Summer Reading and Reviews

[Elmo]

Summers over and the hunting season has officially started. This means all my free time will be directed to hunting and hitting the gym. Here are the books I read this year and recommendations:

The Prince - by Niccolo Machiavelli

Machiavelli's signature book. A classic I felt I had to read. It was a torture to read.

War Horse - by Michael Morpurgo

Nice short book. I recommend.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - by Stieg Larsson

It starts off slow but once it grips you, you can't stop reading. There's a reason his trilogy is a best seller. I recommend.

Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide - by Nicholas D. Kristof

Let's just you it makes you glad you live in America. I recommend.

The Book of Imaginary Beings - by Jorge Luis Borges

Zzzz....

The Girl Who Played With Fire - by Stieg Larsson

Book 2 which I think is better than book 1 because it was as slow of a start. I recommend.

The Cartridge Comparison Guide - by Andrew Chamberlain

This is just a helpful reference guide but their section on game animal ballistics was interesting.

The Mindful Carnivore: A Vegetarian's Hunt for Sustenance - by Tovar Cerulli

An interesting prespective during the 1st 1/3 of the book. Rest was him trying to get into hunting which for us hunters would be boring. I highly recommend borrowing from library, read the 1st few chapters, then putting the book down.

Bow Hunting Forest & Deep Woods - Greg Miller

I find that all "how too" hunting books are 85% the same. Deers general behavior and general hunting techniques are pretty much the same. The other 15% is catered to your specific environment and how that will change your tactics. Since NY is deep woods and not open plains, this one is most fitting.

The Beginner's Guide To Hunting Deer For Food - by Jackson Landers

I read this because every hunting book is about trying to get the biggest buck. I just want to hunt for food. How come there's very little info on how to attract does? Then I realize there is no real sure fire way to bring in does, that's why. This book is the kindergarten for hunters. Waste of for people who already know a bit about hunting.

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals - by Michael Pollan

A real eye opener about our food industry and how it effects our health, environment, and morals. I recommend.

American Vampire: Volume 3 - by Scott Snyder

Graphic novel. A fun entertaining read but only if you're into this sort of stuff.

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War - Max Brooks

Zzzz....

Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird - by Andrew D. Blechman

Zzzz....

A Sand County Almanac - by Aldo Leopold

Aldo Leopold is considered the father of modern day conservation. This was his journal and it ended up being is his most reknown work. I recommend.

Ready Player One - Ernest Cline

Sort of like "The Matrix" with tons of 1980's pop culture. Even better if you grew up as a kid during the 80's. I recommend.

Thirty-eight Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case - by A.M. Rosenthal

True story about the girl who was raped and repeatedly stabbed over a period of 35 minutes and eventually died in the hospital in Queens, NY during the 1960's. 37 people either saw of heard the crime occur but no one called the cops or came down to help. The 38th person called the cops after it was over. (Recent investigations reveal that the actual number was around 11 to 12 witnesses....still mess up.) You'll get the gist of the story and details half way through the book. Rest if just repetitive.

Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai - by Yamamoto Tsunetomo

A crazy fanatic's idealistic "guide" on how a samurai should conduct themselves. A classic I felt I should read. It was tough to get through. Zzzz....

Breakfast at Tiffany's - by Truman Capote

I read this because I want to read "In Cold Blood" and was surprised someone who can write a gruesome murder novel can write what I thought was a romantic comedy. (I never saw the movie) Turns out the book wasn't so much romantic comedy but more Shakespearean tragedy. But Capote's writing skills are in clear display and you see why he is considered a modern day classic. I recommend.

The Stoning of Soraya M.: A True Story - by Sahebjam Freidoune

True story about an Iranian woman who was stone to death because her husband wanted a new wife but didn't want to return her fathers money so he lied and said she committed adultry. I haven't finished this yet.

[steve863]

You are well read! Varied selection of books there. If you ever want a good read about hunting that is far from your run of the mill "how to" book, you need to get "Meditations on Hunting" by spanish philosopher Jose Ortega Y Gasset. Digs deep into the reasons why we choose to hunt.

Anything by Theodore Roosevelt is also great reading. His sons also wrote a good books called "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" about hunting sheep in the Himalayas.

Peter Hathaway Capstick on African hunting is always entertaining.

Col. Charles Askins, "Unrepentant sinner" - this was an autobiography of the famous gun writer. Real interesting book about his experiences in the military, border patrol, hunting and as a gun writer. The guy was plum crazy which is what makes the book interesting.

Anyway, here are just a few I would recommend that are hunting/gun related, yet not the standard boring "how to" reads.

[Elmo]

Thanks, steve for your suggestions. I'll definitely look into it. I don't read as much during the fall due to hunting and gym among other things. I also didn't read as much when I was younger (more drinking and women chasing back then) so I'm sort of catching up.

[steve863]

I also didn't read as much when I was younger (more drinking and women chasing back then) so I'm sort of catching up.

And once you get married and have kids you will probably read even less. And probably drink less, hunt less, go to the gym less, have sex less, have less money, etc. LOL

[Elmo]

And once you get married and have kids you will probably read even less. And probably drink less, hunt less, go to the gym less, have sex less, have less money, etc. LOL

Ha! Good to know. Wedding is in January.

[steve863]

Ha! Good to know. Wedding is in January.

You can stick a fork in yourself, buddy! You're done!! Just kidding, it ain't all bad. Best of luck to you!

[Elmo]

Thanks!

[Pygmy]

If you ever hunted turkeys.." The Tenth Legion" by Tom Kelly is required reading.

" For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Ernest Hemingway ..probably my favorite novel...

[Rev Ev]

"African Game Trails"~TR. It is seriously like you are there. He was a master story teller.

[biggamefish]

I was suppose to read the sand county almanac when I was in college. They said a must read when youare in forestry school. Well it sits in my attic now and I was just talking about it yesterday and said I need to read it I guessI will go up and get it.