I thought I would post this thread asking for what reads people have had recently that they like and where to get them – i spend WAY too much time on planes and always have too few good reads in my bag !!!

Under the tree this year for me were two awesome books –
“God created man the hunter”
and
“Mahohbo”
Both by Ron Thomson who also wrote the game wardens report which is an AWESOME read for anyone interested in the “true” elephant picture and management ideas.
Anyway , I cant wait to get into them and they will help my flights this year pass that much faster I haven’t read either of them but several people I know have done and say they are great –

Heres the link for anyone who needs these on their wish list ..
http://www.ronthomsonshuntingbooks.co.za/

Happy reading people as we dream about the hunting adventures the year may bring !!!!

I am waiting for Boddington on Brunettes.

months of the sun

by ian nyshens

damn good read

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I am waiting for Boddington on Brunettes.

I have read many books about Africa Hunting.
Months of the Sun was the best.

Why? He hasn't written Boddington on Blondes yet!

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Why? He hasn't written Boddington on Blondes yet!

Not yet, have you read Boddington on a Bicycle?

quote:

Originally posted by peterdk:
months of the sun

by ian nyshens

damn good read

Ditto - 4th time atm

quote:

Originally posted by fairgame:
I am waiting for Boddington on Brunettes.

Fear No Death by Mark Sulliven

Both on Ron's books are great. I am looking forward to the third in the series early this year. God Created Man the Hunter is much different from his first book. The story of his early days in Hwange.

I have to agree that Mahohbo is a great book. Thompson's egg poaching thing gets to me though and has kind of soured me on his other books. Sort of like Jack O'Connor's desert sheep poaching.

Dean

Hunting the Elephant in Africa, and other recollections of thirteenyears' wanderings by Chaucy Stigand

Got it on my NOOK
its new to me anyway--
SSR

Wayne Grant Into The Thorns
Richard Harland Ndlovu

Not new but excellent books.

Under the Xmas tree I had:

Months of the Sun
Hearne's White Hunters
and at least one Capstick book (the one where he retutned to his old hunting areas in '85).

"Months of the Sun" is one of the best, even if he was a poacher. And off-the-grid, except for his Land Rover! I guess there is no purity of "off-the-grid", eh?

bill , i am enjoying your new book right now !!!

Months of the Sun was a great read. I'm now deciding on my next one....and Fear No Death may be it. Of course, I might just wait for Ivan's first book.....when will that be out?

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
DSC

I read every African hunting book I can get my hands on.

I have anjoyed all of them, except those by Bunny Allen and Alexander Lake.

Bunny's writing mainly says "look at how good I am with women".

Alexander Lake's were full of utter lies.

I even enjoyed reading Will's book

of the modern day writings saeed , whats your top ten -

I am reading Johnny Chilton's book "Out of Bullets" it's a very fine read. I want his first book now "A Bullet Well Placed."

surestrike, send me a PM with your address and I will send Chilton's first book to you.

But a warning: I did not like it. I found it to be a facile and uninteresting shoot 'em up.

I like the older and offbeat books best.

I have recently read Marius Fortie's 1938 book, Black and Beautiful - A Life in Safari Land, a fascinating read. The Italian protagonist tells it all, in a forthright and uninhibited memoir, unlike the reserved and even prudish Brits of the day managed to do in their books.

Also, insofar as history by an historian is concerned, George Martelli's 1969 book, Livingstone's River, is an unflattering yet well-documented review of Livingstone's behavior during his Zambezi expeditions. But it still manages to be a paean to Livingstone's chief virtues: physical courage and endurance. He was as snaky as a mamba, but as strong and unyielding as a Cape buffalo. Interesting reading.

Personally, I'm not a great fan of Months of the Sun or anything by Berger but do particularly enjoy the books by: Ron Thomson, Hunter, Bell, Herne and Lake. I also love Stevie Smith's book 'The Hunter and the Go-Away Bird'

A couple that will REALLY be worth reading should they ever get written would be by Jon Speed and also Ken Stewart of their experiences.

Whatever your taste in African related hunting books, you'll probably find new and used copies here:

http://www.shakariconnection.com/bookshelf.html

+1 on Jon Speed. He had family in Tucson and spent a lot of time here. I also once sat next to him on a plane to Reno, and got to hear a few of his stories about Africa.

When I last saw him a couple of years ago, he told me he visited this forum often but had never felt the need to post anything himself.

So, if you're out there, Jon, start writing.

Bill Quimby

My favorites.

Recent.....er:

Some Lions I Have Met -Cundhill
The Hunting Imperative -Harland
The Hunting Blackbeards of Botswana -Marsh, Blackbeard etl.
Death and Double Rifles -Sullivan
White Hunters -Herne
The African Adventures -Capstick

Old School:

Hunter -Hunter
Green Hills of Africa -Hemingway
Horn of the Hunter -Ruark
Pondoro -Taylor
Out in the Midday Shade -York
The Maneater of Kumaon -Corbett (Yeah I know it's India, but it's too damn good not to mention! Perhaps the greatest hunting book ever! Written by the perhaps the greatest hunter/author ever!)

