The Ruark books started my passion for Africa. I remember very well a holiday in South Tirol in 1981 reading Uhuru. Today, I like Bert Klineburgers book about International Hunting especially the page with the CAR forest elephants.

my favourites are:

Karamojo Safari by WDM Bell. I read it every year and never get tired of it.

The Maneaters of Kumoan by Jim Corbett. I also reread it and it gets me every time.
(I wish someone would make a scary movie about this book. Give me 500K, some Indians, and a motheaten tame tiger and I will make you a goddamn movie....)

Karamojo Bell wrote three books about Africa, they were all great. I've liked many others but Hunter by J A Hunter also stands out.

I have Wanderings of an Elephant hunter too, but like it less than Karamojo Safari, as it is a collection. With Karamojo Safari Bell set out to write a book about what it was like on one particular expedition and I think it works perfectly. (If your into old world elephant slaughter for money that is....)

I have Adventures in the African Bush by JA Hunter which I got for a song at the local shop a little while ago. I need to get the other ones you guys mention by Hunter, particularly his first book.

(My copy of Maneaters of Kamoan I got from a sale at the local library - for 50 cents. That was a great day, I remember it well.)

'Taller than Trees' by John Gordon Davis

Not a 'Safari' book as generated by the commercial hunting industry, but an Elephant Hunt for the thinking mans hunter.

The wonderful thing about Africa is the great body of literature it has created...there's some great stuff out there on tigers (Corbett is still the best "read" of his generation), but the sheer volume of Africana is amazing. I am deeply honored and humbled by the several mentions of some of my titles...but I don't think they deserve to be on the "all time best" list. Among the "real deals" (hunters first, journalists second), J.A. Hunter's stuff is timeless, likewise W.D.M. Bell's work. Not only awesome, but very well-written. But it was Ruark who gave me "African fever." Horn of the Hunter is far and away the best of the "first safari" books, and Something of Value may be the best thing ever written about Africa. I like both much better than Hemingway's African stuff...but Green Hills of Africa is a must-read, and although it's a bit weird, don't miss Hemingway's posthumous True at First Light.
But for sheer information and dreaming about safaris, James Mellon's African Hunter is tops, and African Hunter II is actually better because it's still fairly current, and when it was done color photography was affordably possible. (I can say that about African Hunter II 'cause I didn't write it: Peter Flack and I have sort of 'honorary credit' as editors, but the truth is our input was limited, with the real writing done by literally dozens of great African hunters from all over the continent. It's been out ten years, and to this day I refer back and forth to it every time I write a magazine article about Africa.
Too many good books, not enough time...
Cheers, Craig

MY top 20 list is probably: HUNTER, JA Hunter (1st safari hunting book I read)~~ PONDORO, Taylor ~~ WHITE HUNTERS, Brian Herne ~~ LAST OF OLD AFRICA, Brian Nicholson ~~OUT IN AFRICA, Holmberg ~~LIVES OF PROFESSIONAL HUNTING FAMILY, Miller ~~HUNTER'S HEARTBEAT, Hartley ~~ BWANA COTTON, Cotton Gordon ~~A HUNTER'S STORY, CJP Ionides ~~AFRICAN GAME TRAILS, Teddy Roosevelt ~~WILD HEART OF AFRICA, Baldus ~~AFRICAN OBSESSION, Penelope-Body-Sanders ~~BROR BLIXEN, THE AFRICA LETTERS, Kleen ~~AFRICAN HUNTER, Mellon ~~IN BRIGHTEST AFRICA, Carl Akeley ~~ THE SHAMBA RAIDERS, Kinloch ~~MEMORIES OF AN AFRICAN HUNTER, Terry Irwin ~~THE LAST OF THE FEW, Tony Sanchez ~~MEN FOR ALL SEASONS, Tony Dyer ~~ELEPHANT, David Blunt.

Those are pretty much my favorites. All good reading!

