I remember getting a book around 1965. I was 9 and very interested in hunting and guns. It was a hardbound coffe table sized book and I think it was titled "True's greatest adventure stories" or something like that. It had some African Tales in it that got my fire burning for the Dark Continent. Later, when I was in High school, I got a paperback from Playboy press that I still have somewhere, I think it was titled Playboys Men of Adventure. It had some good stories and one of them was an African story, "Bloody road to Usamburu" As a young adult, I discovered Capstick, he was writing for one of the gun mags, one story that stuck out was where he was testing one of those BB machine guns that ran off of a freon canister. He was ambushing dragonflies at his home in florida and the style that he wrote it in made it quite an adventure!! He was a hell of a storyteller. When I read his books on Africa it reawakened my desire to hunt DG. and I can tell you many an hour was spent with my friends discussing rifles and cartridges for an African Battery! I got to meet him at Abercrombie and Fitch in Houston , for a book signing. He was very gracious to everyone, and he even autographed some of his books that I had previously purchased, not all authors will do that at a signing as it apparently pisses the store off, they want to sell you new ones. I, like many others here, went on to realize my dream of hunting Buff in Africa, and I hope to go back soon. I left a pile of yankee dollars on that continent(for me anyway) and Capstick, in a large way was responsible! I have read many hunting books and two authors who come to mind are Corbett and Patterson. Their style is reserved and understated, as was normal for the era, but can you imagine if their books were written with the flair and prose "A la Capstick"? Most ancient societies revered their "Storytellers" as living historians who pass on to the next generation, the lessons and adventures of those who went before. Don't you think they spiced things up to capture their audience and gain their interest? History can be one of the driest subjects in the world, but in the hands of a master storyteller, it can come alive in your imagination! To inspire imagination in others, you have to have a good one yourself! I am grateful to Mr. Capstick for telling his and others stories, and if the day comes when I don't want to reread one of his books, I will know that it is time to sell my double rifle.
Thanks Peter, You live on in your books.

I have stated on here before what I think of Capstick as a writer and a person. I owe him plenty and every ph in Africa that has an American client should tip their hat to Peter no matter what they think of him!
That being said, Tink's article about Capstick and his .470 Capstick was interesting. I have shot that rifle, not many times, it is one of the most brutal rifles I have ever shot. However, just getting to handle one of his rifles, much let shoot it, was quite an honor for me. My favorite rifle of his, to shoot and admire, is his Continental Arms 375. A beautiful handling rifle and a dream to shoot. If the company was still in business I think I would have one made just like Capsticks. RIP my friend!!!

He was responsible for my seven African Safaris to date.

well said crazyhorse,,, I will continue to ......"Re=Read all of Capstick"

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Just an opinion here, but from what I have seen over the time I have been on AR, all of the folks that make an effort to discredit Capstick do it out of jealousy and envy, Period.

Good, Bad, Indifferent, Peter Capstick made choices in the way he led his life, same as Robert Ruark, Ernest Hemingway, John Taylor add infinitum.

They all chose a direction for their life and lived it, and the cowards among us that live the lives others have planned out for them are jealous and envious, because those people had the guts and nuts enough to pursue their dreams, and the detractors are frustrated and petty, because they don't.

Instead of respecting those folks for setting a goal for themselves and going after it, they want to discredit them as much as possible, because in some way in their twisted little minds, it makes them feel superior about their inability to live for themselves, and only live the way others expect them to.

Again, that is just my opinion.

If you think Capstick is someone to be jealous of you must live a very sad life......

Upon reflection, my earlier response to GeoffM24 was uncalled for and way out of line.

I apologise to all that I may have offened with my response.

With that said, the point that GeoffM24 evidently missed, was that all of us, whether we will admit to it or not, know some one that we are jealous or envious of, simply because they made the choice to live life on their terms, and not on the terms others try to place upon them.

That includes the way others look at us.

The thing that we blind ourselves to, is that those folks that live life on their terms, often do so at a high cost to themselves in many areas.

Some of us try to rationalize our envy/jealousy, by trying to discredit those folks at every turn.

We find fault with everything they do/did, simply to try and make ourselves feel superior in some twisted way.

GeoffM24, my apologies for my earlier out burst, it was uncalled for and I should have responded in a better manner.

I just get tired of people trying to find reasons to put another person down, simply to justify their own short comings and inabilities.

quote:

Originally posted by GeoffM24:

quote:

Originally posted by Crazyhorseconsulting:
Just an opinion here, but from what I have seen over the time I have been on AR, all of the folks that make an effort to discredit Capstick do it out of jealousy and envy, Period.

Good, Bad, Indifferent, Peter Capstick made choices in the way he led his life, same as Robert Ruark, Ernest Hemingway, John Taylor add infinitum.

They all chose a direction for their life and lived it, and the cowards among us that live the lives others have planned out for them are jealous and envious, because those people had the guts and nuts enough to pursue their dreams, and the detractors are frustrated and petty, because they don't.

Instead of respecting those folks for setting a goal for themselves and going after it, they want to discredit them as much as possible, because in some way in their twisted little minds, it makes them feel superior about their inability to live for themselves, and only live the way others expect them to.

Again, that is just my opinion.

If you think Capstick is someone to be jealous of you must live a very sad life......

Whether you agree with Capstick or not, he was an accomplished PH, Game Warden, and writer. I am sure some tobasco sauce has been poured on his experiences, but overall I believe his writings to be truthful. And his BS, is about half of what we put up with on AR. I've enjoyed all of his books, as does my wife, and most everyone else that I know who had read them. He has an amazing ability to describe hunts gone wrong with gory detail and still have you thinking, " I gotta try that"

Capstick was not a PH by lack of options, but by choice. In my limited experience, I find the best of men choose their professions because it is what they want to do. The weakest of men chose their professions to please someone else.

John

quote:

And his BS, is about half of what we put up with on AR

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

And his BS, is about half of what we put up with on AR

He was a great writer, I still enjoy reading them over and over.