books which strike a chord - make you stop and think.

[fairacre]

Anything by Wilfred Thesiger

 

[Alantoo]

Anything by Wilfred Thesiger

Loved the photographs in Thesiger's Marsh Arabs book.

Eric Newby wrote A short walk in the Hindu Kush and Love and War in the Appenines and the amazing Last Grain Race.

There is a wonderful story about Newby and Thesiger bumping in to each other in the wilds of Nepal one night, as you would, and sitting around the camp fire discussing essential travel equipment. They whittled it down to all you actually need is "a spoon with a sharpened edge!"

Alan

 

[Basil H]

There is an engaging book by Stephen Bodio called "A Sportsman's Library". It comprises 100 long reviews of books on hunting, fishing and outdoor life. It is an eclectic and fascinating mix. I found books which I know well (including some mentioned above), but also discovered books and authors I had never encountered. Highly recommended as a source and a good read in itself. Many of us will share his philosophy.

 

[landkeeper]

Jock of the Bushveld! if you ever had a dog.

+1 a great read i had/have a 1st edition somewhere

=

 

[SamHuntVic]

Paul Ham's "KOKODA". An excellent description of a landmark military campaign. I walked the track in an August in good weather, the exact opposite to what those boys had. My dad was in New Guinea although not on the track. (He was also at Eastbourne and Surrey with Lindsay Hassett's cricket team). Reading the book is just as emotional as being there for an Aussie.
Grant.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Bury my heart at wounded knee by Dee Brown. Find out how the civilised white man raped the natives that only wanted to live in the world, not own it ! it's a real eye opener.

I went there after reading that book in 1985 the locals were not nice to white boys like me and I can understand why as the pain was still very raw.

 

[Shootist]

Anything by Robert Heinlein. Particularly Starship Troopers, which in no way whatever resembles the parody of the crappy film made in it's name.

Also, a great book to read in times of trouble, is Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. A simple book that greatly comforts the soul.

 

[tikka_madras]

Swallows and Amazons was a family favourite. A great claim to reflected fame was that my parents live two doors down from the boy that played Roger in the 1974 film version of Swallows and Amazons.

Alan

Did he get to keep his shed in the end?

 

[Alantoo]

Did he get to keep his shed in the end?

Not 100% sure.

He has emigrated to France now, but whether that was down to lack of planning permission, neighbour problems, Brexit, or all three is a bit unclear!

Alan

 

[Freeforester]

Finding much to agree with in 'Skin in the Game' by N N Taleb at the moment

 

[norma 308]

Just started Sniper Ace biography of Bruno sutkus 2nd world war
Liking it even though he was on the other side

 

[Heym SR20]

Power of One - Bryce Courtney

Story Like the Wind and a Far of Place - Lawrence Van de Post

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Perzig

A Thousand Eyes - Paddy Fleming

 

[kes]

Gentlemen, thank you all - lots to get my teeth into. I hope some of these books will be useful and interesting reading for others as well.

 

[paul o']

Any by Sven Hassel

​

 

[limulus]

The Snowfly by Joseph Heywood

 

[TH4]

Try reading At the hand of man by Raymond Bonner. Will give you a whole new insight into the workings of the so called animal protection movement.

 

[BryanDC]

I remember reading the Jim Corbett books when I was young and thinking about it I think I will maybe try and find them again. He stayed at the Treetops hotel at the same time as princess Elisabeth the night King George VI died and wrote in the hotel register. "For the first time in the history of the world, a young girl climbed into a tree one day a Princess, and after having what she described as her most thrilling experience, she climbed down from the tree the next day a Queen—God bless her."

Try "Life of Frederick Courtenay Selous, D.S.O." written by his friend J.G. Millais. Or maybe some of his own works. (some of them are free on project Gutenburg as they are over 100 years old) He has to be one of the most incredible characters ever.

Both of these men have national parks named after them.

 

[Will mac]

Highland Year by Lea McNAlly was the book that inspired me to pursue my love of the countryside firstly as a keeper on the Scottish islands and then as a Ranger and deer manager a little further south! His articles in Shooting Times were always the first to be read, and through his wildlife photos and subsequent books his love of the natural world delivered in a refreshingly unsentimental way means that his books will always be top of my reading list.

 

[Highlandsjohn]

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Perzig This is a great book, read it in the eighties and it was flagged by HeymSR20..

Also, West With The Night by Beryl Markham. A very interesting lady and one of the early female flying adventurers, in Africa. john

 

[User00035]

The Wild Places by Robert Macfarlane. Wonderful writing. Inspiring.

The Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy. There is no finer writing on landscape, horses and men.