African Game Trails is what got me started in this addiction. The list after that is far too long to type here. Ruark, Hunter, and Capstick are all good reads, as well as a lot of the older books.

However, Craig is too modest. I think I have all of his books with the exception of Safari Rifles II. His more recent books on buffalo, leopard and elephant are all excellant. I think my personal favorite is "Where the Lions Roar" though.

I have probably read 90% of the books mentioned and most are very good, but the one I'm reading now is, as an elephant hunter, certainly in the top 5.

NDLOVU - The Art of Hunting the African Elephant by Richard Harland

Published in 2005 but out of print and extremely difficult to find, what I like so much is that Richard and I have come to similar conclusions on most topics, even though we are separated by half a world and, of course, his experience with africa and elephants is comparable to any living hunter.

We are of an age but I understand he is not well. He did post here on AR and in the event he reads this, Richard, I wish you well and thank you for sharing your experience and passion.

Richard Harland's book is one of the best current books, likewise Ian Nyschen's "Months of the Sun"--I actually edited that book, a really tough job, but what a great story. So I don't have to backtrack, I should say that I do recommend "African Hunter II"--highly--but I don't get a royalty from that book, so have no dog in the fight! I am interested to hear the several comments on "Where Lions Roar" (which I do get a royalty on, so buy multiple copies!)--that book is 15 years old, and I sure would like to think I write better today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craig,

Why are more of the older classic books not available in electronic versions, kindle or iTunes?

To Texas Blue Devil: Easiest question in the world: They don't sell. I don't know why, but electronic books in our world haven't done well. One of mine was done for "books on tape." It was kinda fun, I did the read, was hoarse for three days afterwards, but it took forever to sell out the run. Couple of my books are now on Kindle, but I think our biz is a bit behind the rest of the world in this. (Gawd knows I haven't made any money on electronic versions!)

quote:

Originally posted by craig boddington:
Richard Harland's book is one of the best current books, likewise Ian Nyschen's "Months of the Sun"--I actually edited that book, a really tough job, but what a great story. So I don't have to backtrack, I should say that I do recommend "African Hunter II"--highly--but I don't get a royalty from that book, so have no dog in the fight! I am interested to hear the several comments on "Where Lions Roar" (which I do get a royalty on, so buy multiple copies!)--that book is 15 years old, and I sure would like to think I write better today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Craig,

You mentioned in one of your books that you occasionally edited some of Elmer Keith's stuff, and that was rough .... would this be more or less rough?

I quite liked a lot of Elmer's stuff, you just had to pretend you were listening to him talk and it'd sort of get to you - the repetitions and so on.

Cheers

My favorites are anything by Ruark.

First of all, there is no such thing as BEST safari book.

There are far too many books on safari which have been written.

I suggest you look in the Book Forum.

There are plenty of recommendations there.

quote:

Originally posted by craig boddington:
Richard Harland's book is one of the best current books, likewise Ian Nyschen's "Months of the Sun"--I actually edited that book, a really tough job, but what a great story. So I don't have to backtrack, I should say that I do recommend "African Hunter II"--highly--but I don't get a royalty from that book, so have no dog in the fight! I am interested to hear the several comments on "Where Lions Roar" (which I do get a royalty on, so buy multiple copies!)--that book is 15 years old, and I sure would like to think I write better today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oddly enough, I have tried to buy a couple of your books from Amazon and its sellers, specifically, Safari Rifles II and American Hunting Rifles, but they will not deliver to me in Japan for some reason.

I probably have read most of the old books, such as Selous, Stanley, Park, Roosevelt, Stigand, Bell, Carl Akeley, Roy Chapman Andrews, Siemel, et al., since I had access as a boy in the early 1950s to a little local school library in Ottawa Hills, next to my home town of Toledo, Ohio that had them all. Evidently some prosperous local citizen with similar tastes had donated them -- to my great personal benefit. I reread all of them several times.

