Ivory's Ghosts: The White Gold of History and the Fate of Elephants

by John Frederick Walker

Long before gold and gemstones held allure, humans were drawn to the “jewels of the elephant”—its great tusks—for their beauty, rarity, and ability to be finely carved. In Ivory’s Ghosts, John Frederick Walker tells the astonishing story of the human lust for ivory and its cataclysmic implications for elephants. Each age and each culture, from ancient Egypt to nineteenth-century America and modern Japan, found its own artistic, religious, and even industrial uses for the remarkable material that comes from the teeth of elephants and a handful of other mammals. Sensuous figurines, scientific instruments, pistol grips, and piano keys were all the result—as was human enslavement and the wholesale slaughter of elephants. By the 1980s, elephant poaching threatened the last great herds of the African continent and led to a worldwide ban on international trade. But the ban has failed to stop poaching, and debate continues over what to do with the legitimate and growing stockpiles of ivory recovered from elephants that die of natural causes. An insightful history of this precious commodity, Ivory’s Ghosts is also a wrenching—and utterly compelling—argument for a controversial mode of wildlife conservation: a controlled return to the ivory trade.

Genres: Animals, Africa, History, Nature, Conservation, Nonfiction, Audiobook

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 6, 2009

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say I am really disappointed in this book. The first two thirds are all about ivory. The author goes into great detail about the history of ivory hunters and carvers and what people did with it and how they worked with it. He goes on and on about what it was made into and the tools that were invented just to shape it. You are told more about the people that killed elephants and hunted them than the actual elephants. I thought this book would be about elephant poaching and conservation efforts. It is not at all. The author hardly even mentions elephants. He mentions the disconnect in ancient times between the ivory everyone wanted and the creature that it came from. Most people knew it came from elephants but didn't really know what an elephant was. This disconnect is echoed by the author ironically enough. He seems to put ivory on a pedestal and is in awe of it. The elephant itself is just a mode of creating this substance. The last third is more about elephants but it is all about why we should allow the hunting of elephants for ivory again. The elephants are portrayed as nothing but a nuisance to people, never mind that people have been a nuisance to elephants for far longer. Elephants are troublesome and get in the way of people. No other solutions are brought forward other than culling, nevermind trying to help the people rise out of poverty and out of the reach of hungry and thirsty elephants.

His fascination with ivory can be summed up by the last paragraph of the last chapter:
"The stockpiles of tusks are here, and growing bigger. All that sleeping beauty remains unused, dormant; the ideas that might be expressed in the material and multiply its value remain unrealized. But ivory need not be the elephant's curse; ivory, we must remember, is the great gift the elephant leaves behind at the end of its life."

I have trouble taking the word of a man who has such a fascination with it.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A readable and engaging history of the use and allure of ivory in human history and how the fate of elephants both has been affected by ivory's popularity and has influenced the use and availability of the material. Also, how ivory was bound up in the African slave trade and the development history of Africa. The author contemplates the current conservation situation in Africa and the varying viewpoints on whether to use ivory to fund conservation or to ban it to protect elephants from poaching. Enlightening and enjoyable.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I chose this book as part of my 2021 book challenge to read a “motif” that incorporated “countries and cultures”. This book traces the history of the ivory trade across time, countries and cultures and incorporates the issue of how to help conserve rather than endanger the elephant. The ivory trade is a take if greed and human degradation but not to ignore the wanton slaughter of elephants. An ivory researcher estimates that nearly 44,000 elephants were killed annually between 1850-1914 (I.e. 2,800,00). The uses of ivory beyond decorative art was detailed and this was particularly fascinating; I was particularly intrigued by the use of ivory veneers on piano keys that with their replacement since 1958!with synthetic materials has caused angst among professional pianists such that Steinway in 1993 sponsored the development of RPIvory. In 1989 the US became the first country to ban ivory imports which lead to a worldwide ban as well. This was in part due to concerns about elephant extinction but as the author writes with human population crowding out the elephant habitats there is another dilemma equal perhaps to illegal killing of elephants for their ivory. I would have rated the book higher except that this was such a dry read at times. Otherwise it’s a great book for information on ivory and elephants.

