Includes bibliographical references (pages 307-308) and index

Capturing elephants -- Losing a family ; Tracking the elusive beasts -- Drawn to the big top ; Rounding up the elephants -- Learning the ropes ; Fooling the elephant -- One-legged stands ; Long voyage to America -- The Hawthorn Five ; Seesaws, grass skirts, and water skis -- Life on the road ; Forcing elephants to perform -- Acting out ; Block and tackle and chains -- A sanctuary takes shape ; Coercion, not kindness -- Trouble for Cuneo ; "Bad" elephants -- Space and silence ; Conquering an elephant -- The crackdown begins ; Going rogue -- Mired in bureaucracy ; Hollywood comes calling -- Setbacks in Illinois ; The tale of Baby Boo -- Caravan to freedom ; Big Mary's tragic fate -- The start of a new life ; The short life of Baby Hatch -- The conundrum of zoos ; The plight of Ziggy -- Spotlight on abuse ; A new wave of elephants -- Bad days, good days ; Chains, hooks, and hot shots -- Unchained at last

"Against the backdrop of a glittering but brutal circus world, [this book] charts the history of elephants in America, the ... story of the Elephant Sanctuary, and the ... tale of a resilient elephant who defied the system even as she struggled to conquer her past, who never lost sight of the life she was meant to have"--Amazon.com