Durga Reddy

The Jim Corbett Omnibus is a collection of three of the best books authored by Jim Corbett – Man-Eaters of Kumaon, The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon, and The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag. In his introductory note, Corbett emphatically explains when and how a tiger or leopard becomes a man-eater. He speaks more like a conservationist than a hunter. His admiration for these wild cats is evident in the way he describes them. In the first book, Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Corbett has recollected in detail how he tracked and hunted down some of the most prolific man-eaters who had terrorized the Kumaon region. An entire chapter is dedicated to his companion – his dog, Robin. The second book, The Temple Tiger and More Man-Eaters of Kumaon, is an extension of his adventures as he went about hunting man-eating tigers across the Kumaon region. The last book in this omnibus, The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag, is – as is evident from the title – dedicated to leopards. Overall, however, the book has a lot more to it than slaying tigers. In fact, in the last chapter of the book, Just Tigers, Corbett stresses the importance of saving tigers by encouraging people to shoot them with cameras than with rifles. The Jim Corbett Omnibus is a suitable read for all age groups. One can start reading just about any story from the book at random and still have a good time. Reading this book while traveling or vacationing seems to amplify its appeal even further.