author
Matthew Scott
b. 1834
Best known as Jumbo’s keeper, this 19th-century animal trainer wrote a lively firsthand account of life with one of the world’s most famous elephants. His memoir offers a rare, personal look at zoo work, show business, and the bond between keeper and animal.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Born in 1834, Matthew Scott is remembered for his 1885 book Autobiography of Matthew Scott, Jumbo's Keeper; Also Jumbo's Biography. The book presents him as a former keeper at the Zoological Society’s Gardens in London and centers on the years he spent caring for Jumbo, the elephant whose fame later grew even larger with P. T. Barnum’s circus.
What makes Scott interesting as an author is the directness of his voice. Rather than writing from a distance, he tells his own story from inside the world of animal handling, describing daily work, travel, and the unusual demands of caring for such a celebrated creature.
For audiobook listeners, his memoir has the appeal of both personal history and animal story. It preserves a vivid 19th-century perspective on zoo and circus life, while also capturing the affection and pride of a man closely identified with Jumbo.