Frontiers of Fear
Tigers and People in the Malay World, 1600-1950
Peter Boomgaard(Author)
Yale University Press
Published on 10. November 2001
Book
Hardback
316 pages
978-0-300-08539-6 (ISBN)
Description
For centuries, reports of man-eating tigers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have circulated, shrouded in myth and anecdote. This fascinating book documents the relationship between the 'big cat' and humans in this area during the 350-year colonial period, recreating a world in which people feared tigers but often came into contact with them, because these fierce predators prefer habitats created by human interference. Peter Boomgaard shows how people and tigers adapted to each other's behaviour, each transmitting this learning from one generation to the next. He discusses the origins of stories and rituals about tigers and explains how cultural biases of Europeans and class differences among indigenous populations affected attitudes toward the tigers. He provides figures on their populations in different eras and analyses the factors contributing to their present status as an endangered species. Interweaving stories about Malay kings, colonial rulers, tiger charmers, and bounty hunters, with facts about tigers and their way of life, the book is an engrossing combination of environmental and micro history.
Reviews / Votes
"A fascinating and uniquely valuable account of the historical relationships and entangled destinies between tigers and people in the Malay region." George B. Schaller, Wildlife Conservation Society "An important book about a fascinating topic. Nothing like it exists." Paul Greenough, University of IowaMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
32 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 242 mm
Width: 166 mm
Weight
580 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-08539-6 (9780300085396)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
10/2008
1st Edition
Yale University Press
€96.95
Available for download