Bright Idea Outdoors Weblog

Book Review: The Tiger, A True Story of Vengeance and Survival by John Vaillant

John Vaillant's The Tiger (Alfred A. Knopf 2010) is a rare book in that it could appeal equally to hunters and to those opposed to hunting.  Of course, I really don't know much about the latter, but as a hunter I can say it's probably the best non-fiction book about hunting I've ever read.

And the reason I think the book may hold some appeal to folks on the opposite side of the hunting argument is that Vaillant attributes human-like emotions and thought processes to the animal for which the book is named.  Anti-hunters will also appreciate that the tiger turns the tables and (successfully) hunts the poacher who had been hunting him.

The Tiger at its core though is not an anti-hunting book.  Virtually all of the characters in this story about a man-eating tiger on the loose in Far Eastern Russia in the late 1990's are hunters, and none of them are hunting strictly for sport.  They are poverty-stricken Russians and indigenous people who rely on the game in the wilderness area known as "the taiga" for their subsistence.   They are also the wildlife management  personnel who try to strike a balance between protecting natural resources and allowing people to make a living.

At times, it was hard to keep in mind that I was reading about the Russia of 14 years ago and not the American frontier of 140 years ago.  The Tiger reveals a fascinating aspect of Russian life that I previously knew nothing about.

It also reveals a great deal about the tiger, one of nature's super-predators.  The Tiger is as much about global conservation as it is about the horror visited upon the tiny village of Sobolonye in 1997.

Whether you love hunting, hate it or are somewhere in between, you should read this book.

A Book Reviewer I'm Not

I've written a handful of book reviews in the nearly five years I've been writing this blog, and at one time I thought reviews of books about the outdoors might be my niche.  There aren't many people that do them, so when someone does a Google search on a book I've reviewed they usually end up at the Bright Idea Blog.  I've always liked to read so it seemed like a natural fit.

Then I started getting books in the mail I didn't like.  I couldn't bring myself to write something bad about a book someone had been nice enough to send me for free.  But I couldn't bring myself to lie either, or, in some cases, even to finish the book.  So, after my most recent non-review of Jay Kirk's Kingdom Under Glass (Henry Holt and Company 2010), I've decided I'm not taking any more free books.

That doesn't mean, however, I won't write about books that I like.  I'll just buy--or borrow--them myself.

For example, I recently read American Gunfight by Stephen Hunter and John Bainbridge, Jr. (Simon & Schuster, 2005.)  If you like guns, action and American history, you'll love this book.  I dig all of the above and am glad that my dad gave me this book.

Right now, I'm reading John Vaillant's The Tiger (Alfred A. Knopf, 2010.)  My mom gave me this book, and it's another good one.

So I guess I'll take back what I said about accepting free books.  It's just that I'll only take them from people I know and who know what I like!

Book Preview: Kingdom Under Glass by Jay Kirk

I recently received a copy of Jay Kirk's new book Kingdom Under Glass (Henry Holt and Company, 2010) and am planning a  review for sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.

Here is an excerpt from the book jacket:

"During the Golden Age of Safaris in the early twentieth century, one man set out to preserve Africa's great beasts.  In this epic account of an extraordinary life lived during remarkable times, award-winning journalist Jay Kirk follows the adventures of the brooding genius who revolutionized taxidermy and created the famed Akely Hall of African Mammals we visit today at New York's Museum of Natural History..."

While your waiting for my review, Kevin from HuntingLife.com published his thoughts on the book last week.  It sounds like Kevin really liked Kingdom Under Glass, and I'm looking forward to reading and reviewing it myself!

 

 

Beaver Dam Canoe Trip

Beaver Dam Reservoir is located between Leesburg and Ashburn, with access from Evergreen Mill Road on the Leesburg side and Belmont Ridge Road coming from Ashburn.

I made an early morning trip there on July 3 to do a little fishin' and a whole lot of paddlin'.

 
Wildlife is abundant in the area surrounding the reservoir, which, although it is located right in the middle of Loudoun County, is operated by the City of Fairfax.  Deer practically lined the banks Saturday morning.

 
  
Beaver dam is not the world's greatest fishing spot, but there are some nice fish there if you're willing to put in the time.  I caught one bass and a couple of gizzard shad.  A nice guy who pointed me to the spot where I landed the largemouth said he'd caught a four-pounder and a two-and-a-half pounder earlier that morning.

