Set against the exotic background of Indonesia, Paper Tiger is the moving and human story of one man and a boy.
To Koichi, the boy, Walter Bradbury is everything a real man should be. But when together they fall victim to a political plot, for the first time, Bradbury - poseur and inveterate liar - faces a truly dangerous life-and-death situation. The lessons he learns are the lessons of life. They do not come easy.
Paper Tiger is now a major motion picture, starring David Niven.
یادمه 12-13 سالگی خوندم و اون موقه لذت میبردم. کتاب قدیمی و زوار در رفته ای هم بود. نمیدونم دیگه تجدید چاپ میشه یا نه. برای رده کودک (و نوجوان) کتاب بسیار جذابیه.
What a sweet story! I have seen the movie Paper Tiger countless times, as it is one of my favorite David Niven movies, and when I finally got my hands on the obscure novel, I was so excited. I never dreamed it would be almost as enjoyable as the film (David Niven adds a little something extra of course), and I loved reading it so much I had to force myself to put it down so it would last longer. It is a very quick read, so you can easily knock it out in a weekend.
At the heart of this story is bravery. The protagonist, an English tutor for the Japanese ambassador's young son, wants to be seen as a hero. He wants to be admired, and the young boy in his tutelage thinks he can do no wrong. He enjoys hearing the old war stories of Mr. Bradbury and fantasizes that he is the bravest soldier and greatest man who has ever lived. Mr. Bradbury’s internal monologue is not always as kind. When a terrorist organization kidnaps both man and a boy, Mr. Bradbury’s honor gets put to the test. Will he put himself first or become the man he is believed to be?
This is a truly heartwarming story that will make you smile, laugh, and cry. The author's voice is charming and straightforward, and the movie that holds such a special place in my heart did a wonderful job of adapting his story. There’s really only one difference between the two (besides the casting of gorgeous Hardy Kruger in the role of the slovenly reporter), and I would recommend watching the movie first: the surprise at the end of the movie is revealed in the first chapter of the book. Both versions are sweet and touching, so if you can find copies of either, I highly recommend them.
If you can find it, this book is a good family type book to read to the kids. It isn't any great literary work, but it is a fun read for a light hearted moments, when you just want to read to the kids.