I agree with the thought that there is no single perfect safari book. Some of you may not be familiar with the works of Frank "Bring Em Back Alive" Buck or Clyde Beatty. Though not exactly safari books, they cover much similar subjects.

Personally, I found Capstick's "Safari" to be very useful in deciding what to take to Africa. In particular, I remember his idea to include two wire mesh fly swatters, the very sturdy kind. Mulobesi in the dry season had plenty of tsetse.

I was amused, I guess, that immediately on arrival the PH wives "appropriated" both my fly swatters and put them to use. Those durable swatters were history in a day and a half.

Horn of the Hunter by far. In a class of its own.

After that one, African Game Trails.

IMHO, of course.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Horn of the Hunter by far. In a class of its own.

After that one, African Game Trails.

IMHO, of course.

Horn of the Hunter was one of the books that stopped me from reading African books.

Horn of the hunter was like a sappy client going on a first time safari and posting a hunt report about his hunt which was a crappy one,IMO,and then recounting every little detail the PH did and saying ``I`ll have a drink to that.``

I know keep the book on my book shelf and when I see the shelf full of books it makes me feel intelligent or at least it makes for a decor.
I would sell the book but dont want to be taken in twice because my time is valuable -at least to me.

quote:

Too many good books, not enough time...

+1

If I could only read one again, it would be "Horn of the Hunter".

quote:

Originally posted by mboga biga bwana:

quote:

Too many good books, not enough time...

+1

Nor money, especially here with the high taxation on books. [The ruling mob prefer citizens to remain ignorant!]

quote:

Originally posted by Scriptus:

quote:

Originally posted by mboga biga bwana:

quote:

Too many good books, not enough time...

+1

Nor money, especially here with the high taxation on books. [The ruling mob prefer citizens to remain ignorant!]

I bought the best hunting book in the world-Corbets,for 3 dollars and it arrived from India in 2 days.
A couple that I paid 100 and more for were just a bunch of crap put together by taking bits of info from the internet.
The 100 dollar garbage arrived from London England with special packaging with the word ROYAL printed on the packaging.It probably meant that I got the royal shaft.

I also read and re-read all of them I can
afford,rent or Borrow.
The firsts were JA Hunter and T Roosevelt and are still favorites but there are so many others...
I've read a good portion of those mentioned.
I'm Thankful they were written in the 1st place
a true window into those who lived it.
There are others lost forever for lack of writing it down. Go Safari Press!

So hard to pick a favourite.

Green Hills of Africa
Months of the Sun
Horn of the Hunter

Must have read "Horn of the Hunter" 20 times, that one never gets old, but I think "Months of the Sun" might be my top pick.

Jim Corbet - since I was about 10 years old.
JA Hunter - I was baout 13
Brian Herne - in my 50s

I really have not had access to many of the other classics. too expensive to buy and not available in NZ libraries or among my friends & associates.

And for something totally unusual, be adventurous, try "The Half Fast Hunter" by Bill G. Yung. ISBN 978-1-4520-3938-1 or -3939-8

Take a chance, it is well worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by Scriptus:
And for something totally unusual, be adventurous, try "The Half Fast Hunter" by Bill G. Yung. ISBN 978-1-4520-3938-1 or -3939-8

Take a chance, it is well worth it.

+1000. It's a brilliantly entertaining read!

The elephant hunters of the Lado by Robert Foran

Elephant hunting ( in Mozambique ) by Jose Pardal

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Horn of the hunter was like a sappy client going on a first time safari and posting a hunt report about his hunt which was a crappy one,IMO,and then recounting every little detail the PH did and saying ``I`ll have a drink to that.``

Finally! Someone who has said it out loud. I'll drink to that.
Use Enough Gun frankly falls in the same catagory. A rip.

