The Second Oxford India Illustrated Corbett is another collection of Corbett's best-loved writings complemented by gripping illustrations. The stories reflect Corbetts involvement with India, her people, and her flora and fauna, and this collection includes several written for children.
Edward James "Jim" Corbett was a British hunter, turned conservationist, author and naturalist, famous for hunting a large number of man-eaters in India.
Corbett held the rank of colonel in the British Indian Army and was frequently called upon by the government of the United Provinces, now the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, to kill man-eating tigers and leopards that were harassing people in the nearby villages of the Garhwal and Kumaon region. His hunting successes earned him a long-held respect and fame amongst the people residing in the villages of Kumaon. Some even claim that he was considered to be a sadhu (saint) by the locals.
Corbett was an avid photographer and after his retirement, authored the Man-Eaters of Kumaon, Jungle Lore, and other books recounting his hunts and experiences, which enjoyed much critical acclaim and commercial success. Later on in life, Corbett spoke out for the need to protect India's wildlife from extermination and played a key role in creating a national reserve for the endangered Bengal tiger by using his influence to persuade the provincial government to establish it. The national park was renamed Jim Corbett National Park in his honour in 1957 after his death in 1955.
If I could choose one book to introduce a first-time reader to the pleasure of reading, this would be it. It's a wonderful book that is sure to delight and thrill any reader of any age. My mother got me this back in my early teenage, and to this day it remains an all-time favourite.