Nonfiction Book Club: Elephant Company by Vicki Constantine Croke

Seekonk, MA – Join us for a lively discussion of Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in WWII by Vicki Constantine Croke on Tuesday, February 28th at 6:00 PM at Seekonk Public Library. The title is available as an ebook through Libby, a digital audiobook through Hoopla, or you may place a hold and pick up a print copy at the library. New members are always welcome!

J.H. "Billy" Williams always had an affinity for animals. So, when he responded to a job offer with the East India Company to work with logging elephants his family wasn't surprised, though worried that he had already come back from World War I in one piece, would he be so lucky with India? Not only did he find his calling with the elephants in India, Billy and his elephants became war heroes. At the onset of World War II, Williams formed Elephant Company and was instrumental in defeating the Japanese in Burma and saving refugees, including on his own "Hannibal Trek." Billy Williams became a media sensation during the war, telling reporters that the elephants did more for him than he was ever able to do for them, but his story has since been forgotten. Part biography, part war story, and part wildlife adventure, Croke delivers an utterly charming narrative and an important, little-known piece of the legacy of World War II.

For more event information, visit www.seekonkpl.org or email library@seekonkpl.org.