After reading that and The Green Hills of Africa, I have decided that I am going to write a book about my first trip hunting Africa as well. You can all look forward to that. IT will be divided into ten chapters, one for each day. I don't drink though, so you will be spared the descriptions on every page of opening or finishing a bottle of something...plus it will be without the florid voluminous descriptive passages, in Ruark's case, or the chopped sentences made up of five cent words in Hemingway's case. This is a novel concept; writing an African safari book without being drunk on my arse, think what you could do.

WHile I think Hemingway drank while on safari, he didn't write drunk. Alcohol was a tool like a pen or a pencil to him and it wasn't where he found what he wrote about.

As far as great safari/Africa books, West With the Night is very close to the top only if because of MArkhams's absolutely silky and almost ethereal writing.

I devoured White HUnters in about a day and a half and it is very much up there as well.

There is so much good stuff I tend to think of all books on Africana as part of a whole, singular work just written by different people. There is little I have read that is boring and much I have read that is worth reading again.

Horn of the Hunter for me then Something of Value and Uhuru.


.

quote:

Originally posted by Carlsen Highway:

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
Horn of the hunter was like a sappy client going on a first time safari and posting a hunt report about his hunt which was a crappy one,IMO,and then recounting every little detail the PH did and saying ``I`ll have a drink to that.``

Finally! Someone who has said it out loud. I'll drink to that.
Use Enough Gun frankly falls in the same catagory. A rip.

After reading that and The Green Hills of Africa, I have decided that I am going to write a book about my first trip hunting Africa as well. You can all look forward to that. IT will be divided into ten chapters, one for each day. I don't drink though, so you will be spared the descriptions on every page of opening or finishing a bottle of something...plus it will be without the florid voluminous descriptive passages, in Ruark's case, or the chopped sentences made up of five cent words in Hemingway's case. This is a novel concept; writing an African safari book without being drunk on my arse, think what you could do.

Cruel, but honest. I do like Hemingway's writing, though. They were among the few writers of safari books whom I can recall that were preoccupied with bragging about how often they hung out at trendy NYC night clubs like 21 and the old Latin Quarter. I always found that off-putting.

As for drinking consider what it did for the third of that type: Peter Hathaway Capstick. He had an absolute flair for a story (no matter where he stole got it.) Once he started, the adjectives flowed. As others have said, he probably had more influence on sending Americans on safari than any other person.

We all have our favorites and I appreciate this thread for giving me some new ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by Pondoro:
The elephant hunters of the Lado by Robert Foran

+1

Without a doubt, my all time favorite is Horn of the Hunter. It perfectly captures the first time safari client's initial exposure to Africa and the events thereof that lead to the addiction we all enjoy.

Harland's books are great as well. "The Hunting Imperative', his book about his mentor Paul Groebler (sp?), and "Ndlovu" will keep you on the edge of your seat. "Months of the Sun" is fantastic and definitly makes me want to hunt Dande North. Far too many great books to list. I'll probably bankrupt myself collecting them.

Corbett leaves everyone in dust

African Hunter, by Mellon.

Craig,

You mentioned in one of your books that you occasionally edited some of Elmer Keith's stuff, and that was rough .... would this be more or less rough?

I quite liked a lot of Elmer's stuff, you just had to pretend you were listening to him talk and it'd sort of get to you - the repetitions and so on.

Well, more difficult in a different sort of way. Elmer's work was more a matter of translating into the Queen's English--grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. Ian was a product of English private schools, and his language was near-perfect. I've edited other Rhodesians, and it didn't really matter if they attended university or not; the writing was sound. But in Ian's case, well, every other page or so there was something that required a difficult decision as to whether it should appear in print or not. Ian Nyschens was the real deal and a hard man, so these decisions ran the gamut from allowing minor poaching to, perhaps, murder. I actually edited that book in my spare time during a summer exercise in Korea. Great book, amazing character...but really a tough editing job. WOW! I know, unfortunately, that Ian was not happy with some of the stuff that was omitted or "watered down," but I am very proud of the book that resulted...and in these times, nobody needs to know about some of the stuff that was left out...