I was just looking over part of my extensive collection of books. I picked out one of several that I have by an especially favorite author of mine.
It may be surprising for you to learn that this book had nothing whatever to do with flying or WW2. In fact, another of my favorite authors, Mark Twain, is reputed to have had nothing to do with either as well.
The title of the book in question? "Death in the Long Grass". I turned the pages slowly looking at the well drawn illustrations of big game and various African scenery. I once was a hunter and enjoyed the sport greatly. I still have several firearms in my collection and my son is an avid hunter today.
I have given up the sport. I don't care for killing anymore unless of coarse it is flaming a pesky 109 now and again. 109s being the exception, I never did kill unless I planned to eat what I shot.
Somehow hearing the odd bullet thither,zither past one's own ear now and then causes many to empathize a tiny bit more than average with the game animals, like deer, wild boar, turkey, bear, squirrel, rabbit and cattle. And so it was with me, I suppose.
OK, I was just kidding about the cattle. I put that in just to see if you were paying attention.
I still love to read about hunting. Particularly about so-called big game. The author whose book I was carefully scrutinizing was Peter Hathaway Capstick. A remarkable man who lead a remarkable life.
Starting out as a NY stock broker and ending up as one of the world's most renowned and successful authors. Between the two he was able to neatly sandwich in becoming a big game hunter, Safari leader extraordinary and even an African game warden. He has published tons of fascinating magazine articles, books and videos.
I love his humorous style of writing and enjoy his books for that as much if not more than for the subject matter. If you have an interest in such things and are not familiar with this author, I recommend him to you.
I believe he has passed on now. Does anyone here know what happened to him? A search on Google.com told me nothing. I have not seen any new books for some time now.
------------------ "Blessed are they who expect nothing. For they will not be disappointed." - Edmund Qwenn, "The Trouble with Harry"