A New Book: The Darwin Experience

I wasn't quite sure how to react when I got the following email asking me to review John Van Whye's book The Darwin Experience: The Story of the Man and His Theory of Evolution (National Geographic Society, 2009).  The publisher's representative wrote:

"I'd like to share a fascinating new science and history book that National Geographic published today, THE DARWIN EXPERIENCE: The Story of the Man and His Theory of Evolution... Celebrating both the bicentennial of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the electrifying publication of "On the Origin of Species", the book is a lavish, slipcased anniversary volume featuring dozens of removable facsimile documents that re-creates the extraordinary impact of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution in a unique and vivid package.    

"Combining science, travel, culture and history, the book is an elegant volume that offers hundreds of photographs and a trove of removable documents that bring the subject alive.  These fascinating memorabilia include letters, maps, sketches, newspaper articles and more, providing telling glimpses of Darwin's life as never before, from his early expedition aboard the Beagle to his meticulous research in the Galapagos Islands.  The book is a distinctive art book, collectible archive, and a collection of intellectually rich documents that engages the eye and mind and will find appeal among history and science lovers, explorers and travelers of every age (especially with the upcoming holiday season)."

At first I wondered what the book had to do with hunting.  Then I wondered if reviewing a book that deals with Charles Darwin's theory of evolution would be controversial.  In the end, however, I decided I couldn't pass on the chance to get a free book (consider that my disclosure) and that I'd probably learn something in the process.

That was a couple of weeks ago, and I finally had a chance to start reading the book late last week.  As you might imagine, it goes into detail about Darwin's scientific research and discoveries.  Science isn't really my thing, so it's slow going, but I will say that the pictures, inserts and maps are everything the press release above says they are.

The book also relates stories about Darwin's life and personality, and I find those parts to be more interesting.  I especially enjoyed an excerpt from the controversial scientist's biography in which he describes how he conducted "target practice" with his muzzle-loading rifle; in his college dorm room!  Information on Darwin's religious background and beliefs--like how he was known for quoting the Bible at length on board his research ship the H.M.S. Beagle--is also intriguing.

Like I told the publisher's representative, it will probably take me a few weeks to get through this whole book; I'll write a full review when I do.  In the meantime, I'll agree with the rep. that this book would make a great gift for anyone interested in history or science...

 

Monday Morning Update

I had planned to hunt this morning; got up at 4:30 and put on my camo.  Then I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

Since I'm working for myself now, I've got the flexibility to hunt when I want.  I have work to do today but nothing that has to be done at a specific time until 1 p.m.  Still, with the freedom of self-employment comes uncertainty; and especially in my particular field, landscaping, winter will bring a level of uncertainty and stress that may be difficult to endure.  The deer aren't going anywhere, and I just feel like I shouldn't be in the woods when I could be making money.

But maybe, if I can get everything done, I could go this afternoon. . .

Meanwhile, speaking of working for myself, I went ahead and put an ad in the Leesburg Today last week and have already gotten four inquiries as a result.  I had really wanted to do some more work on the new website and blog www.coughlinconsulting.com before going public with it locally but decided listing a basic website in the ad would be better than no website at all.  Please take a look at it and let me know what you think. . .

This week, I'll be doing a planting project at a property just west of Leesburg and consulting with a local municipality on a multi-site turf renovation.  As far as this blog is concerned, I hope to have some hunting to write about, and I will review Jerry Genesio's new book Unseen Hazards that Threaten Hunters, Campers and Hikers.  The book is an 86-page guide to Zoonotic diseases, which Genesio defines as "those diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans and from humans to animals."

Genesio covers Rabies, Tetanus, Rabbit Fever, Brucellosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and my personal nemesis, Lyme Disease.  In advance of my review, here is an excerpt from the author's press release:

"There are UNSEEN HAZARDS in forests and fields that threaten those who enjoy hunting, camping and hiking.  Pathogens commonly found in wildlife can inflict unspeakable suffering and even death...  But knowledge and simple protective measures can shield even the most vulnerable.

"Jerry Genesio has written an 86-page book containing vital information about these perilous pathogens.  Each is described with symptoms, treatment, history, carriers, geographical risk areas, and significant incidence reports.  The book also contains advice provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, on how to avoid vectors such as ticks, and how to properly remove ticks."

I should also note that the site linked above is a blog, and that Genesio is a supporting member of the Outdoor Bloggers Summit. . .

With that, like a squirrel putting away nuts for the winter, I'd better get to work!

Book Review: JEFF'S GOD by Hershel Howell

"The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."

