Not particularly well written ,but interesting in terms of where he went hunting !

I agree. You don´t remember the book for it´s writing skills but the author for sure experienced really thrilling parts of the hunting world. When it comes to experience in travelling hunters I think you should compare him with writers like O'Connor and Boddington. Not the writing though.

One of the elite American trophy hunters, to be sure. As an author, I'd put him on a par with Bert Klineberger, below Herb Klein or Frank Hibben and well below Elgin Gates. It must be remembered that these men were usually successful businessmen with a burning passion for trophy hunting and not professional writers. With this in mind, I feel they did a pretty darn good job of it.

I have also got that book, and though he wasnt a professional writer, more a professional trophyhunter/adventurer, he wrote it good. And i had to buy it from Safari press this fall at discount for 10 dollars....

I liked his reports, it was fascinating to read storys from the roof of the world, and im waiting on his hunts Africa book.

One thing that drives me nuts about some writers is their not accepting responsibility for their own mistakes while hunting. In a couple of chapters of McElroy's book he does just that and really tainted that book for me. Same with Jamsheed's book. I had highly anticipated reading both of those and they were such a let down when they blamed someone else for their own screwups.

I guess that is one reason I like Boddington's books as much as I do. He takes ownership of his mistakes and does not try to hide those from the reader.

"I guess that is one reason I like Boddington's books as much as I do. He takes ownership of his mistakes and does not try to hide those from the reader."

Another difference is that Craig is a professional who is writing to make a living. Mac and Rashid wrote because they wanted others to know that they were great hunters. They apparently felt admitting in print that they goofed would have lessened their greatness in the eyes of readers.

Bill Quimby

Bill,
I'm sure you are right, especially since you know both writers. I guess people write for different reasons. Some of it purely financial, some in vain and some to share.

For whatever reason, all have contributed a bit to my life, and for that, I'm thankful. Whether it is Jamsheed freezing overnight on some Iranian mountain, McElroy shooting the wrong Markhor, Gates playing buffalo-chicken or Thummler finding his legs in the Baja. They all have a part in the big dreams of myself and others.

Well said!