I am adding some books to my collection and just wanted some ideas.

Thanks,
Joe

Any Boddington book, "Horn of the Hunter" by Ruark, Hemingway's hunting books, "Last of the Few", Bell's books, Sutherland's elephant hunting book ...... there's just few.

Selous's book is the by far the best.

MONTHS OF THE SUN - Forty Years of Elephant Hunting in the Zambezi Valley by Ian Nyschens

Author: Nyschens I.
Data: 1997 Long Beach, 410pp, illus,

Ian Nyschens (pronounced "nations") has shot equally as many elephants as Walter Bell, and under much more difficult circumstances. His book will rank or surpass the best elephant-ivory hunting books published in the 20th century. Remarkably, his adventures took place much later than the likes of Bell, Sutherland, Neumann, and others. Having shot well over 1,000 elephants under circumstances that will be unbelievable to some, Ian Nyschens and his hunts with his double rifle are sure to impress. Included in this book is his remarkable adventure when he and some friends were charged by 17 elephants in a swamp. He was the most notorious elephant poacher in Rhodesia until the time he was finally appointed a warden to help protect the game. This is a highly entertaining story of an irascible loner whose violent adventures make Jesse James sound like a Sunday school teacher!

Currently out of print, but Safari Press says a reprint will be available fall 2006:
http://www.safaripress.com/product.php?productid=6116

"Death in the Long Grass" by Capstick and "Hemingway on Hunting" are terrific favorites of mine. Note my signature!

Another vote for "Death in the Long Grass" as well as Ruarks's "Use Enough Gun".

I think that Bartle Bull's SAFARI is great for several reasons. It gives a history that begins with the European's first ventures to the interior of Africa, all the way to PH's still hunting. I don't know if it is in print anymore, but there are always a few on Amazon or e-bay.

I just finished Mungo Park's book. It was a pretty good read, considering it was written in the 1790s. He was a determined SOB.

He does repeatedly warn the reader about the perfidious Arabs!

All of Capstick's and J.A. Hunter's books.

Ruark's Use Enough Gun, Honey Badger, Uhuhru, etc.

African Hunter... the original by Mellon, and the recent one edited by Boddington and Flack

For fiction, Mitchener's Covenent and Wilbur Smith's series.

Bartle Bull's Safari is good for a look at the history of East African up to Kenya's closing, but for a look at what's been happening elsewhere and since then there are any number of books available from Trophy Room Books, Safari Press and Rowland Ward. Nyschens' Months of the Sun is excellent but it's just one of many. Ron Tompson's book on a notorious poacher (I can't find my copy for the title) is great.

Once you get started collecting Africana hunting literature there is no stopping.

Bill Quimby

Just finished a wonderful book "The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard, Theodore Roosevelts journey in South America down an uncharted river. I can't begin to explain what an adventure and hardship this trip was for former president Roosevelt and his son Kermit. Not so patiently letting some time pass, so I forget some of the details, then I can read it again!

Kind regards
Carl

"Horn of the Hunter" by Ruark is my all time favorite and the fact I shipped to Africa and had Harry Selby sign it for me is just icing on the cake!!!!

Maneaters of the Tsavo by Patterson is a great book as well.

Boddingtons Safari Rifles is a good book too.

Taylor's African Rifles (I am not sure ofthe title of the top of my head) is a good read as well.

Mes Chasses en Afrique, 1909-1916, Theodore Lefebvre.

Mais, on doit lirer francais.

Merci, JB.

I have to include Teddy Roesvelt
African Game Trails

I have often wondered why Harry Selby hasnt written a book! Atleast as of yet!!!

This one is quite interesting for those OLD AFRICA Philes wanting to undertand the mid 1900's during/after Kariba Dam was constructed

I personally know Joe from my various trips to Zambia in recent years. Joe is now in his mid 70's, fit as a buck rat, and still a PH and ranch owner situated near Choma

Cheers ... Peter
----------------------
Elephant Valley: By - Elizabeth Balneaves

The adventures of Joe Brooks, Game and Tsetse Officer, Kariba

(London: Lutterworth Press: 1962) First Edition Bds pp. 179. Illust. Map.

Mainly concerned with wildlife preservation, but involves some shooting and accounts of hunting adventures.

I like Horn of the Hunter for reading pleasure. However, for information Boddinton's new African Hunter II is hard to beat.

I 2nd JudgeG's suggestion, as it provides numerous insights I've not read elsewhere.

quote:

Originally posted by cjw3:
Just finished a wonderful book "The River of Doubt" by Candice Millard, Theodore Roosevelts journey in South America down an uncharted river. I can't begin to explain what an adventure and hardship this trip was for former president Roosevelt and his son Kermit. Not so patiently letting some time pass, so I forget some of the details, then I can read it again!

Kind regards
Carl

Then you should read, "Head Hunters of the Amazon", by Fritz up de Graff. Absolutely the best personal adventure book I have ever read. He writes in a very plain, matter-of-fact manner about 5 years in the upper Amazon basin ca. 1895.

Ndlovu and Mahahoba(sp?).

