Mostly thinking Africa/safari..but any GOOD ones I’d also like to hear about.

Thanks.

I read a lot of books, but I have never been able to listen to audio books!

I download books to my iPad and read them there.

I better like the Real Books.
E Books I never tryed

How did I know I’d ask for a steak house and be referred to a pizza joint?

Bodington: Where Lions Roar is/was available on audio book.

There is an audio book on the Zulu-Anglo War called Day of the Dead Moon. It is more of a college professor lecture series.

Both were available from Safari Press.

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I read a lot of books, but I have never been able to listen to audio books!

I download books to my iPad and read them there.

^^^ This. I was ecstatic when Kindle came out. I used to carry 10 lbs of books for long international trips.

I think, with a skilled narrator, that some of the classic hunting and African Hunting books would be great as audiobooks. Imagine James Earl Jones narrating Death in the Long Grass. Also, some of Ruark’s classics like Horn of the Hunter, The Old Man & The Boy, or Something of Value.

Last winter, I listened to White Hunters: The Golden Age of African Safaris by Brian Herne and thought it was excellent as an audio book.

Regarding physical books/ ebooks / audio books - they all have their place. My opinion, for what it's worth:

• Audio books are great when you're driving, particularly for novels or narrative history. Though I don't do much driving and recently when I have been driving, I've been listening to podcasts instead of audio books.
  
• Electronic books are great when traveling - my iPad weighs about the same as one book, and I can I have a whole library on it. Also, many of the classic African hunting books are available for free in PDF form from Google books or archive.org. However, for books where you want to flip back and forth, I'd rather have them in paper form.
  
• Paper books are the most pleasant to read, and still hard to beat for convenience if you don't have to lug them around. Also, my collection of about 5000 books takes up a lot of space!
  

Yes, the narrator can make or break a book - but even that’s personal. A great voice doesn’t always fit the material, especially if the narrators voice is well known or the writers voice is well known - it’s tricky.

White Hunters is a GREAT audiobook. Here’s a little secret: the narrator is listed as Robert Whitfield. In point of fact, it’s is not Robert Whitfield but the very popular Simon Vance. Whitfield is a nom de plume he often uses. He would be my choice for certain books.

I’ve had conversations regarding Death in the Long Grass. For various reasons I do not know if it will come to fruition - only time will tell.

Keep your favorites coming!

I listen to a lot of Books on DVD while traveling.

I have probably over 100 that I have listen to in the past few years, many different authors.

I have Boddington book, Wilber Smith in African theme.

If you put in a search you will find various African books on DVD to listen to. And some are a free down load.

This year, I Listened to one book driving to Dallas for the convention in January and another one while driving home. In late January I listened to one driving to Flagstaff and we finished it driving home. Another one book while driving to Phoenix and second one driving home. Usually I will do a dozen or more books while driving to various point around the country in a year. So I try to find books that are different length so that I can do one or more books each way.

That is something I enjoy while traveling. Find your self a great author and the trip goes better.

At home I like the hard copy and enjoy reading a few different authors.

Saeed, you may want to check out Mark Sullivan special he has on his two books. I am thinking you could get a signed copy.

I would think that one of Ruark's books, like Horn of the Hunter or Use Enough Gun, would make a good audio book. Seems like good prose would make for good audio.

quote:

Saeed, you may want to check out Mark Sullivan special he has on his two books. I am thinking you could get a signed copy.

Saeed?

I remember the first time I had ever seen Boddington on video and heard his voice, I was shocked that his voice did not sound like what I thought I had imagined after so many years of reading his books and articles.

It was a long time ago when Weatherby made the Affordable Africa videos.

Since then I don't mind his voice on TV and his audio books. I wish his book was a little less edited.

The Finn Aagaard audio book is excellent.

I remember hear something from Berit about how this came to be. Interesting story.

He was a master story teller.

Wanderings of an Elephant Hunter by WDM Bell is another wonderful audio book.

I have never listened to an audio book. But the idea is not a bad one, I think.

