This week we delve into the world of literature.  First, don’t worry; this column will not be conducting any lengthy talks about dead Latin guys who write frightening poetry or subjects such as Iambic Pentameter, whatever that is.  We won’t even discuss dangling participles, which always caused this writer to giggle when they were mentioned during high school English class.  I thought they were a slang term for some type of intimate body part.

All the books below currently reside on Your Humble Servant’s bookshelf and should find a home in any outdoorsmen’s library.  Several of these you may have heard about, others might be new, but all are guaranteed to take the reader on an enjoyable psychic adventure during these cold Indiana late-winter nights.

While books are much like music and subject to the individual taste of the reader, I am confident that readers will also discover their own nuggets of outdoor gold among the selected tomes.  Most are bestsellers and easily located in any reasonable-sized bookstore.

If forced to pick a favorite outdoor writer, Yours Truly would be hard pressed to choose between Peter Hathaway Capstick or Patrick F. McManus.   The two writers are worlds apart in subject matter but have a similar tongue-in-cheek style that this corner is often accused of mimicking (‘plagiarize’ is such an unfortunately word, don’t you think?)   Such comparisons are welcome.

Capstick is known for his African hunting tales, along with some minor works of fishing and general adventure literature.  If you enjoy reading hairy-chested, white knuckle adventures that are also droll and humerous, then pick up any of the “Death in the…” series, such as “Death in the long grass” or “Death in a lonely land”.  While the titles might seem a bit grim and melodramatic, the tales inside certainly will keep the reader awake and promising ‘I’ll go to sleep after the next chapter’.  Any of Capstick’s books will often cause the bedroom light to burn far too late into the night.

McManus is also a best-selling author and has perhaps a wider range of appeal with his gentle, humorous tales of hunting, fishing and growing up poor in the Idaho wilderness.   I defy anyone reading his books, such as “They shoot canoes, don’t they?” or “A fine and pleasant misery” from laughing out loud while remembering similar adventures from their own misspent youth.     For instance, McManus explains accidentally running a horrible river rapid at night: “suffice to say that when we finally emerged from the narrows, I was paddling with a bolt action 30-06, Retch was paddling with the dog and there was no sign of the raft”.

For serious fishing addicts, the works of Robert Traver are outstanding.  Traver writes of trout fishing in his beloved upper Michigan while working as a backwoods lawyer and part-time judge.   One of my favorite quotes from “Trout madness” concerns his use of a specialized insect repellant.   He suggested “…smoking cheap Italian cigars, which smell like a flophouse mattress fire mixed with rotting Bermuda onions.  They will, however, keep insects and most respectable ladies at bay.”

If you enjoy your sarcasm mixed with a touch of the absurd, check out the fishing books by Jack Ohman.  Ohman is a widely known political cartoonist and no type of fishing or fisherman is safe from his wickedly funny books.   In “Fishing Bass-Ackwards” he comments on sunfish technique: “Level of difficulty: A TV anchorperson could catch one just by thinking about it.  Desirability: not as desirable as a crappie, but better than a bucket of uncleaned suckers”.

While mentioning sarcasm, we must include the book “The Cool of the wild” by Howard Tomb.  This book gives you the tips to look and act cool while hanging around extreme sports such as kayaking and mountain climbing.  He gives helpful expedition advice, such as when dealing with wild animals: “Rabid animals often look as if they are trying to say something important, like ‘Damien! Damien! It’s all for you, Damien!”
In the non-fiction category, there are two required books for Hoosiers looking for interesting places off the beaten path: “Nature walks in Southern Indiana” and the new companion volume “Nature walks in Northern Indiana”, both published by the Hoosier Chapter of the Sierra Club.

These books can be found in any bookstore large enough to carry local-interest books.  The two volumes are a comprehensive directory to all sorts of interesting areas, both well known and unknown, scattered throughout the state.  If you are looking for an interesting place to hike, picnic or camp beyond the usual State Park fare, these books are invaluable.  McPherson also includes tips and local knowledge to make that first trip more enjoyable.

Hopefully the books on this list will give bored Hoosier sportsman something to enjoy while waiting for spring to finally fling and make it possible to catch your own bucket of suckers.Weekly

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