I have the Craighead film of their months with an Indian prince just before WWII, which is not unlike having films of Emperor Frederic in Medieval Sicily, or of being able to step into the print of Vadim Gorbatov’s “Kublai Khan’s Hawking Party” hanging to my right. But this short film, made before the first …
Tag: History
Quote: Bring Up the Bodies
Hilary Mantel’s trilogy on Henry VIII and his court, as seen through the eyes of courtier Thomas Cromwell, is one of the most harrowing fictional works I have ever read– brilliant and acute, never pleasant. Am I the only reader who sees a similarity between Henry’s court and that of the Red Czar? As with …
Mannlicher Schoenauer 1903 6.5 X 54
Thanks to readers, especially Malcolm in Montana, I have just gotten one- a unique one at that, and at a good price. Tools and loads are coming in from him and Steve in Washington, and another rifle was offered by the Atomic Nerds. Sometimes I love the Internet… For non- rifle nerds (or as John …
Cherkassov from Vladimir
Vladimir Beregovoy now has copies of his translation (with a slight assist from me) of Cherkassov’s East Siberian Hunter to inscribe. I am not sure of the price–25?– but postage (for a BIG book) is only $5. Jim Cornelius at Frontier Partisans, Dan On the Rock, and Constant Commenter (and wild canid maven) Lane Batot …
A young man’s tale: part one?
Libby’s boss Greg and I share a certain nostalgia for fine old cars. Today he showed me a magazine– Classic Auto I think—- and a picture of a thirties vintage Cadillac V16 roadster brought back a tale from my father’s youth… A young man, the son of immigrants, was an artist of real talent and …
Ancient Brindle Tazi
From Jess: “Abdullah Kahn II of the Shaybanid dynasty ruled Transsoxiana from his capital at Bukhara from 1583-1598. He is attended by a falconer with a hooded bird and his saddle is a falconer’s drum.” Art circa 1618. Bird is a Gos with neck band as is his successor below (Khyber Pass ’70’s, Catherine Lassez). …
Cherkassov at last!
After several years, I am happy to announce the publication of A.A.Cherkassov’s 1865 Notes of an East Siberian Hunter, translated by zoologist, eminent cynologist, and “dog in law” Vladimir Beregovoy of Virginia, with a little help from me. It is available as a large format, good- quality print on demand paperback of 439 pages, for …
Gun and Snake Alphabets Project
Tom McIntyre writes: “Here’s a school project, if you’re game (might even work into a blog post). “Enter my great-nephew, age 7. On a recent visit, unbidden, he asked me to create a “Snake Alphabet” (why an alphabet, I’m not sure) for him. So I did, as best as I, a non-herpetologist, could… His task …
Ronald Stevens
This is not Bertie Wooster with a Gyr, but the great, innovative English falconer, naturalist, and writer Ronald Stevens, who lived for many years on an estate in Ireland and was the first falconer to understand Gyrs since the death of Colonel Thornton in the 1820’s.With then- young John Morris (my generation) he also bred …
Dream Gun Meme
At Atomic Nerds, LabRat has posted her sensible choices for an Interweb “meme” that in my over- busyness I didn’t even know was circulating: Five Dream Guns. Once I would have gasped “only five?” Now I like the idea of having a few well- used, high- quality Good Guns. I should postulate also that I …