first edition Hardcover
1965 · New York
by Simeons, A.T.W.
New York: Atheneum. Near Fine in Near Fine dj. 1965. First Edition. Hardcover. [nice-looking copy, spine turned but only very slight wear to extremities; jacket has tiny tears and slight dog-earing at spine corners]. (drawings) Juvenile novel about a young Indian boy whose performance in a traveling circus (and his ability to talk to animals) attracts the attention of the Maharaja, who "took the boy to work in the cheetah hall of his palace, where instead of cold, unfriendly Indian cheetahs, the men trained intelligent African cheetahs for the royal hunt. Here, eventually, Ramlal became the trainer of Loki, a prized African cheetah, who learned quickly and shared Ramlal's thoughts almost too well." The author was a doctor who served in India under the Raj, had written numerous scientific articles and several books; this, "his first book for children, gew out of his Indian experiences, especially the cheetah hunt, a rare sport and an art that he feels is soon to be forgotten." (And about which I can pretty confidently say, without knowing anything about it: good riddance.) . (Inventory #: 26776)