Who Is The Next Hemingway, Ruark?

[Troubleshooter]

I can think of several here on AH who have have exhibited the necessary talent, but none of them are (to my knowledge) published authors outside of hunting-oriented websites, let alone general-interest books.

 

[Borderer]

What about Wilbur Smith? He writes very well about hunting and promoted me to finally get myself organised and go to Africa. According to his autobiography, On Leopard Rock, he lead a very full life. I have never enjoyed any author's writing as much as his.

Sadly, I can't think of anyone else like that now.

There are plenty of people living that kind of lifestyle but who don't write about it or publicise themselves.

Saying that, I am really.enjoying John Sharp's book, Facing Down Fear, not a novel though, which probably disqualifies him.

Ray Mears is very well known in the UK and occasionally writes about hunting with his .458 Blaser R8 but he is known for his nature and survival documentaries and books, not l classic novels.

 

[Doug3006]

I’m not qualified to evaluate the work of any writer or compare one to another. I like Wilber Smith‘s work, but IMO he isn’t in the same league as Hemingway.

Which reminds me of my thought every time I read a “critic’s”review of a film, book or piece of music…and that’s …..says who?

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Is there anyone modern day who can step into these shoes? What made Hemingway was that he really was larger than life, he didn't act the part, he was the part. Craig Boddington?

The only writer that comes to mind would have been Thomas McIntyre. Sadly he recently passed away.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

I think this will be difficult.

First of all, current western society has a difficulty with « heroes » and « legends ». Unless of course they are some woke ideal. Just look at todays real life action hero by any standard, Zelensky.

Going through recent covers of the Times or Newsweek, you will not find very much young virile strong (dangerous) men or women! with politically incorrect occupations.

And that brings me to the second point, in order for someone to become a contemporary legend in his/her own right, publicity is needed. His/her exploits will need to be communicated to many. However that would put the spotlight on the activity of hunting, which most professionals today can do without. Nobody wants to come under the same media scrutiny as a certain US dentist.

Look at Trump junior, we know he hunts, he is proud to support hunting, but we do not exactly hear about his exploits while hunting either.

Unfortunately around the fall of the Berlin Wall and the long period of prosperity in most countries that followed, the West decided that the soft liberal intellectual type was the hero of the time, but even then to be thorn down as fast as possible if anything were amiss according to the latest version of acceptable behaviour from the Woke.

My thoughts this morning,

V

Well said. Looking at popular men that hunt like Tom Selleck and Kurt Russell, they keep their hunting on the "down - low" to avoid negative public reaction. I don't see it changing anytime soon.

 

[Wheels]

Over the past 90 years, there have been four Americans that have written about hunting in Africa and influenced generations to go on safari.

1. Hemingway
2. Ruark
3. Capstick
4. Boddington
5. ?????

The prose has declined with time. The market is getting smaller. The internet has destroyed periodicals. Your adventures and hunting reports are on AH for free without buying a rag or a book.

Perhaps I am wrong but I don't see any one individual who can currently fill the five slot.

 

[Doug3006]

Boddington has more safari experience than Hemingway and Ruark combined. Although I enjoy reading his books, he lacks the artistry with words that the two giants possessed.

Hemingway was a novelist with few peers. The same for Faulkner. The Bear is a great book. Ruark was a popular syndicated columnist who wrote about sports and current events as well as books about hunting for years before he wrote Horn of the Hunter. Thomas McIntyre was very good and could have written successfully about pretty much anything, but he was no Papa Hemingway.

We’ve seen the best. I don’t think we’ll see their equal again.

 

[wesheltonj]

. . . Craig Boddington?

Surely you jest. Or should that be, Surely you jest!!!!!!!!! The General, I mean Colonel will never even come close.

I doubt there will never be another Hemingway. His lifestyle according to todays WOKE progressives would never publish the work. Even years ago, when I was an undergraduate James Joyce was considered a great writer, personally I thought his writing was crap. And now Joyce is a hero to the left.

 

[Trail Rated]

I’m a professional (nonfiction) writer. In 2015-16, when I was between jobs, an empty nester and kind of lost, I wrote a 50,000-word memoir about how hunting and sailing helped me regain a sense of purpose. It was pretty good so I shopped it around to publishers, especially those who specialize in outdoor books. No one took it. It has nothing to do with woke liberals, it has to do with:
1. Most people don’t read
2. Those who do generally don’t read fiction
3. Even outdoor publishers don’t want adventure stories or memoirs. All they want is how-to books with lots of charts, illustrations and photos. In other words, websites on paper.

If there is hope, it must lie in writers like me. Anyone get that literary reference?

 

[Northern Shooter]

Rinella?

 

[Safari Dave]

Over the past 90 years, there have been four Americans that have written about hunting in Africa and influenced generations to go on safari.

1. Hemingway
2. Ruark
3. Capstick
4. Boddington
5. ?????

The prose has declined with time. The market is getting smaller. The internet has destroyed periodicals. Your adventures and hunting reports are on AH for free without buying a rag or a book.

Perhaps I am wrong but I don't see any one individual who can currently fill the five slot.

I agree with this.

