The Man-Eaters of Tsavo

by John Henry Patterson

Genres: Nonfiction

207 pages, Paperback

Published May 4, 2022

About the author

Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Patterson, DSO, known as J.H. Patterson, was an Anglo-Irish soldier, hunter, author and Zionist, best known for his book The Man-Eaters of Tsavo (1907), which details his experiences while building a railway bridge over the Tsavo river in Kenya in 1898-99.

Although he was himself a Protestant, he became a major figure in Zionism as the commander of both the Zion Mule Corps and of the 38th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (aka Jewish Legion of the British Army) in World War One. He ultimately achieved the rank of Lt. Colonel, and retired from the British Army in 1920. Patterson was a strong supporter of the establishment of a separate Jewish state in the Middle East, which was realized with the statehood of Israel on May 14, 1948, less than a year after his death.

Patterson died at the age of eighty. He was living in California at the time.

Reviews

[Word Muncher · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is very scary. Lions are not only of formidable strength, but they are spikey all over so to win a battle Iwth one is impossible. I enjoyed this book, but not that the author is so proud of killing every animal he sees with no mention of eating the meat thereafter or making use of the bodies. I don't think I would be as brave as him and maybe because he is a hunter who kills everything, he managed to save the day.

[Nanci Pattenden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book was very descriptive but I was disappointed there were no photos.