Saul said to David, "Go and the Lord be with you."--1 Samuel 17:37

That conversation took place in the Old Testament of the Bible just before David took on the giant Goliath.  Like David, Jeff Logan--the main character in Hershel Howell's new book Jeff's God (Publish America, 2009)--is tested time and time again.  He is pursued by his enemies and repeatedly brought to the point of despair.  But also like David, Jeff Logan turns to God in these moments of desperation, knowing that even when there appears to be no hope, there is always a chance that the Lord will see fit to deliver him.

Throughout the story, Logan very effectively uses advice he gets early in the story from his mother, who said praying was "just talking to the Lord like we're talking one person to another... He doesn't come right out like a bolt of lightning and make something happen, but when the time comes, He answers..."

Jeff's God is an exciting historical novel that begins in North Mississippi just prior to the outbreak of war between North and South.  It is a story of adventure, of heroism, of family bonds, of love lost and found and of faith.  From Logan and his father's trap lines to the plantation steps; from the Battle of Shiloh to the wild territory of the nineteenth century American West, Mr. Howell and his characters cover a lot of ground.  The story has its share of gun fights and at one point finds its main character at the business end of a hangman's rope.  It also has healthy doses of hunting, trapping and Native American culture, and, like most fictional stories by Mr. Howell or his son Rex of the popular Deer Camp Blog, the story revolves around lost Civil War gold.

Readers who enjoy tales of adventure in the tradition of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn and Little Big Man by Thomas Berger will love Jeff's God.  It's also a breath of fresh air for anyone looking for a hero who really is a hero, always and who choosing right over wrong, even when it puts his own life at peril or causes him to deny himself something he wants or that would make his life easier.

As in his earlier book Lim, Howell also offers a perspective on life in the South that could only come from an octogenarian son of Mississippi like himself.  Readers who enjoyed Lim will definitely like this new book and even those who did not must give Jeff's God a try.  This is definitely Mr. Howell's best effort so far.

Books and Holidays and Stuff

My wife put a package down on the kitchen table.

"Did you order something?"

"No," I replied, carefully approaching the small box.  As a world famous blogger, I have to be careful.  You never know what crazed fan might put in the mail.

Upon approval by my bomb chewing, er, sniffing, dog Rocky, I decided it was safe to open the package.  What a great surprise I got upon finding out that it was Hershel Howell's new book Jeff's God.  I only recently read and reviewed  Mr. Howell's first novel Lim and didn't realize Jeff's God was already available.  I can't wait to start reading it.

Meanwhile, the Internet safety seminar I had planned to attend earlier this week was canceled, so I'm going to have to rethink how to approach my next post on the subject.  I will, however, still review Chris Hansen's 2007 book To Catch a Predator: Protecting Your Kids from Online Enemies Already in Your Home, which I finished reading a couple nights ago. 

This is a thought provoking book and much of the information it contains may come as a surprise to you.  Even in advance of my full review, I'll state that anyone who has kids, a computer or both needs to read To Catch a Predator.

Perhaps I'll have time to review Hansen's book over the Memorial Day weekend.  This holiday, which traditionally marks the beginning of summer, also has marked my return to more regular blogging the last couple of years.  Spring is such a hectic time in my business, but, as summer begins, things usually start to settle down.  Let's just hope they don't settle down too much; I'm not ready to be a full time blogger, not yet anyway.

I hope you all have a safe and fun Memorial Day weekend.  But please don't forget what the holiday is all about.  Take some time to honor the people who have fallen in the service of this great nation and some time to pray for those who are defending it today.

Book Review: Hershel Howell's LIM

Mark Twain wrote: "There comes a time in every rightly-constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure." (Tom Sawyer, Chapter 25)  Hershel Howell's book Lim (PUBLISHAMERICA, LLLP, 2008) is about a man  who never never lost that burning desire.

For me, the mark of a well-told tale is that it makes the reader want to do something the characters did in the story.  Lim made me want to set off down the river in search of lost Civil War-era gold.  A good story also makes the reader feel like he or she is in the place where the story takes place.  When I read Lim, I was back in North Mississippi.

Mr. Howell, an 83-year-old native of Water Valley, Mississippi, offers a perspective particular to someone from his place and time.  In Lim, his first published novel, Howell occasionally switches to the first person and gives the reader a rarely candid look at the issues that faced his state in the 1960's.  Luckily for the reader, Howell must have been hunting when they gave the lecture on political correctness.

More importantly, however, Lim is an exciting story about a small group of people from a small town who found happiness doing what they loved together.  The book''s main character Limbert Appleton and his young protege "Bubba" go through a series of misadventures that repeatedly land them in jail and bring Bubba dangerously close to losing Stella, his first and only love.  From getting caught robbing a grave to a shootout at a card game, Lim and Bubba are constantly out of the frying pan and into the fire.

