Is Capstick real or fake?

[Daniel Cary]

This will go on forever...

I doubt your coworker has read every one of captick's books - just likes jumping on the "I heard xxx about capstick." Ask you coworker for facts that he actually lifted stories - which books already written did he steal from?. If he falls back on the "everyone knows it" trope - you know he knows nothing.

I'll say this - I've seen exactly ONE PH (other than Mark Sullivan, who also garners as much hatred) actually put in writing that he did not like Capstick - never said he stole a story or what have you, just didn't have much regard for him. I've have heard a story first hand that Capstick shot a cow buffalo out of turn - OK - big damn deal.

I defend Capstick only because the vast, vast majority of those who bash him do so with hearsay and the fact is that Capstick is responsible for much of the interest (still) in safari - a little bit of tall poppy syndrome. "Capstick was a bartender who just lifted stories..." is one I've heard... I very seriously doubt Fiona would have married a plagiarizing bartender... but I digress..

Death in the Long Grass came out in 1977 - 44 years ago - and has NEVER been out of print, and is still under the St. Martins impress. No other safari writer even comes close to that for a pure hunting book.

Is Capstick a fraud? No. Is he a writer, who loved telling a story well so it engages the reader? Yes. Did things happen in his stories exactly as they did in real life? Probably not. Is that cause to pillory him? No (have you read Ruark?).

I would not feel I had to gather my facts to refute his accusations about PHC - that's on your coworkers shoulders, not yours.

Long live PHC

I'm sorry, but what it is "Tall Poppy Syndrome"?
thanks, if you can ;

 

[baxterb]

I'm sorry, but what it is "Tall Poppy Syndrome"?
thanks, if you can ;

It’s when people degenerate/criticize/cut down someone because they have achieved great success. It’s common within a specific group, and mostly driven by jealously of those who were not able to achieve the same success.

 

[Sabattiboy]

Someday time travel will exist and we can prove who shot JFK and the real stuff on Capstick. Assuming the one that travels back to find out tells the truth when they return.
And the conspiracies will never end....

 

[Aaron N]

We always hear that he ripped off stories, but from the books that I have read, he seems to make a point of stating if certain events happened to someone other than himself.

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

In another thread a man/fellow PH piped in about being with Capstick in one of his escapades.
I've read and heard the same things about Elmer Keith but I doubt any of those people were standing with him when the things he wrote took place.
This is kind of like the naysayers about landing on the moon; Tell Armstrong and the others they lied.
As I said on the other thread, I sure A-Square designed the 470 Capstick cartridge for a bartender then tried it out shooting a cape buffalo on video. Of course that was all faked too.

Calling Buzz Aldrin a liar would definitely be a mistake.

 

[baxterb]

We always hear that he ripped off stories, but from the books that I have read, he seems to make a point of stating if certain events happened to someone other than himself.

Exactly right. And anyone who has actually read every book will know this.

 

[1dirthawker]

PHC wrote some great books. just like watching tv, if you don't like it, turn it off!! you don't like his books, don't read em!

i wonder how many of us on this forum would fare if post death, our reputation was attacked or denigrated by others on this list? whether everything happened exactly as he wrote it or not, seems a small point in a long career in writing.

regardless, i am thankful that he put pen to paper and made my dreams of africa all the more real.

 

[Captain Munro]

PHC wrote some great books. just like watching tv, if you don't like it, turn it off!! you don't like his books, don't read em!

i wonder how many of us on this forum would fare if post death, our reputation was attacked or denigrated by others on this list? whether everything happened exactly as he wrote it or not, seems a small point in a long career in writing.

regardless, i am thankful that he put pen to paper and made my dreams of africa all the more real.

I second that.

 

[Sabattiboy]

It would be interesting to see the number of African hunts that took place since 1900 because of hunting books or stories written by PH's and others that were clients.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

You SHOULD read them all...and then start packing for Africa because you are going to want to go asap!

You might skip Sands of Silence. If it would have been my first Capstick book, it would have been my last one too.

 

[Aaron N]

You might skip Sands of Silence. If it would have been my first Capstick book, it would have been my last one too.

It’s funny you say this. This was my first Capstick book, and I’m yet to finish it. To me it seemed written to drop names. I guess I should revisit it, and see if my perspective has changed.

 

[John Telford]

Old Pete did use poetic license as did Bob Ruark and Queer Taylor but I think that in both cases most of the story was based on person experience. I just recently re read JA Hunters book and can’t recall thinking gee this sounds like PHC . Pete wrote about hunting with clients and Hunter tells his life story sans hunters. Pete did have a tendancy to over sell !

