provide context for his story. the fact that it actually does makes it fairly easy to forgive his one or two more questionable escapades. overall a very good read well worth the effort and richly rewarding for those who take it up.

Awesome!

This book started a little slow for me; however, I'm glad I didn't give up on it. I absolutely was amazed by this true story and I couldn't get enough. Definitely my top five book of all time.

Tantalising

My father mentioned this book to me in 2010 and how much he enjoyed it. I too have a love and interest in tigers. I have tried to read it several times, over the past five years, but other things such as small children and illness have detoured my efforts. Thank goodness for audibles; now I have the enjoyment of listening to books like this intriguing tale of the Amour tiger, the beauty and hardship of Eastern Russia, and the intertwined relationship of tiger, man, and environment. All of this swirling in my head between my ears as I clean the house, do laundry, drive my 30 min commute to work, or while I am hiking in the forrest surrounding my neighborhood. It was wonderfully written and read.

One of the best books I've read in a decade!

Mr. Vaillant will be remembered as one of the greatest nonfiction writers of his generation! I have listened to this again and again. It's majesty and scope could only be woven together by an individual who has mastered his/her art. Vaillant is that master! A great work!

Great story, but too much history and geography for me

This is a great story. This type of book is not necessarily in my wheel house, so keep that in mind while reading my review. I decided to get this book because it’s one of the books most often recommended by Ryan Holiday.

I found this to be frustratingly long and slow. The story *is* amazing. But listening to this book is difficult but there was so many pivots to Russian history. There is so much about Russian geography. And then there are the actual Russian names. It was hard for me to follow (but again, I’m not a history or geography buff).

Overall, I definitely have a greater appreciation for tigers. But my actual retention of the subject matter within this book is pretty minimal.

Everything you should know about Tigers!

Informative, unique, and interesting. Extremely long but keeps your attention. Reader does a fabulous job.

Good read

If you like tigers and hunting and building a team story it's for you. with some folklore too and some good history. good book 👍

Great book

This book leaves you clinging to every detail, is a great historical reference and really puts into perspective the interconnectedness of all things.