But the two never give up on finding their fortune.  In the end, Lim is a story about making a plan and sticking to it, believing in yourself and that it's never too late to find true love.  I truly enjoyed the book and look forward to Mr. Howell's next effort, due out later this year.

Author's note: According to Rex Howell, Hershel Howell's son and author of the Deer Camp Blog, the elder Howell will donate $1 from every book purchased through Rex's blog or the OBS site to the Outdoor Bloggers Summit.  Contact Rex to get your copy today!

Book Review: Ted, White and Blue--The Nugent Manifesto

At first glance Ted Nugent's new book Ted, White and Blue: The Nugent Manifesto (Regnery Publishing, Inc., 2008) looks like something that fans of the rock star and his conservative views will love and that will only reinforce the views of liberals and those who believe Nugent is an over-the-top kook.

Until I read Ted, White and Blue, I would have counted myself in that last category.  I'm no liberal, but from what little I've seen of Nugent's hunting shows, I just thought he was a little too far out there for me.  Luckily though, I didn't let myself get turned off by Nugent's in-your-face/I know everything writing style.  I read on and found a lot of ideas that, while they seemed crazy at first, made sense when I read Nugent's argument.

More importantly, I found a positive message that few Americans, liberal or conservative, could rationally argue against:

Don't use drugs, tobacco or drink and eat excessively.  Work hard; the world doesn't owe you anything, and the only path to success is to earn it.  You have not only the right, but indeed the duty, to defend yourself and your family, and exercising your right to keep and bear arms is the best way to do it.  Help people who want to help themselves.  Honor and support the members of the United States military.  America is the best place on Earth; don't abide those who want to bring it down or see it fail.  Spend time with your kids; take them hunting and fishing.  Gather your family around your campfire at the end of the day.

These themes are woven through Nugent's 16 chapters in which he offers his opinions and advice on specific policies he thinks would benefit this country.  Nugent's policy ideas are perhaps best summed up in Chapter Three, "If I Were the President."  Some highlights of his agenda include:

• Instruct the U.S. Military warriors to do their job--win the global War on Terror right now and eliminate all threats from all sources by any means necessary (p. 34);
• Make English the mandatory American language (p. 34);
• Refuse to fund healthcare for people who don't care about their health--those who choose lifestyles universally considered unhealthy (like intentionally ingesting poisons like tobacco to the point of cancer, drugs, alcohol to the point of cirrhosis, bad food to the point of obesity, etc., p. 35);
• Eliminate the IRS, institute a national sales tax, and force the U.S. government to live within a budget tied to actual revenues (p. 36); and

My personal favorite,

• Legalize Sunday hunting nationwide (p. 38; he won my vote right there.)

Other aspects of "The Nugent Manifesto" include his skepticism that global warming is a man-made phenomenon and his belief that in nuclear power lies the path to energy independence and a cleaner environment.  Nugent is also tough on "criminal aliens" (aka illegal aliens, undocumented workers, etc.) and believes that they should all be imprisoned prior to being deported.  He believes that the federal government, or "fedzilla," is way too big and wastes the taxpayers' money.

The Motor City Madman falls short of specifically endorsing a candidate in the upcoming presidential election but makes it clear in Chapter Nine "Black Like Me," who he would not vote for.

"Barack Hussein Obama would make a terrible president," Nugent writes.  "Do not vote for him."

He adds, in Chapter Eleven "Health Care--Not a Handout:"

"Senator Obama is a lawyer and supports nationalized health care.  Senator McCain, the Republican candidate, is not a lawyer and does not support nationalized health care.  Hmmm."

Nugent criticizes other prominent Democrats and liberals, including former presidential candidates John Edwards and Al Gore, as well as liberal film maker Michael Moore.  In Chapter 10 "Immigration," Nugent turns on our Republican President Bush.

"During his tenure, President Bush has been a coward for not having enough leadership or political will to protect our nation's borders," Nugent writes.  "As a direct result, millions of illegal immigrants have poured over our borders during his presidency."

No one is safe from Nugent's wrath, and many people, particularly the liberals he loves to drive crazy, won't like him any more after reading the book than they did before.  Certain aspects of his philosophy are difficult to accept, like his contention that animals have no rights.  Certain parts of the book are hard to interpret, like the entire "Black Like Me" chapter.  Some of his "facts" are a little hard to believe, and skeptics will no doubt want to check some items in the long list of sources at the end of the book.

But one thing I don't think anyone who reads Ted, White and Blue with an open mind could dispute, if we all lived our lives the way Nugent advises, America would be an even better place.