Don,
Thank you for breaking the silence on this.  I have been watching numerous threads on this and frankly it just hasn't been worth the p-ss-ng match to point it out.  You have put it well and backed it up.  Maybe the point will eventually get thru to the members of this community.

Steve

What point,Steven ? That the Capstick books are entertaining ? They are,btw.Or that there are more informative books out there ?And there are.
Look we were just giving the Good Doctor hell about PH's being literate.A toungue in cheek joke.I really don't think anyone disputes that the "Death in the..." series were self-aggrandizing books written by Capstick,for Capstick,about Capstick.However,again it bears mention that for alot of us;Capstick's books were some of the first intro's we had to "safari life".Even though he may have taken some literary liberties with the truth.Made for some pretty cool reading and it's killed many an hour for me on long,international flights.So it is what it is.
With that being said,two of favorite books written by Capstick weren't about Capstick.
"The Last Ivory Hunter",which is about Wally Johnson is a great read.Even a segment in there where Wally had guided Fred Bear.Excellent read.
I also recommend "Warrior;The Legend of Richard Meinertzhagen",another highly recommended read.

Right on Aaron,  

I'm not picking on anybody! Capstick's books ARE entertaining... if they weren't I wouldn't have read enough of them to offer my comments. My only point is that if you are headed to Africa and looking for some reading to enlighten you a bit before you go, Capstick's books are not a good description of what you should expect to find once you get there. And writers who make wild animals sound more dangerous than they really are do a disservice to wildlife. If you ever catch me doing it, slap me up alongside the head. Don

QuoteOriginally posted by Don Thomas:
I'm not picking on anybody! Capstick's books ARE entertaining... if they weren't I wouldn't have read enough of them to offer my comments. My only point is that if you are headed to Africa and looking for some reading to enlighten you a bit before you go, Capstick's books are not a good description of what you should expect to find once you get there. And writers who make wild animals sound more dangerous than they really are do a disservice to wildlife. If you ever catch me doing it, slap me up alongside the head. Don

Well,since you asked.

You DID once write an article in TBM about an expedtionary hunt for Russian brown bears.The bears sounded scary enough.
However,it was the fellow who was bald with a thick beard who bore a striking resemblance to  Rasputin that drew my attention.If that weren't enough,he was shooting a selfbow(I believe) drawing 80 lbs.@ 22".Think his name was Twigg ?Maybe ?I know it was unusal.


He sounded like a very scary animal.Shivers...

I love Capstick's books.  I own most of them, and find myself reading them over and over.  I don't know why people think his books are about "macho self-hype".  I would guess that 90% or more of his stories are about other peoples experiences in Africa and India.  I would highly suggest you buy one, or check one out from the library.  I bet you will be reading the rest soon.

Capstick is just plain fun reading! Was any of it true? Does it matter?

I only believe, maybe 50% of any hunting story I read, but I sure love to read them!

Ya know I kinda wonder if the PH's don't like Capstick because he was an American ? Seems anywhere you go in the world today people hate Americans.  :rolleyes: