At Large : The Fugitive Odyssey of Murray Hill and His Elephants

Rating:
Summary: hard-hitting, balanced account of elephant custody battle
Review: In At Large, Gary Ross presents a straight-forward account of an aging circus man who sells two elephants he has raised from babyhood, then repossesses them when the new owners fail to make their payments and the "girls" show signs of abuse. Ross pulls no punches in this amazing true story of how the nearly penniless Murray Hill manages to hide two elephants from the authorities and the furious buyers for five years. This book is very readable; in fact, it's hard to put down. It is evident that the author is determined to present an unbiased report, allowing the facts of the story to create a powerful effect on the reader. A good journalist, Ross does not force conclusions upon the reader, but presents the circumstances and charactors in a bluntly colorful and often humourous way. The beauty and grace of the elephants above all come out. But the tangled court battle for possession of these innocent creatures casts a substantial shadow of doubt and distrust on the American justice system.