 

[CEO]

I do love his books. Much more than Ruark and Hemingway. I don't have any inside knowledge on this subject, but I do know nothing gets the negative rumor mill pumping more than success.

 

[Happy Myles]

Relax and enjoy his books. He was a great writer. I am sure if he was a bartender for a while he was good at that too.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

It’s funny you say this. This was my first Capstick book, and I’m yet to finish it. To me it seemed written to drop names. I guess I should revisit it, and see if my perspective has changed.

I would just skip reading "Sands of Silence" and go get "Death in the Long Grass"

 

[Jason Miller]

Peter Captsick introduced me to Africa and literally changed my life, I was a punk kid in my early 20's up to no good, getting into trouble. My uncle gave me DISP and it literally changed my life. I realized the world didnt revolve around me and my crazy life.

I wanted to experience that adventure while it was still available. I tracked Mr. Capstick down in Pretoria to find he was in the states and sadly died a few weeks later but met Fiona. Thanks to his writing I have been to Africa multiple times, actually moved to SA back in the late 90's. Hunted many times in Africa and now work in Africa and travel there many times a year (Kenya).

Also thanks to him I developed a love for reading and haven't watched TV much in 25 years instead collecting and reading thousands of books on Africa, South America, Hunting, Exploration etc. He truly changed my life. I am sorry I didn't get to meet him but perhaps we meet in the great Hunting grounds beyond...

 

[C.W. Richter]

'Certain it's covered above, but...'Having all of his books/videos, you should watch the one on Lion Hunting (it's an educational series,) because famed former Lion hunter/PH Gordon Cundill ribs him so much about telling tall tales and making $ off writing about when things go wrong on Safari (to his face sitting 'round the fire)-But, it's all very entertaining. The man (surprisingly originally from NJ/NYC then transplanted to RSA as well as other S. & C. African countries) was real, but now deceased. Legendary former African hunter and military ballistician supreme Art Alphin (A-Sq) even created a cartridge and gun in his honor (the .470 Capstick.) What your friend is getting at can be witnessed in nearly every Jim Shockey program....sensationalizing things for the sale (likely dictated to him by the MSM that airs the programs.) "Up to the North is the VERY SCARY DANGEROUS COUNTRY of _________, where pirates used to cannibalize the Hunter's first born child!" lol just listen for it at least 1 if not 5x in every program abroad. Zzzzzzz Jim ('Love the hunts, not the tired BS, err "Guff"). RIP Peter Hathaway Capstick! He hunted with (and wrote about) many of the Best in the Business, in Africa!!!

 

[baxterb]

Peter Captsick introduced me to Africa and literally changed my life, I was a punk kid in my early 20's up to no good, getting into trouble. My uncle gave me DISP and it literally changed my life. I realized the world didnt revolve around me and my crazy life.

I wanted to experience that adventure while it was still available. I tracked Mr. Capstick down in Pretoria to find he was in the states and sadly died a few weeks later but met Fiona. Thanks to his writing I have been to Africa multiple times, actually moved to SA back in the late 90's. Hunted many times in Africa and now work in Africa and travel there many times a year (Kenya).

Also thanks to him I developed a love for reading and haven't watched TV much in 25 years instead collecting and reading thousands of books on Africa, South America, Hunting, Exploration etc. He truly changed my life. I am sorry I didn't get to meet him but perhaps we meet in the great Hunting grounds beyond...

Good stuff.

 

[VertigoBE]

Peter Captsick introduced me to Africa and literally changed my life, I was a punk kid in my early 20's up to no good, getting into trouble. My uncle gave me DISP and it literally changed my life. I realized the world didnt revolve around me and my crazy life.

I wanted to experience that adventure while it was still available. I tracked Mr. Capstick down in Pretoria to find he was in the states and sadly died a few weeks later but met Fiona. Thanks to his writing I have been to Africa multiple times, actually moved to SA back in the late 90's. Hunted many times in Africa and now work in Africa and travel there many times a year (Kenya).

Also thanks to him I developed a love for reading and haven't watched TV much in 25 years instead collecting and reading thousands of books on Africa, South America, Hunting, Exploration etc. He truly changed my life. I am sorry I didn't get to meet him but perhaps we meet in the great Hunting grounds beyond...

Thanks for sharing that Jason. It is always a sad moment later when you realise that those that had the biggest impact on your life, also left so early.

One can only be thankful for the encounter, no matter how brief, whether it was direct between two people or if it happened through another medium.

 

[Aaron N]

I would just skip reading "Sands of Silence" and go get "Death in the Long Grass"

I moved on from that quickly, and have thoroughly enjoyed “Death in the Long grass” and “Death in the Dark Continent”. Reading both multiple times