Saeed, does it make sense to somehow, maybe in a sticky or separate forum, let folks post along the lines about which BaxterB is enquiring?

I might listen on my frequent long drives. When this pestilence passes and I can take long drives again.

i certainly recommend Brian Herne White Hunters on audio. A good listen.

Ive been recommended the following books on audio but haven' got round to them yet.

Never Cry Wolf, Farley Mowat

American Serengeti, Dan Flores

The Hounds of Heaven, Stephen J. Bodio

American Buffalo, Steven Rinella

What about the finest, most well written book on African hunting of all time. The Accurate Reloading Africa Book. I would like each chapter read by the author with an in to by Saeed and Walter.
I often listen to audio books while carving or tying flies. Ive listened to a lot of Wilbur Smith. A couple of Hemmingway's are on audio, they are even more dark that when you read them. Big Two Hearted River would be the exception.
I'd like to listen to Ruark, Horn of the Hunter and Uhuru. Capstick' s earlier books would be good. Taylor and Bell would be on my list. Of newer guys, Boddington would make my list. Corbett's Maneatets and Johnson's I Married Adventure would be a good listen, as well.
Some books just wouldn't listen well, The Perfect Shot, Safari Rifles, and Shooting the British Double come to mind.

Bfly

quote:

Originally posted by Moneypenny:
i certainly recommend Brian Herne White Hunters on audio. A good listen.

Ive been recommended the following books on audio but haven' got round to them yet.

Never Cry Wolf, Farley Mowat

American Serengeti, Dan Flores

The Hounds of Heaven, Stephen J. Bodio

American Buffalo, Steven Rinella

Be sure you get the American Buffalo version that Steve reads himself - the earlier version is unlistenable.


Any books NOT on audio you think would make a good one??

Brian Herne's White Hunters is fantastic on audiobook. It's also available on Youtube.
Our family loves audiobooks on road trips, especially during our annual 28 hour trek to Dallas.
Horn of the Hunter would be handy to have on Audiobook. I haven't seen it available.

Interesting that my book cases already have all of the top books mentioned and I have read them at least once.

I even have a signed copy of "Fear no Death" by the popular and revered M Sullivan. After the first couple of chapters, it was actually good reading.
Actually having some books for reference makes good sense; these include books like the Double Rifle Primer by Cal Pappas, Pet Loads by Ken Waters, and the Complete Guide to Hand Loading by Sharpe (plus many more).

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I read a lot of books, but I have never been able to listen to audio books!

I download books to my iPad and read them there.

Interesting. I’m all in with audiobooks (and podcasts). I give audible a chunk of change monthly.

quote:

Originally posted by zebrazapper:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I read a lot of books, but I have never been able to listen to audio books!

I download books to my iPad and read them there.

Interesting. I’m all in with audiobooks (and podcasts). I give audible a chunk of change monthly.

I read a ton of books and listen to as many. I find that many books I am able to listen to at 1.25x to 1.5x speed without it sounding too bad and can digest a book pretty quickly. Same goes for podcasts.

__

One thing about audiobooks on YouTube is most are bootleg and no royalty is paid to the author/publisher even though the rights are still held. Books/audiobooks are not inexpensive endeavors.

I've never actually listened to one and don't think I'd be a fan. My wife likes them.

What I'd really like to get is a loop of African night sounds, the hyenas, bushbabies, lions, frogs, a leopard sawing, etc. It would help me sleep. Maybe leave out the lion kills I've heard or attempts and elephants screaming.

quote:

Originally posted by tanks:

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
I read a lot of books, but I have never been able to listen to audio books!

I download books to my iPad and read them there.

^^^ This. I was ecstatic when Kindle came out. I used to carry 10 lbs of books for long international trips.

quote:

I am able to listen to at 1.25x to 1.5x speed without it sounding too bad and can digest a book pretty quickly. Same goes for podcasts.

I enjoy listening to books while I walk or exercise. 1.5 speed is great as well.

