From the award-winning author of The Lost Pianos of Siberia comes a new journey, following four 19th century elephants marched from the East African coast towards Congo to tell a heartbreaking story of folly and colonial greed. INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE STANFORD'S TRAVEL WRITING BOOK OF THE YEAR 2026 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR WRITING ON CONSERVATION 2025 SHORTLISTED Best Summer Books of 2025: An illuminating tale of imperial ambition and ineptitude.' FINANCIAL TIMES 'A beautiful, intelligent and heartfelt book, a brilliantly researched account of an imperial fever dream alongside a no less feverish contemporary journey' THE SUNDAY TIMES 'History and travelogue combine wonderfully in this tale of colonial plunder and hubris.' GUARDIAN In 1879, King Leopold II of Belgium launched an ambitious plan to plunder Africa?s resources. The key to cracking open the continent, or so he thought, was its elephants ? if only he could train them. And so he commissioned the charismatic Irish adventurer Frederick Carter to ship four tamed Asian elephants from India to the East African coast, where they were marched inland towards Congo. The ultimate aim was to establish a training school for African elephants. Following in the footsteps of the four elephants, Roberts pieces together the incredible true story of this long-forgotten expedition, in travels that take her to Belgium, Iraq, India, Tanzania and Congo. The storytelling brings to life a compelling cast of historic characters and modern voices, from ivory dealers to Catholic nuns, set against rich descriptions of the landscapes travelled.