That is probably why you have one group who liked Elmer Keith and the other group who like's JOC. Me personally I like Elmer Keith writing's. My favorite book is "Hell, I was I There" I read it several times and still enjoy reading it. They say Elmer wasn't as arogant as JOC.

Actually, I think O'Connor's assessment of Elmer Keith is spot on. Jack was a voracious reader of ALL the outdoor writers. He thought Elmer was a masterful story teller and a great self-publicist. He enjoyed Elmer's work......save the big-bore exclusivity philosophy.

I think it's easy to think of O'Connor as arrogant or elitist....particularly when compared to Keith. O'Connor was an educated and articulate writer. His work encompassed more than just writing for outdoor publications. He taught at the university level, and was a successful novelist.

There obviously was a certain amount of professional jealousy on the part of Elmer. O'Connor mentions it specifically, and in fact that also comes through in "Hell, I Was There". Elmer never wrote for one of the big magazines, and never made the money that the other writers did.

However, I do like Elmer's stuff.....and own his books also.

GV