books which strike a chord - make you stop and think.
- Thread starter kes
- Start date
An Taín Hunting Outfitter
Well-Known Member
Maneaters of Tsavo. A pride of lions account for over 135 deaths in less than 1 year during the building of a railway section in Africa. Men being dragged out feet first from their tents and all!
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
I'm biased , but Pierre Burtons Vimy . I met the man in the 70's , an amazing individual . Mandatory reading for a Canadian , a very well researched and written book and a landmark event in Canadian history .
AB
AB
landkeeper
Well-Known Member
The series of books by Gavin Maxwell shark fishing in the hebrides /and the ring of brightwater stuff allways a good read
deeangeo
Well-Known Member
There is a 1997 movie, The Ghost & The Darkness with Val Kilmer & Michael Douglas very much based upon this book I understand.
The railway section is part of the Mombasa/Nairobi line passing through the Tsavo West reserve.
Been there many times man & boy and have had the book in my collection for a few years now.
Last edited:
I saw the film with Kilmer and Douglas so - yes - I'll get the Man eaters of Tsavo next and try that - thanks.
Moonraker68
Well-Known Member
I have read A year in the woods by Colin Elwood (an FC ranger) several times; a really enjoyable book that I came across by chance.
‘Death in the Long Grass’ by Peter Hathaway Capstick, I had to order this from Australia as there were no copies locally. I read this on the recommendation of a friend and stalker up Glen Lyon. Lots of big game hunting stories. Definitely one which will be read and reread.
And ’Green Hills of Africa’ by Hemingway - perhaps not his best in literary terms but certainly caught my imagination as a schoolboy.
And ’Green Hills of Africa’ by Hemingway - perhaps not his best in literary terms but certainly caught my imagination as a schoolboy.
Frank Homes
Well-Known Member
Unfortunately PHC was a bit of a fraud. Great writer but a lot of the stories weren't his. Agree about Green Hills of Africa though. My favourite, James Sutherland Adventures of an Elephant Hunter or Bell Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter.
F
F
Frank, I didn’t know this about PHC, he does credit others for quite a few of the stories but it’s a shame if he did ‘borrow’ some...
I will look out for the other titles you mentioned.
On fishing I can’t look past ‘A Man May Fish’ by Kingsmill Moore and equally enjoyable is ‘I know a good place’ by Clive Gammon.
I will look out for the other titles you mentioned.
On fishing I can’t look past ‘A Man May Fish’ by Kingsmill Moore and equally enjoyable is ‘I know a good place’ by Clive Gammon.
Cootmeurer
Well-Known Member
A childhood friend's father was a local version of PHC. He was always willing to take kids out to the field, and always had great stories. When I got older I realized what a "damned liar" he was and distanced myself from him. Then, as I aged further, and started taking out youth I realized two things about the man. One - most people can't tell a story for ****, but he could rework almost any story into something worth hearing. Two - any man that devoted that much time to taking kids outdoors and firing up their dreams deserved some slack for his fleeting visits to the land of truth.
But, back to the original post. I have three outdoors related books that I read and re-read to this day.
Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Saxton Pope. He befriended and learned from one of the last Native Americans, and was able to distill that knowledge down much less judgmentally than most of the people that encounter native Americans. The second book was one I first read as a youth - The Long Rifle by Stewart White - a fictional history set during the heyday of the American Mountain Man (which every red blooded American youth wanted to be).
The last and most impressive book is African Game Trails by Theodore Roosevelt. I am blessed to have a first printing copy, in rough shape, but first printing nonetheless.
But, back to the original post. I have three outdoors related books that I read and re-read to this day.
Hunting with the Bow and Arrow by Saxton Pope. He befriended and learned from one of the last Native Americans, and was able to distill that knowledge down much less judgmentally than most of the people that encounter native Americans. The second book was one I first read as a youth - The Long Rifle by Stewart White - a fictional history set during the heyday of the American Mountain Man (which every red blooded American youth wanted to be).
The last and most impressive book is African Game Trails by Theodore Roosevelt. I am blessed to have a first printing copy, in rough shape, but first printing nonetheless.
LeftHandGuy
Well-Known Member
Rogue Male by Geoffrey Household - my favorite adventure or thrill type novel - big game hunting is essentially the underlying thread, although no big game is harmed....
Sniping in France by Hesketh Pritchard - if you have an interest in military marksmanship.
The Recolections of Rifleman Harris - published in 1848 is actually written by veteran of the Napoleonic wars, and is a fascinating account from a common soldier's experience of warfare a little over 200 years ago.
Sniping in France by Hesketh Pritchard - if you have an interest in military marksmanship.
The Recolections of Rifleman Harris - published in 1848 is actually written by veteran of the Napoleonic wars, and is a fascinating account from a common soldier's experience of warfare a little over 200 years ago.
Freeforester
Well-Known Member
For those with a taste for Africa, Safari by Bartle Bull is quite an informative read; the more recent work by Reinald Von Meurers : Buffalo, Elephant & Bongo is worth a look, and for man eating thrills, Jim Corbett's Omnibus Trilogy is pretty exciting stuff!
For the cunning linguists (!) among the throng, Apropos du Chevreuil/Auf der Reh by Duke Albrecht and Duchess Jenke Von Bayern, and Rehwild-Report by Wolfram Osgyan are very much standard reference works on roe deer; Dominic Griffith's Deer Management in the U.K. is similarly underrated for its wisdom in respect of this species qimo.
For the cunning linguists (!) among the throng, Apropos du Chevreuil/Auf der Reh by Duke Albrecht and Duchess Jenke Von Bayern, and Rehwild-Report by Wolfram Osgyan are very much standard reference works on roe deer; Dominic Griffith's Deer Management in the U.K. is similarly underrated for its wisdom in respect of this species qimo.
I've just been given a copy of this for my Birthday and am on page 3 - shaping up to be a good read.
Chasey
Well-Known Member
Nothing to do with hunting but the two books which caused a quantum shift in my perspective of life universe and every thing were
The Fate of the Homosapien by HG Wells (Not fiction it was a book examining the human condition and were its going) His observations about the future of the human race and the trials that would follow were spot on. When I read the cover and found out when the book was written, I nearly fell of my chair as hed been so accurate in his predictions.
The History of the reformation of the Catholic Church. Cant remember who wrote it but it made me an instant Dawkinist.
The Fate of the Homosapien by HG Wells (Not fiction it was a book examining the human condition and were its going) His observations about the future of the human race and the trials that would follow were spot on. When I read the cover and found out when the book was written, I nearly fell of my chair as hed been so accurate in his predictions.
The History of the reformation of the Catholic Church. Cant remember who wrote it but it made me an instant Dawkinist.
Siggy
Well-Known Member
+1 for a year in the country by Colin Elford,
A good keen man by Barry Crump - deer culling in NZ back in the 50/60's
Once they moved like the wind by David Roberts - The story of the Apache wars
Crazy Horse by Mari Sandoz - some Elk hunting in this one.
The Versatile Gun Dog by Guy Wallace - just love his writing style
A good keen man by Barry Crump - deer culling in NZ back in the 50/60's
Once they moved like the wind by David Roberts - The story of the Apache wars
Crazy Horse by Mari Sandoz - some Elk hunting in this one.
The Versatile Gun Dog by Guy Wallace - just love his writing style
Similar threads
