I am only about 3/4 of the way through this book and, must say, I am impressed with Ruark's story on the life of European settlers during the time of "classic" Africa and the Mau Mau upheaval. He's done (did?) an excellent job of capturing both black and white perspectives, however politically incorrect by today's standards.

It is also easy to see why Ruark's body "wore out" by the ripe old age of 49, if the drinking habits of his characters were based on anything like his own (and I suspect they were). It must have taken a special lorry just to haul the booze on one of his safaris. (I think I read somewhere that this was Harry Selby's biggest criticism of Ruark: he just drank too darn much!

All-in-all, an excellent read, and one that anyone interested in safari hunting in Africa will cherish. I never saw the movie, but I suspect it is poor representation of graphic and violent Mau Mau rebellion outlined so vividly in the book.

This is far and away my favorite book on Africa. I have read it at least 4 times. I also this this is Ruarks best work as well although "Use Enough Gun" is also a great read.

I have the book in front of me, on my desk, as I have just received it today from Alibris, together with â€Uhuru†and Capstick’s “Safari – the last adventureâ€!
Now I know which one I will start reading tonight.

B.Martins

b. martins,

If you read Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter" you will recognize many of the characters in "Value". Peter McKenzie is definitely Harry Selby and Tom and Nancy Deane are none other than Robert and Virginia Ruark, themselves.

At least that's the way I see it.

I have always enjoyed Ruark's works. "Use Enough Gun", "Horn of the Hunter", "Uhru", "Something of Value", along with Capstick and Boddington, stand together on my book shelves.

My favorite Ruark book however is "The Old Man and the Boy"! I still remember as a teenager, my uncle shoving a paperback copy into my hand with his usual terse intructions. . ."Read this!"

Still today I cannot read the last page without tears in my eyes.

Every man ought to give his son a copy!

Speaking of tears in one's eyes, I sure had them when I read the story Sporting Classics published awhile back, "The Road To Tinkamtown," I think was the title? I think I have only read one thing Ruark wrote that I didn't care for. That would be the book entitled, "The Honey Badger." For some reason, all the womanizing turned me off, but his writing style is unmatched anyway.

If you are interested in the Mau Mau upheaval, you should also try to get hold of "Gangs and Counger gangs" by Frank Kitson from 1960. General Kitson took part in fighting the Mau Mau by creating his own gang dressed up like bandits to gather intelligence. His book "Bunch of fives" can be easier to find, but it has only one chapter on Mau Mau.

By the way, if you want to read a lot of "alternative history", take a look on these links:
http://www.google.se/search?hl=sv&q=%22gangs+and+countergangs%22+kitson&meta=

Regards,
Martin

quote:

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Speaking of tears in one's eyes, I sure had them when I read the story Sporting Classics published awhile back, "The Road To Tinkamtown,"

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I believe "The Road To Tinkamtown" was writen by Corey Ford. I agree it was a powerful piece of writting. I had a hard time reading the last couple of paragraphs I seemed to have something in my eyes and they were really beginning to water.

Jason

Yes, it was Corey Ford who wrote, "The Road to Tinkhamtown." I have it in a set of Ford's books. My eyes seemed to have something in them too after reading that story.

You guys are right. Corey Ford. It was a powerful piece of writing.

Robert Ruark is my hands down favorite author. Especially his "Old Man and the Boy". "Use enough Gun" would be next in line.

When I read "Something of Value" and "Uhuru" i was shocked at the things that were done by the Mau Mau. I can understand why the settlers tried to eradicate the Mau Mau. Ruark did an exceptional job of telling the story of the events of that time. I did find it rather interesting how the rest of the world turned a blind eye to the events that were occuring in Kenya. I wonder if that wasnt due to the US's own civil rights transitions that were occuring at the same time. If the same events were to occur now I believe the UN would sweep into the country in its "rightous fury" and the US and UK would be holding the bag to make it happen.

Originally posted by patrkyhntr:
"Speaking of tears in one's eyes, I sure had them when I read the story Sporting Classics published awhile back, "The Road To Tinkamtown," I think was the title? ....'"

patrkyhntr,

Yes, by Corey Ford. I just dug down into an old wooden box where I keep special things and have it in front of me as I type this.
FIELD & STREAM June 1970.

Rich Elliott



]

Try this link
Road to Tinkhamtown

Thanks Rusty, I really enjoyed that.

CFA

I finally finished "Something of Value" last night, and must say, I am exhausted. The raw violence on the part of both the Mau Mau and the settlers in their response to it is almost unnerving.

In reality, though, the whole war was not much different from the Indian wars in America in the 19th Century in terms of autraucities committed on both sides. And for a modern version, one needs to go no further than Al Jazeera to look for public beheadings of innocent people.

Man's inhumanity to Man is no less apparent today than it was in Ruark's time or at anytime throughout human history.

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Originally posted by M1Tanker:
If the same events were to occur now I believe the UN would sweep into the country in its "rightous fury" and the US and UK would be holding the bag to make it happen.

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You mean like they are doing in Zimbabwe