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Death in the Silent Places
written by Peter H. Capstick
Studio : St. Martin's Press
by St. Martin's Press
Publisher : St. Martin's Press
Released : 1981-05-15
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780312186180
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 12 reviews)
List Price : $23.95
Our Price : $13.72
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Product Description |
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Already recognized as a master of adventure writing for his classic Death in the Long Grass, former big-game hunter Capstick now turns from his own exploits to those of some of the greatest hunters of the past. With his characteristic color and flair he recalls the extraordinary careers of men like Colonel J.H. Patterson and Colonel Jim Corbett, who stalked legendary man-eaters through the silent darkness on opposite sides of the world; men like Karamojo Bell, acknowledged as the greatest elephant hunter of all time; men like the valiant Sasha Siemel, who tracked killer jaguars though the Matto Grosso armed only with a spear. With an authenticity gained by having shared the experiences he writes of, Peter Capstick eloquently recreates the acrid taste of terror in the mouth of a man whose gun has jammed as a lion begins his charge, the exhilaration of tracking and finding a long-sought prey, the bravery and even nobility of performing under circumstances of primitive and savage stress, with death all around in the silent places of the wilderness.
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Suspenseful, but poorly-placed humor |
My review hits the middle of the gamut of earlier reviews. Not a hunter, with no desire to be one, I still thoroughly enjoyed the suspense and details of the stories recounted here. I also love the variety, from lions to German cruisers to man-eating leopards. (I must admit to being less favorably inclined to the story of Bell's elephant killing, as those huge animals were less of a threat to humans than the tigers, leopards, and lions described elsewhere.) Overall, these stories have significant WOW impact throughout and I found myself wondering how I would have fared in similar circumstances. My guess? Rather poorly!
However, I must agree with the negative comment about the oddly-placed humorous comments. Even as I smiled at some of them, I was struck by the incongruity of the words.
Still, I've recommended the book to many friends and don't hesitate to recommend it here, as well. |
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Not all about hunting |
The titles of Peter Capstick's books appear very unimaginative and it seems that they are trying to cash in on the popularity of "Death in the long grass". This is not so. I have read three books by this author all of which have titles beginning with "death in....". Each book has something new to say and you do not get tired of reading about the almost countless adventures that Capstick recounts.
To write about "Death in silent places": it is a collection of short biographies of some of the greatest hunter-adventurers of the last century. Their adventures are described in a very racy style. No doubt Capstick was able to write so well because he could identify with them. Some stories have a racist tinge to them however. May be this is not surprising as the book is set in colonial times.
The author seems to be a great fan of W.D.M. "karamojo" Bell but this fellow appeared to me to be a great poacher and murderer of elephants. He may have had a very adventurous life but he was a criminal nevertheless.The other people described in this book also have something wrong with them (except Jim Corbett). I guess we all have our faults
In summation I can say that this book is definitely a very good read and does not have a boring passage in it. |
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Mandatory Reading |
This book was my first encounter with Peter Hathaway Capstick, but it won't be my last. It contains a series of short stories about dangerous game hunting (and World War I scouting) in Africa, India, South America, and Ceylon. The stories Capstick tells are primarily about the exploits of other famous hunters, although he interjects annecdotes about personal experiences and also tells the tale of his own hunting of a cape buffalo with a spear.
One of the most amazing aspects of this book is that Capstick brings to life the reality that, in the not-so-distant past, people in various parts of the world lived in actual, realistic fear of being killed by large, predatory, animinals, including lions, jaguars, and leopards. That might come as a surprise to some, as might the awesome power and cunning possessed by those animals.
This book is a must read for anyone who is even remotely interested in exotic places, big-game hunting, adventure, and the history of the British Empire a hundred years ago. I will be recommending it to my father, brother, and father-in-law, as all of them will enjoy it. |
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sucking down the safari |
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God bless Americancivilwar and Ebay... I found Death in the Silent Places and was so fired up I was ready to grab the next plane to Africa. Spectacularly undervalued book. Look at these Americancivilwar ratings based on estimated sales. Astounding. I'd stick Hathaways books on every bookshelf in America if I owned my own publishing house. Brilliantly written, with elan and flair and grit and a wonderfully subtle, understated humor. Masterful storytelling and highly recommended. |
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A Fresh and Fair look at Real "Survival" stories |
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Peter Capstick's "Death in the Silent Places" presents a (thankfully) fresh look at six stories of yesteryear outdoor struggles that rival any modern day Apollo 13 or Kon Tiki adventures. As with all such events, Man is definitely the underdog but whether he survives or perishes, the record displays incredible skill, incredible courage, incredible determination against long odds. The men Capstick writes of here are the Lance Armstrongs and real-life Luke Skywalkers of another generation in places and times where "chutzpah" was a MINNIMUM requirement. Thankfully, Capstick retells these adventures without the stinted politics of the original accounts and thus presents an accurate experience of the raw nerve-jangling moments of the events for the reader instead of just some stodgy portrait from the Past. With Peter Capstick being a talented writer as well as the erudite historian of this genre he is, you'll not find anything more authorative or entertaining on these real-life thrillers than "Death in the Silent Places". |
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