I picked up some great Christmas reads that are on the "to do" list plus a few gun show pick ups this year also on the "to do" list:

Elephant Hunters -Sanchez-Arino
Something of Value -Ruark
A Far from Ordinary Life -Duckworth
Months of the Sun -Nyschens
Adventures in the African Jungle -Akeley
Congo Eden -Akeley
Legends -Chandler
African Rifles and Cartridges -Taylor
Elephant Hunting in East Equatorial Africa -Neumann
African Big Game in Central Africa -Foa
Big Game Hunting and Collecting in East Africa Kittenberger
Hunting The Elephant in Africa -Stigand
Kill or be Killed -Foran

Yeah I know my birthday is coming up guys, but if you want to get me something buy me a lion hunt. I'm good on books at the momment!

Brett

My favorite is Boddington`s Search for the Spiral Horn.

Torbjørn

quote:

Originally posted by ivan carter:
of the modern day writings saeed , whats your top ten -

Ivan,

Bloody hell mate, that would require me to think a bit! And even then I would tie myself in a knot trying to get it down to ten.

As I mentioned above, I love reading everything I can get my hands on from Africa.

Only the odd one stands out to me as not to read again.

Both Roy Vincent and me love to read these books, and it is amazing how similar opinions we have on these books.

I can tell you what is going to be the VERY BEST book on hunting.

It is the one I am going to write about Walter's adventures!

I am certain it is going to be a best seller

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:



I can tell you what is going to be the VERY BEST book on hunting.

It is the one I am going to write about Walter's adventures!

I am certain it is going to be a best seller

Price and when can I expect delivery? Considering the subject matter, a difficulty could be trying to find a publisher!

Good reads; "Shadows in an African Twilight" by Kevin Thomas. ISBN 978-0-620-39727-8
"A Pioneering Hunter" by Brian Marsh. ISBN 1-57157-159-7
Both have their spots in my library now .

quote:

It is the one I am going to write about Walter's adventures!

I am certain it is going to be a best seller

Months of The Sun - Ian Nyschens
Hunting imperative - Richard Harland
African Epic - Richard Harland

Ivan, if you want to pick up a more recent hardback on African and world hunting, try "Through the Hunter's Prism" available at DSC at "X marks the spot," Xomaqua Lodge Safaris. It's just the right length for a plane trip.

quote:

surestrike, send me a PM with your address and I will send Chilton's first book to you.

Michael,

PM sent and thank you for your kind offer.

------------------------------------------------

I have to agree with Saeed on the subject of Alexander Lake and Bunny Allen. Those were two of the worst African hunting books I've ever had the misfortune of reading.

I especially like the Mr Lakes instructional chapter on the most efficient method of killing elephant.

"Solids are a waste of time, the best method for killing an elephant is to use a soft point in the .303. Wait until the elephant opens his mouth as he inevitably does during a charge and shoot him in the roof of his mouth. The exploding soft point will immediately kill the elephant."

Or some such rubbish!!!

Currently reading Kevin Robertson "It Shouldn't Happen to Me" which I am enjoying.

Over break I read A Far from Ordinary Life by Fred Duckworth, A Pioneering Hunter by Brian Marsh, and An African Game Ranger on Safari by Don Cowie.

I usually ask for a few for Christmas and enjoy reading them when hunting season closes here in the states.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill 5248:
Ivan, if you want to pick up a more recent hardback on African and world hunting, try "Through the Hunter's Prism" available at DSC at "X marks the spot," Xomaqua Lodge Safaris. It's just the right length for a plane trip.

Who is the author, was it Stephen?

Saeed: We're waiting!

Without a doubt, my favorite African hunting book is "Horn of the Hunter" by Ruark. Made me laugh out loud more than once. Also enjoyed both novels "Something of Value" and "Uhuru". Excellent page turners!

I find alot of hunting books to be rather bland reading. Went there, shot this gets old in a hurry... the older genre are a bit more interesting. Gerard Miller's book and Andrew Holmberg's book being the exception

Not a hunting book, per se, but I finished re-reading My Serengeti Years the memoirs of an African Game Warden Miles Turner a couple of months ago. I found it in a used book store a couple of years ago.
Not a new publication, but very informative about the background and early years of the Serengeti National Park.
Very interesting in what he went through from the beginnings as a professional hunter to game warden to his eventual retirement from the British Government and returning to be an advisor in the Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Mostly I'm still trying to get through all the old stuff. Someone mentioned Stigand, great stuff.
Of the newer stuff, Ron Thompson''s books are standouts, as are all of Richard Harland's. Sten Cedergren's was fun.

Under my Christmas tree was a Kindle. It will accompany me on the flight to Zim next month. I've downloaded Henry Stanley's "How I found Livingstone," Patterson's "Maneaters of Tsavo," as well as Burton's and Speke's books, all free. "Moby Dick" and "Huckleberry Finn" were like a dollar.

It would be nice if Kindle editions were available for some of Safari Press's editions, no Ruark, Bell, or Taylor available.

It's not Africa, but Books of Jim Corbett, (Leopard of Rudraprayag, The Temple Tiger & Treetops, Man-Eaters of Kumaon, My India and Jungle Lore) are to me some of the most exiting books about hunting dangerous game I've read. Months of the Sun is a very good read as well.

Pete

Try a couple of Peter Flacks books.
"Heart of an African hunter" or "Tales of a trophy hunter in Africa". Both are good!

I met johnny at one of the recent DSC monthly meetings by chance. He seemed like a realy great guy, and since then I have read both of hisbooks. I both the hunting perspective he gives as well as the insight to camp life and some of the characters he has hunted with.

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
I am reading Johnny Chilton's book "Out of Bullets" it's a very fine read. I want his first book now "A Bullet Well Placed."