Kevin, I got to hand it to you and your thought-provoking questions and insights.



I consider Boddington the current, best "expert" on African hunting and truly admire him, even though I don't know him or even met him. I think he is a great resource for African hunters, but I don't think he will ever be renowned beyond the gun culture as the other's were.


Hemingway was a writer who may be beyond compare and was known (and still is) far beyond the gun-culture.


Perhaps, there is a younger person out there who is a master of written language and also has a PH license.

We'll see, but I doubt it.


50-60 years ago, there were several outdoorsmen who had household names like Fred Bear, Howard Hill, Lee Wulff, etc.

Also some other's who were better known for something else, but were still known as outdoorsmen like Curt Gowdy and Ted Williams.

Now, the average person on the street couldn't name one famous living hunter or fisherman.



Unfortunately, I believe the only thing that most Westerner's have in common now is the desire for material possessions (money, iPhones, nice cars, etc.)

Everyone now lives in their own little cult.

Currently, can you name:
- a famous daredevil? (like Evil Knievel)
- a famous racecar driver? (like Richard Petty)
- a famous sharp-shooter? (like Annie Oakley)
- a famous motorcycle rider? (like Bob Hannah)
- a famous solider? (like Alvin York)
- a famous architect? (like Frank Wright)
- a single astronaut?
- a single fighter pilot?
- the best guitar player?

It seems now, that as soon as someone becomes slightly famous in the outdoor world, it becomes all about sponsorships, product promotion, etc.

 

[Wheels]

It seems now, that as soon as someone becomes slightly famous in the outdoor world, it becomes all about sponsorships, product promotion, etc.

The business model has changed the past 20-25 years. Capstick was the last African writer who made his money through writing. (Towards the end Capstick also produced videos.)

Sullivan in lieu of being a writer mastered the art of the video.

I have no clue what percent Boddington makes from writing but he makes a substantial amount through ancillary sources. Now as you have mentioned, it is all about the sponsorships and product promotion.

 

[Tra3]

It seems the medium has changed from writing to podcasts and video. Steve Rinella would get a vote from me for doing a great job with story telling about hunting.

 

[Frederik]

I doubt we will see the same ever world moved on a lot of people don't read anymore except for magazines and online trash.
One can become instan expert with Google where before you read about it and studied about it.

The Closest hunter I would say that comes anyway close as a current hunter and writer is J. Alain Smith https://jalainsmith.com/

He hunts all over makes short clips about it on YouTube and writes abot his adventures never read one of his books yet. He's all pro hunting and akthough small amount of sponsorship looks like he pays his way for the hunts.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I’m a professional (nonfiction) writer. In 2015-16, when I was between jobs, an empty nester and kind of lost, I wrote a 50,000-word memoir about how hunting and sailing helped me regain a sense of purpose. It was pretty good so I shopped it around to publishers, especially those who specialize in outdoor books. No one took it. It has nothing to do with woke liberals, it has to do with:
1. Most people don’t read
2. Those who do generally don’t read fiction
3. Even outdoor publishers don’t want adventure stories or memoirs. All they want is how-to books with lots of charts, illustrations and photos. In other words, websites on paper.

If there is hope, it must lie in writers like me. Anyone get that literary reference?

Put some excerpts up on AH?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The business model has changed the past 20-25 years. Capstick was the last African writer who made his money through writing. (Towards the end Capstick also produced videos.)

Sullivan in lieu of being a writer mastered the art of the video.

I have no clue what percent Boddington makes from writing but he makes a substantial amount through ancillary sources. Now as you have mentioned, it is all about the sponsorships and product promotion.

Look, it is true that the appreciation pool has shrunk. A Hemingway shoes may never be filled, but perhaps Wilbur Smith was widely read enough to fill the toes. Boddington is a contender in a much smaller pool.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I doubt we will see the same ever world moved on a lot of people don't read anymore except for magazines and online trash.
One can become instan expert with Google where before you read about it and studied about it.

The Closest hunter I would say that comes anyway close as a current hunter and writer is J. Alain Smith https://jalainsmith.com/

He hunts all over makes short clips about it on YouTube and writes abot his adventures never read one of his books yet. He's all pro hunting and akthough small amount of sponsorship looks like he pays his way for the hunts.

Interesting nomination. I would put Boddington above him though.

 

[R eight]

To find another the equal of Hemingway is a big ask.
Hemingway was an exceptional storyteller whose works financed an adventurous life. On top of that jackpot….. he was blessed to be born a hunter who lived during some golden years.
That’s a lot of ducks to line up…..

 

[Nyati]

To me, Hemingway is in the same league as Dos Passos, Faulkner, Steinbeck, and Williams.

Among the best in modern literature.

The likes of Ruark, Capstick, Boddington, just storytellers.

 

[sgt_zim]

Exactly what I was thinking!!! I graduated in 2010.. I remember reading for English class and the stuff was so dumbed down it was ridiculous. Fully 3/4 of people who get published have absolutely no business writing

I graduated from a private, Catholic high school in 1986. We read more of the classics there than I did when I got to college. My whole senior year in high school was focused on the Agrarians.