On its surface, the biography Kingdom Under Glass tells a classic rags-to-riches story: Carl Akeley went from being a geeky kid obsessed with taxidermy to a museum-world hotshot who went hunting in Africa with Teddy Roosevelt. Akeley’s path to fame was never sure or easy, though, with a failed marriage, several career setbacks, and nagging self-doubts following him on even his most far-flung travels. Author Jay Kirk uses exhaustive research and vibrant prose to spin Akeley’s colorful, conflicted tale.
This article first appeared in the March-April 2011 issue of Utne Reader.
