IF you want to read lyrical accounts of how hunting was in the old days this is a great book. What's nice is that what Blixen writes was not done for publication so there is a minimal amount of pretense and you get the feeling of what Blixen really thought and felt versus what he thought would sell a book. It also makes the accounts of some of his hunts come out a bit humble, but damn what adventures! I found this on a lark as I had been searching for more books on/about Blixen and I have found that he is a fellow with whom I would have had a good time hunting with; a real character!!

Von Blixen was an interesting character. Any ideas about the publisher, where it is available, etc.? I'm not familiar with the book, which surprises me, but I want a copy.

If I'm not mistaken, St. Martin's Press released this book and quite a few other good ones as part of the Peter Capstick Library with Capstick as the editor.

Abe books has a copy of this book.

Book is printed by St Martins and is by G.F.V. Kleen. My First Edition says 1988. ISBN 0-312-01468-6

Yes, looks like plenty are available at abebooks. Again, this isn't a typical hunting/Africa book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

His autobiography "African Hunter" and "The Man Whom Women Loved, The Life of Bror Blixen" by Ulf Aschan are good books too.

fla3006, you are right..both books are good as well. I believe it is inferred that African Hunter was not solely Blixen's work...Kleen states it was ghostwritten for him. In fact, I like the Blixen I found in Africa Letters better...I like Blixen; a gentle rogue who had a passion for the wild things.

I was partially right. It's not part of the Capstick Library reprints.

My apologies for the misstatement.

As an addendum you should also read "West into the Night" + "The Splendid Outcast" both by Beryl Markham (she was the aviatrix who gave directions to Blixen where to find elephant,etc.Her life is quite interesting as well,I welcome you to pursue it.Oh did I mention that she flew the Atlantic before Earhart?She would have had the record until a short drop in Greendland due to engine trouble querred the deal.

Markham was the first to fly east to west, not west to east.

Straight on Till Morning is also a good book on Markham. It's remarkable that the thing she is most known for was really a small part of her life in the greater context of things, horses were her absolute passion.

There is the controversy on the whether Beryl actually wrote (all) of WWTN, but who gives a shit...it is a remarkable book. Although I was a bit bummed that the Wild Child story may not have been 100% accurate.

I would also suggest listening to WWTN, as narrated by Julie Harris as an accompaniment to reading the book. Harris is masterful in enveloping you in the story and taking you along for an amazing ride.

Most abject apologies for a lack of phrasing that would suit your agenda.BTW this is good literature + we need not bother ourselves with internal quarrels concerning currant phraseology.

No agenda...just clarification.

I'm actually in the middle of the biography, Straight on 'til Morning, now. West into the Night was fantastic. Need to read her other books. What is interesting to me is the close knit British society in colonial East Africa -- everyone's books talk about, or at least mention, everyone else.

I read this work ,by Blixen, so my wife Flavia ,both of us like the book a lot ,anybody interested in safaris and africana will like this book .