The Tusk That Did the Damage: A Novel [Paperback]

ASan Francisco ChronicleBest Book of the Year

The Tusk That Did the Damageis an utterly contemporary story about an ancient and majestic elephant, and his dangerous connection to the land and the people around him. Orphaned by poachers as a calf and sold into a life of labor, Gravedigger has broken free of his chains and is terrorizing the South Indian countryside. Caught up in the violence are the studious younger son of a rice farmer drawn into the sordid world of poaching; and a young American documentary filmmaker engaged in a risky affair with the veterinarian who is her subject. In three intertwined storylines—one of them narrated by the elephant himself—Tania James crafts a heartbreaking tale of the ivory trade, exploring the porous boundary between conservation and corruption. It is a wrenching exploration of love and betrayal, duty and loyalty, and the vexed relationship between man and nature.

“Impressive. . . . A captivating rendering of an animal’s point of view.” —TheNew York Times Book Review

“One of the most unusual and affecting books I’ve read in a long time. . . . A compulsively readable, devastating novel. —Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

“Heart-racingly paced. . . . Moves between the humid intensity of southern India’s jungles . . . and the elephant’s primordial internal landscape with grace and humour, as light-footed as a poacher.” —National Geographic Traveller

“Enchanting. . . . Bighearted, morally complex. . . . James skillfully blends the suspense of a thriller and the erotic tensions of two romantic triangles with mythical, mournful flashbacks.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“Inventive. . . . Remarkable . . . delves into India’s mythic, troubled history with elephants—a strange marriage ol£§