Where the Fur Flies

Tigers are awesome! This may be why we use them in our literature and advertising as in Detroit Tigers, the Flying Tigers, Pooh Bear & Tigger, Tony the Tiger, and even the Tigers of Tammany. This year, 2010, the Chinese New Year will honor the "Year of the Tiger."

The tiger is a member of the Felidae family. They are the largest of the four "big cats." Check out our materials for a better understanding of this majestic creature. Even in fiction writings, their grandeur is apparent.

Tiger by Stephen Mills. What does a tiger do in its spare time? Learn their behavior, social structure, breeding patterns, family life, eating, and communication habits. Also addressed is the religious significance of tigers, conservation efforts, and where to observe them in the wild.

Life in the Valley of Death: The Fight to Save Tigers in a Land of Guns, Gold, and Greed by Alan Rabinowitz. "This book is not your typical chronicle of rescuing wildlife. Rather it's a clear-eyed rendering of conservation's unruly, dangerous, and chaotic side." (Audubon) If you have read Rabinowitz's Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize, you will enjoy this story of his crusade to save the tiger. This is also a preferred book on the Riverhead Reads book list for winter 2010.

The Tribe of Tiger: Cats and Their Culture by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. From the author of The Hidden Life of Dogs, Thomas will have cat lovers purring. Though you may not always agree with her, she will provide insights into how all cats, big or little, are similar. The most enthralling subject in this book proves to be the tiger. A delightful book for those who don't mind her sometimes wild observations.

Tigers in Red Weather: A Quest for the Last Wild Tigers by Ruth Padel. Take a journey with Padel in her memoirs to various parts of the eastern hemisphere to spot tigers. Learn how and why the number of these beautiful animals are diminishing. Padel still manages to give us hope by providing a list of tiger-focused charities for concerned readers.

And for those who want to enjoy the tiger in motion, try India: Kingdom of the Tiger by IMAX cinema. Journey to India and come face to face with the Bengal tiger. Enjoy this stunning clarity of the tiger at work on DVD.

Another DVD, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, though not about the lives of tigers & dragons, takes the name of two powerful creatures. Set in 19th century China, two master warriors come face to face as if they were a tiger and dragon. Action packed!