Who do you read?

[MTGunner]

What authors, books, periodicals do you frequently read and how have these influenced your pursuit in the regards of the hunter/outdoorsman? In the past few years I have begun to collect many books by well known authors that I have read and reflected upon their ideas, adventures and pursuits. My short list is as follows:

Karamojo Bell
Peter Hathaway Capstick
Jack O'Connor
Ernest Hemingway
Fredrick Courtney Selous
Warren Page
Theodore Roosevelt
Gordon McQuarrie
Gene Hill
Henry Stanley
Nash Buckingham
Carl Ackely
Elmer Keith
Robert Rourke



These are but a few of the books that have kept me company on long winter evenings. I have vicariously hunted with them through their written pages. Each, an adventurer and conservationist. Who do you read for adventure, knowledge, respect or enjoyment? These men have given me much to ponder and dwell upon and goals for my bucket list . MTG

 

[MT_Wyatt]

Awesome thread idea - I'm just getting started reading on hunting, began with Fred Bear's field notes. I'm reading a book on goats called A Beast the Color of Winter right now, it's not on hunting goats, but very interesting book, Chadwick literally lived with the things.

 

[buglum]

My all time favorite hunting books are the Russel Annabel books, that guy is an unbelievable writer and storyteller.

Recently I have enjoyed the C.J. Box series about the Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett. I think there is 11 of them now, and I've found each of them enjoyable.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

Haven't had so much time for reading for fun lately, but a few of the last books I read were by John Gierach. The books can be informative, but mostly I read them just for enjoyment.

 

[deer_shooter]

Pretty much the exact same line up as in the OP. My favorite is probably Capstick followed closely by Jack O'conner.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

I love to read any of the books on hunting Asian mountain species and certain parts of Africa always has appeal. Especially in central and west africa.

I'm on holidays and apart from reading a few biology reports on game studies in west Africa i am re reading Reinald VM's book on bongo, elephant and buffalo and also 'the last of the few' by tony sanchez-arino. I have to admit i do enjoy reading about normal guys living the dream hunting in far away places, rather then say the rich middle east son of somebody who slams the world at will focussing on inches and position in the record books.

I've got a large collection, and i believe no matter what book or which author, you can always learn something from reading about another persons hunting experiences.

Hunters books were always worth a read on Africa and i regularly look through Abe books to try to find titles i don't have.

 

[1_pointer]

I like most all on your list. I also like the non-technical stuff from John Barsness, especially his Hunting the Great Plains.

The only periodical I get right now is Sports Afield. I like it for the quality of the stories and pictures, plus many are from far flung places I'll probably never get to.

For non-fiction, I too like the stuff by CJ Box. One thing I like about his writings is how well he conveys a sense of the country the story is set it as well as mixing in some contemporary socio-political themes.

 

[noharleyyet]

Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter" and Hemingway's "Green Hils of Africa" are on my list. Also like rifle articles even though most are shameless sales pitches.

Preferable fiction writers that immediately come to mind;

Cormac McCarthy...no one describes the extremes of the human condition better.
Thomas McGuane
John T Nichols
Robert Parker
James Lee Burke
John Updike
Thomas Harris
Larry McMurtry
Tom Wolfe
John Steinbeck
Lee Child
Arthur Miller
William Faulkner
Harper Lee

Also fascinated with the Dick Proenekke written and video chronicles.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Ruark's "Horn of the Hunter" and Hemingway's "Green Hils of Africa" are on my list. Also like rifle articles even though most are shameless sales pitches.

Preferable fiction writers that immediately come to mind;

Cormac McCarthy...no one describes the extremes of the human condition better.
Thomas McGuane
John T Nichols
Robert Parker
James Lee Burke
John Updike
Thomas Harris
Larry McMurtry
Tom Wolfe
John Steinbeck
Lee Child
Arthur Miller
William Faulkner
Harper Lee

Also fascinated with the Dick Proenekke written and video chronicles.

A fine list, very similar to my own. I do like the lost generation, especially Hemmingway and Miller.

I'd add the South Americans as well:
Lorca, Marquez, Borges to the list. Exceptional writers who can really tell intricate stories.

 

[mtelkhntr78]

Larry McMurty
Cormac McCarthy
Steve Rinella

 

[jabber]

I haven't read a lot lately, but below is the list of authors that I have on my wall as a reference for future purchases. Not really hunting related, unless you are talking about manhunts:

Lee Child
James Patterson
Kay Hooper
John Sandford
James Lee Burke
Greg Iles
Stephen Hunter
Michael Connelly
Harlan Coben
Alex Kava
Clive Cussler

My library does hold all 120+ Leatherette's containing Louis L'Amour collection of western's minus the two most rare versions. I don't believe there is a one of them that hasn't been read multiple times.

 

[spook12]

I'm liking the lists. Slightly off topic but I would add to any reading list.

Stephen Ambrose
Robert Utley
Merriweather Lewis
And don't forget.........................Stan Lee.

 

[1_pointer]

For those of you that like Lee Child, especially the Jack Reacher series, I strongly suggest you give Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp series a try. IMO, far and away mo' better. Another of this type that I like better than Child, is the John Rain series by Barry Eisler. Another good one is the John Smith series by Robert Ludlum.

For non-fiction, if I like them I really appreciate a series. But nothing is more frustrating to me to read a good book and find out it's #4 of #11. I find this site very useful and have found a couple of good authors in the recommended section when looking up works by various authors.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

 

[birddog32]

In addition to all mentioned above have read everything by George "Bird" Evans. Throw in a Clive Cussler once in awhile, all of C J Box who I heard about on this site, and going back to read some Mark Twain whom I had no interest in while in HS. When I want a long book there is always James Michener. And James Clavell also.

 

[noharleyyet]

...forgot to mention social/political humorists Dave Barry and PJ ORourke.

 

[MTGunner]

Lee Child and C J Box...

Lee Child and C J Box truly compel a person to turn a page. My wife has just purchased the new Dan Brown book "Inferno". Looks to be another good conspiracy theory fiction book. Has anyone read Trails of a Wilderness Wanderer by Andy Russell? Some time back I was very interested in the history of Theodore Roosevelt. I have read many books about his life and rise to the oval office. He was truly a man of sport and a great adventurer. If you have time you might enjoy River of Doubt. This his exploration of a tributary of the Amazon River. I have that book "The Beast the Color of Winter". I read it after I hunted and took my mountain goat here in NW Montana. I am in the market for another book by the title of "Hunt High" by Duncan Gilchrist. Also looking for the three books he wrote "Montana: Land of Giant Rams". So many books and so little time to read them all. Just realized that I spelled Robert Ruarks name incorrectly. MTG

 

[Muleyfanatic]

Steve Rinella
Ryan Hatfield
Dave Long
Mostly for info but also entertainment.

 

[Nameless Range]

I think there are a couple overlooked Montana authors that I've read and re-read, always finishing their books motivated to take to the hills to create some experiences and to better understand them.

The Lochsa Story" by Bud Moore and Howard Copenhaver's, "They Left Their Tracks", never get old.

They are sort of historical/land-ethic campfire tales written by story tellers who know what they are talking about, and love it.

 

[rmyoung1]

Great thread idea. Here's a few that I've really enjoyed. None of these were written by career writers but instead by hunters/explorers in the early 1900s.

The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon by Charles Sheldon (1st Grand Slammer)
Alaskan Yukon Trophies Won & Lost by G.O. Young
The Journals of A.J. Stone by Andrew Stone (as in Stone sheep) edited by Margaret Frisina