One of the problems with audio books is when a narrator does not know pronunciations of places and names. Today I started "We Dared to Win" by Hannes Wessels. The narrator completely butchered the pronunciation of the Matopo Hills.

I am looking forward to this thread to see what else may be available that I would be interested in. Good thread Baxter!

One not to bother with: "Hunting with Hemingway" written by his niece and her husband. Mostly claptrap, attempting to capitalize on her uncle's fame. Ever seen a Mannlicher 505 Gibbs? Cannibal dogs? How about a charging Komodo Dragon?

quote:

Originally posted by Russ Gould:
One not to bother with: "Hunting with Hemingway" written by his niece and her husband. Mostly claptrap, attempting to capitalize on her uncle's fame. Ever seen a Mannlicher 505 Gibbs? Cannibal dogs? How about a charging Komodo Dragon?

Yes, Hillary is the worst kind of hanger-on...

Jock of the Bushveld is a must read in anyone's library, audio or not. As is Cry the Beloved Country.

I am glad that someone is still enjoying the AR Africa Book.

Hemingway's The Green Hills of Africa
Any of Lauren Van Der Post's stories
Any of Theodore Roosevelt's hunting books
Anything written by Roy Chapman Andrews

A few more greats that I would recommend
-Pondoro
-anything by Jim Corbett (Maneaters of Kumon)
-months of the sun

I enjoyed Uhuru when I was a teenager ... don't know how it would read as an adult. I think Wilbur Smith's stuff reads better when you are young.

Kambaku by Harry Manners

Audiobooks have been a salvation over the last few years--my commute to the office is 3:30 round trip on a good day--4 hours is at least a weekly occurrence. Of course not recently!

I really wish Roosevelt's African Game Trails was available on Audio. Several of his books are.

Herne's book was terrific.

"The Old Man and the Boy" has been recorded as an audiobook twice. The latest version of it is available on Audible, and is fairly well done. The narrator uses too much of a monotone, and mispronounces some words ("menhaden", "Kure Beach", and a few others), but it's still nice to have this book on audio.

quote:

Originally posted by SC-Sportsman:
"The Old Man and the Boy" has been recorded as an audiobook twice. The latest version of it is available on Audible, and is fairly well done. The narrator uses too much of a monotone, and mispronounces some words ("menhaden", "Kure Beach", and a few others), but it's still nice to have this book on audio.

This is one I’d love to re-do. I honestly do not like the 2017 version at all. And for a publisher to not verify the pronunciation of local words is a cardinal sin, in my book.

Below is a FB page that has a good amount of information about Robert Ruark. University of North Carolina also has an informative page about him.

https://www.facebook.com/Rober...ark-118085341664037/

quote:

Originally posted by Capt. Purvis:
Below is a FB page that has a good amount of information about Robert Ruark. University of North Carolina also has an informative page about him.

https://www.facebook.com/Rober...ark-118085341664037/

Ruark has led me to meet some very cool people. Ive spent about 60 hours going through his papers at UNC. Fun stuff.

Story like the wind and a far off place - van derPost

Hunters Wanderings in Africa- Selous

Hemingway

Hold my hand I’m Dying - John Gordon Davis

Power of One and Tandia - Bryce Courtney

A Game Rangers Handbook

The Complete works Of Wilbur Smith

Anything by Capstick

Boddington’s Safari Rifles

Man of Bees.

Put all in a trunk and will happily survive any lock down.

I'd just actually like to hear Ginny say the words, "Buffalo again. Idiots!" Have heard it, or something very similar before, but I'd still like to hear it as opposed to read it.

For anyone whose wondering, it's from Horn of the Hunter.

African Game Trails by Teddy Roosevelt the best safari ever .
Osa Johnson and Martin Johnson's Africa books .
John Taylor's Pondoro
Elmer Keith Safari an awesome book
Sir Samuel Baker Wild Beast and their ways
Steward Edward White African camp fires
Any of the pre1930 safari books those were the real adventure days!