Horned Death John Burger
African Rifles and Cartridges John Taylor
Maneaters and Marauders John Taylor
Death in the Dark Continent Peter Capstick
Memories of an African Hunter Denis Lyell
African Nature Notes and Reminiscences F.C. Selous

And, while not African literature but instead Asian, and awesome if you're into dangerous game is anything by Jim Corbett.

Some good books mentioned. I would add:
Hunter JA Hunter
Maneaters of Tsavo Patterson

Hunter, J.A.Hunter
Mahobob, Ron Thompson
Allan Quatermain (fiction), H. Ridder Haggard
Use Enough Gun, Robert Ruark
Ivory, Tony Sanchez Ariño
and so on...

Horn of the Hunter by Robert Ruark - my all time favorite.
Robert Ruark's Africa - compilation edited by Michael McIntosh (good to read after Horn of the Hunter)
Safari, A Chronicle of Adventure by Bartle Bull - the history of hunting safaris

Safari Rifles by Craig Boddington
Rifles for Africa by Gregor Woods
African Rifles and Cartridges by John Taylor (1948) (good for historical info / perspective)

-Bob F.

Scouting on two continents by Burham a present of my friend DAVID BARBER aka canecorso ,and WHITE HUNTER of John Hunter a present of my wifes grandfather a patagonian PH now 88 years old and he continues hunting .Juan

I believe it is called "White Hunters" by Brian Herne. Tells stories of several white hunters back in the day.

Perhaps the maddest hunter who ever lived was a Scot named Llewellyn Gordon Cumming. He has at least one book. I doubted the veracity of many of his tales until I read an account by Queen Victoria who described being in the highlands and watching a mad man run down a red stag on foot and kill it with a knife. She went introduced herself and found it was Llewellyn Gordon Cumming. His family still has an estate in Scotland. They once owned the longest black rhino horn in the world. It was about 60 inches long. It was stolen by an oriental organized crime gang and so they brought out the number two in the world. Its apparently 59 inches long.

VBR,


Ted Gorsline

quote:

I believe it is called "White Hunters" by Brian Herne.

Good book indeed, but mailny focused on Kenya only but it is a mine of cool anecdotes and history....

Ted,

Are you referring to Roualeyn Gordon Cumming? He was quite a hardy soul. I have a late 1850s edition of his book "A Hunter's Life in South Africa", very good book. I also have Sir Samuel Baker's "With Rifle and Hound in Ceylon". He's another who experienced almost unbelievable adventures.

Andy

Yes. You have got Gordon Cummings first name spelled correctly.

I am suprised nobody has made a film about Samuel Baker and his wife. Great story.

Another neat one is Wild Sports of India by Captain Henry Shakespeare. He is a very old fashioned man. Makes a good argument as to why firearms will never replace the spear as the first weapon of the calvary.

VBR,


Ted Gorsline

Another pretty interesting book is called "Big Game Hunting and Collecting in East Africa" written by Kalman Kittenberger. I believe he was Hungarian and collected for the Hungarian museum. Tells his tales of life in Africa and seems well written and realistic because he talks about missing shots on different game animals. I can relate!

I agree with many others here, Bartle Bull's "Safari" is well worth reading for its historical context.

Although not strictly hunting or exploration, "The Scramble for Africa" by Thomas Pakenham gives an excellent and highly readable account of the historical events that created present day Africa.

Bull's,"Safari" is supposed to be out in reprint this fall.As to recommendations-"Karamojo Safari" by Bell,"Man Eaters of Kumaon" by Corbett.Just finished rereading "African Hunter" by Blixen-Finecke.Thats a light,fun book.I keep a copy of Taylors "African Rifles + Cartridges" on my bedside table.One of those great books you can pick up + go to any page.As to fiction,in addition to Wilbur Smith,Bartle Bull has a trilogy out;"White Rhino Hotel,Cafe on the Nile,+Devil's Oasis".Good lighthearted reading that's hard to put down.I'm in agreement with Mr. Quimby that the Africana lit. is addicting.

I just picked up a copy of Peter Beard's "The End of the Game" and it seems pretty rich in the history of African big game hunting. Haven't had a chance to dig into yet, though.

Death in the Long Grass. Capstick.

I just started on my copy of African Game Trails by Teddy Roosevelt last night and I'm 175 pages into it. I LOVE IT! It makes me wish that I could go back to 1910 and hunt with our modern day equipment. I bet Teddy would have killed for a .300 WSM with a Leupold scope and a few hundred rounds of 180 gr. Barnes TSX. I think I may have been born 50 years too late.

One more recommendation came to mind today."Jungle Man" by P.J. Pretorius.They were some tough men in those days.BTW,if you've read Wilbur Smith's "Shout at the Devil" you'll recognize some really blatant theft of Pretorious's acheivements.

quote:

Originally posted by Duckear:
"Horn of the Hunter" by Ruark is my all time favorite and the fact I shipped to Africa and had Harry Selby sign it for me is just icing on the cake!!!!

I did the same thing with my first edition copy, and it's in Mr. Selby's hands as we speak. That's also my favorite safari book.

I liked Warrior of PHC ,AND TIME TO DEATH of Wilbur Smith too ,Juan