Hi there,

Well I'm pretty new to the literary side of the hunting and shooting scene but I'm definitely here to stay.

I've never enjoyed reading and my father was constantly trying to correct this flaw in my character since I was a child. He never succeeded I'm afraid.
However, a friend I shoot with moved house recently and I was helping him. Unpacking boxes I noticed a collection of relatively old books with titles that peaked my curiosity a little. With words such as Africa, Killers and Man-eaters in the titles, who isn't going to be at least slightly interested?

I picked up one, read a little, and felt a light bulb start to glow above my head and started thinking... maybe my lack of reading interest is just based on the fact I’d never found anything that actually hit the spot before.

I couple weeks later I found myself at the Midland Game Fair which I attend each year, under canvas perusing through their second-hand books. I found Jim Corbett's Kumaon. That was it, I was hooked well and truly.

Since then I've collected a number of real gems... from Kenneth Anderson to J A Hunter. I'm now just desperately trying to read them as fast as I can find them.

One of my favorites being, The Wildest Game by Peter Ryhiner. A fantastic Autobiography of such an interesting life.


At the moment I'm reading Hunters Choice by Alexander Lake which is brilliant and I'd thoroughly recommend. Adventure of the highest order.

Here's a little of what I've found out about the guy...

It seems that Alexander Lake has been virtually forgotten by the reading public, despite a number of bestsellers.

He was born Alexander James Lake in Chicago, Illinois, on July 29, 1893. His father, a Methodist Minister moved the family to South Africa in 1908.

Lake schooled in Johannesburg. He captained the rifle team that represented the Transvaal at the All-British Empire Shumaker Cup, when he attended the Marist Brothers College. Although his team came second, he set a record of 10 bulls-eyes in 11 seconds. This got the attention of trader Nicobar Jones, who hired him as a meat hunter among other things. He then spent time traveling all over Africa and after a short while he became a licensed white hunter.

Mike Resnick "1954: I buy the paperback edition of KILLERS IN AFRICA at age 12, take it to summer camp with me, read it in its entirety once a week for two months. From that day to this, I am fascinated by all things African, I take 5 safaris, I write 13 books and 18 short stories set in Africa, and I never forget that it is Alexander Lake who awakened this passion in me."

Between 1988 and 1993 Resnick took on the task of tracking down who, if anyone had the literary rights to Lakes material. He spoke to several legal departments, agents and finally finding that Lake had two children. After five years of searching he was at last on the road towards bringing Killers In Africa and Hunters Choice back into print.

The original Killers in Africa became a bestseller in 1953, as did Hunters Choice a year later. These led to a job as a consultant and writer for Sol Lesser, producer of the Tarzan films.

"Encountering an Alexander Lake book is very much like sitting around an African campfire and letting an old pro spin tales of his youth -- but while Killers in Africa was strictly about hunting, and was divided into chapters about various animals, Hunter's Choice is a true potpourri of tales guaranteed to tweak anyone's sense of wonder and adventure."

He died on Christmas Day 1961, but what a life he led.

A RECOMMENDED READ!!!

A.

Welcome to ALAAC, the Africana Literary Addicts Anonymous Club! As you will discover there is no cure for the malady. You will be infected for the remainder of your life.

Bill Quimby

quote:

Originally posted by billrquimby:
Welcome to ALAAC, the Africana Literary Addicts Anonymous Club! As you will discover there is no cure for the malady. You will be infected for the remainder of your life.

Bill Quimby

Tis more than an infection, it is an addiction. That said, there are other books worthy of a read by even the most dedicated hunting book fan. But as much as I have tried there seems to be little interest in same; I shall persist. Stephen Leather is my latest "find."

I am off to Argentina again Tuesday and will write the hunting book of all time when I return. One page....."Argentina is a hunting paradise; good hunting, good friends, good food, excellent wine, and beautiful women."
Nuff said. Limited edition, numbered and signed copies will be available including an autographed picture of the author for $250.00 postage free. Included will be a mate cup, a feral boar tooth, and the tail feathers of a Lori. PM's only, please.

BQ,

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Just returned from Namibia and picked up a couple of African Hunter magazines. Browsing through I was delighted by the quality - then gratified to spot a host of familiar names including yours. Many thanks for one of the better publications I've enjoyed!

A.

Sadly "killers in Africa" has to be the single biggest load of B/S ever written about African hunting- eg- only ever use SOFT points for elephant etc. I bought a copy...and presented it to Saeed for some evening entertainment on how to write a book on a subject you know nothing about!

He couldn't even listen properly to the bar room gossip! If you have ever hunted any of the big five, and read that book, you will understand that he has never hunted them and probably only ever seen them from the safety of a car.

Awwwww

If you are correct about Lake, then that's a real shame as I find his writing enjoyable. However, If I were into fiction - I'd read Mills & Boon!

What is your knowledge of Lake himself? Was he really a complete fraud, or are you basing your opinion on his writings?

I have to wonder though, just what input the editor had on certain details of the book. Artistic license and all that!

A.

Hi Art

Know nothing about him, and have been able to find out very little. I saw the book in a rare dealers shop and bought it as it looked interesting- certainly well written and could have been a good read if I didn't know the basics of Africa.

Ganyana,

I had a flick through Killers in Africa last night after reading your comments. I did indeed find the excerpt mentioning using softpoints/solids on an elephant's head. I obviously glazed past it on my first read, however it was a pretty obvious erroneous comment on reading again.

On the whole I feel Lake tries to dispel certain myths and b/s where hunting is concerned. Generally he seems to understate his part if anything.

As a hunter/reader fascinated by the idea of DG, I would be genuinely interested in any other errors that you may notice lurking.

Thanks, A.