Sophy Roberts — A Training School for Elephants

London, Doubleday, 2025 . First edition. Cloth. A first edition copy of this illustrated blend of travel and history in author Sophy Roberts' second novel. The first edition of the work.In the original white cloth binding. In the original unclipped wrapper.The author's second book.In 1879 King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa"s resources by controlling elephants, so he had four tamed Asian elephants shipped from India to the East African coast, where they were marched inland towards Congo. The aim was to establish a training school for African elephants.Following the route of this long-forgotten expedition, Roberts travels to Belgium, Iraq, India, Tanzania and Congo digging deep into the records to bring to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers and powerful chiefs to birders and Catholic nuns.With in text illustrations. In publisher's original cloth binding. In the original unclipped dust wrapper. Externally, fine. Dust wrapper is excellent. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean. Fine . Ill.: Not Stated. Fine/Fine.