[Juanita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review: Ivory’s Ghost by John Frederick Walker. 04/16/2018

This book was interesting, informative with past and recent history on a very popular jewel Ivory that was collected from humans at the beginning of mankind. The book was well written and covered so much data on mostly the Ivory but also states some information on what species of Elephants are still roaming on earth. I was surprised that Ivory came from several animals starting with the extinct mammoths, bison, antelope, hippo’s, walrus, and even a certain whale species. Walker seemed accurate about how popular ivory was and still is but he seems to stay away form the controversy issues behind the trade of ivory and the killing of elephants to a most severe statistic loss of these animals.

I got the feeling that Walker was writing more on the beauty, use, and necessity of ivory and not the issue of animal extinction but why would he. The book is about the product and its history and he did write good data on the subject. He stated how important the ivory trade was for different projects as piano keys, billiard balls, crafting figurines, and jewelry. Every one has their own reasons for their own point of view. I just thought that Walker should have covered both sides of the issues. Yes, ivory is beautiful, but how long will these animal be roaming this earth if an important perspective towards a solution. There are Countries that has banned the taking of ivory but poaching these animals has not been stopped. However, Walker did not cover that part of the issue so I will say his information about the Ivory trade has plenty of history behind what he states.

[Troy Stirman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly non-political and refreshing take on Africa's longstanding struggle to balance sustainable wildlife in light of "the ivory problem". As a long time Conservationist and hunter of wild game I've come to appreciate proven efforts and methodologies of sustainable and proper herd management bereft of ignorant calls for (ludicrous) outright bans on hunting. The empowerment of host countries to benefit from their own resources and participate at the table of discussion is the key to any true conservation. After all, its their country! The white man has a very long history of stifling both actions to line his own pockets. It's time we appreciate the problem while allowing locals their due at deciding their own fate. We owe it to them. We owe it to the Elephant. Long may they tread the Earth!

[Boyd Cothran · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fine book full of interesting facts about the Ivory trade. The pacing is a bit slow at points. I would describe it as a good but idiosyncratic book.

[JS Found · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brief history of the ivory trade followed by an illuminating look at the thorny problem of elephant conservation. It's problematic because the ivory trade can, if done legally and without violence to elephants, be a solution to elephant conservation and how the local people live in harmony with the giant animals. But there is always threat of poaching as well as the absolute positions of animal rights activists who do not want to see one elephant harmed, even though culling them would free up land resources for them to live and thrive in.

The book talks about ivory art throughout human history, but it really gets going when it goes to Africa. Both in the historical sense--when ivory hunters and traders journals are quoted--and in the present time, when the author sees for himself the national parks and preserves set up to protect the animals. He talks to many informed people--former hunters, conservationists, park officials--who have their own ideas about what to do about an elephant resurgence that is taking up more and more land and putting in harm's way the poor human communities around them. A controlled ivory trade is his answer.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting history of the ivory trade up to the present day. The author's take is that ivory should be "de-criminalized," and the proceeds from sales go to the preservation of elephants. There will always be a supply of ivory, because elephants always die eventually -- if there is a legal market, prices will go down and poaching won't be a lucrative pursuit. My enjoyment of the book, however, was diluted by the lousy "British" accents the reader (it was a book on CD) affected when quoting, ugh!!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a history of the ivory trade and covers primarily the elephant ivory but touches on walrus, hippo teeth, narwhal tusks, and boar. It's a bit loaded with info but I thought the ending made me think about what we need to do now, she'd ivory is continuing to be stockpiled and could be used for conservation funding, though difficult to manage in lieu of the poached trade.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating read from an author who is a true explorer. Look John Frederick Walker up. His adventures are the historical and factual version of saving animals who are exploited for mere luxury items. this book is moving.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

An in-depth look at ivory from a historical perspective to modern times. Explains his point of view well (i.e. pro-culling and regulated ivory trade) but dismisses the other point of view (ivory ban) too readily, as elephants are fast on the path towards extinction.

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://www.slate.com/id/2204526/

[Daniel Traner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, but more dry that I had hoped for when I purchased it.

[Joebacca · Rating 5 out of 5]

fascinating read