Robert Ruark

[sbushee]

Someone mentioned Robert Ruark in a post on here. I had never heard of him. I bought The Old Man's Boy Grows Up and enjoyed it immensely. To whomever that person was, I want to extend a sincere Thank You. Ruark is a wonderful story teller and I found myself laughing out loud many times as well as thinking back to the dogs of my youth. I've ordered The Old Man and the Boy and look forward to enjoying the adventure.

Thanks again

[boblee]

It might have been me, although I can't say that with any degree of certainty.

I discovered Robert Chester Ruark in 1955 at the age of nine years old. "The Old Man and The Boy" was published in Field & Stream. His stories were for the most part, autobiographical. He continues to be possibly my favorite author.

I have a first edition "Something of Value", published in 1955. About the Mau Mau uprisings in Africa. Although written as fiction, the history is true. It's my humble opinion that it should have been awarded the Pulitzer. He wrote "Uhuru" (which is Swahili for "Freedom") which eventually led Kenya to declare him 'persona non grata".

Ruark fell in love with Africa. He went on several safaris with Harry Selby, whom was Earnest Hemingway's white hunter. "Horn of the Hunter" chronicles his first safari with Selby.

"The Honey Badger" is somewhat autobiographical also; about a writer that struggled to fame, and the women in his life.

Ruark lived out his last years in Spain, after being no-longer welcome in Kenya. He died prematurely with liver failure. A hard drinker all his adult life, he literally drank himself to death.


Bob Lee

[sbushee]

It might have been me, although I can't say that with any degree of certainty.

I discovered Robert Chester Ruark in 1955 at the age of nine years old. "The Old Man and The Boy" was published in Field & Stream. His stories were for the most part, autobiographical. He continues to be possibly my favorite author.

I have a first edition "Something of Value", published in 1955. About the Mau Mau uprisings in Africa. Although written as fiction, the history is true. It's my humble opinion that it should have been awarded the Pulitzer. He wrote "Uhuru" (which is Swahili for "Freedom") which eventually led Kenya to declare him 'persona non grata".

Ruark fell in love with Africa. He went on several safaris with Harry Selby, whom was Earnest Hemingway's white hunter. "Horn of the Hunter" chronicles his first safari with Selby.

"The Honey Badger" is somewhat autobiographical also; about a writer that struggled to fame, and the women in his life.

Ruark lived out his last years in Spain, after being no-longer welcome in Kenya. He died prematurely with liver failure. A hard drinker all his adult life, he literally drank himself to death.


Bob Lee

Thank you so much. I'm going to read all of his books. My wife would even laugh because I would just laugh out loud while reading. Thank you so much for introducing me to Mr Ruark, even if it was by chance. I am forever grateful.

[dustoffer]

Thank you so much. I'm going to read all of his books. My wife would even laugh because I would just laugh out loud while reading. Thank you so much for introducing me to Mr Ruark, even if it was by chance. I am forever grateful.

My wife is always asking me "What's so funny?" when I laugh out loud while reading---we've been married nearly 49 years and I have yet to have her laugh out loud after reading what just caused me to laugh. I get the rolling eyes look -- -- most of the time.

[Ishi&Elvis]

I enjoy his works, and I have all of Peter Capstick's books, another fine storyteller of African hunting.

[Coacheddy]

I have read both of Robert Ruark's books. Great reads!!!

[simek]

I just finished reading The Honey Badger...truly a great book. I've also read Horn of the Hunter, The Old Man and the Boy, and The Old Man's Boy Grows Older. IMHO, it's different than Capstick, but equally as good, if not better. Lots of folks say he patterned his writing after Hemingway. There is definitely a lot of similarity between the two writers, and you could probably make an argument either way.

He wrote a fair amount, so you've got plenty more to read. I've got Something of Value ordered now, and can't wait to dive in.

Grenadine Etching (1947)
I Didn't Know It Was Loaded (1949)
One for the Road (1949)
Grenadine's Spawn (1952)
Horn of the Hunter (1953)
Something of Value (1955)
The Old Man and the Boy (1957)
Poor No More (1959)
The Old Man's Boy Grows Older (1961)
Uhuru (1962)
The Honey Badger (1965)
Use Enough Gun: On Hunting Big Game (1966)
Women (1967)
Robert Ruark's Africa by Michael McIntosh (1991), a collection of Ruark's magazine articles
The Lost Classics (1996), additional hunting adventures

[Phillip Fields]

I just finished reading The Honey Badger...truly a great book. I've also read Horn of the Hunter, The Old Man and the Boy, and The Old Man's Boy Grows Older. IMHO, it's different than Capstick, but equally as good, if not better. Lots of folks say he patterned his writing after Hemingway. There is definitely a lot of similarity between the two writers, and you could probably make an argument either way.

He wrote a fair amount, so you've got plenty more to read. I've got Something of Value ordered now, and can't wait to dive in.

Grenadine Etching (1947)
I Didn't Know It Was Loaded (1949)
One for the Road (1949)
Grenadine's Spawn (1952)
Horn of the Hunter (1953)
Something of Value (1955)
The Old Man and the Boy (1957)
Poor No More (1959)
The Old Man's Boy Grows Older (1961)
Uhuru (1962)
The Honey Badger (1965)
Use Enough Gun: On Hunting Big Game (1966)
Women (1967)
Robert Ruark's Africa by Michael McIntosh (1991), a collection of Ruark's magazine articles
The Lost Classics (1996), additional hunting adventures

I've read all of these. I got hooked on Ruark back in the 50's when I was just a kid, by reading "The Old Man and the Boy". Ruark was a great admirer of Hemingway, but I find Ruark's books easier to read. I think "Something of Value" is his best work.

[offthemap]

I just finished reading The Honey Badger...truly a great book. I've also read Horn of the Hunter, The Old Man and the Boy, and The Old Man's Boy Grows Older. IMHO, it's different than Capstick, but equally as good, if not better. Lots of folks say he patterned his writing after Hemingway. There is definitely a lot of similarity between the two writers, and you could probably make an argument either way.

He wrote a fair amount, so you've got plenty more to read. I've got Something of Value ordered now, and can't wait to dive in.

Grenadine Etching (1947)
I Didn't Know It Was Loaded (1949)
One for the Road (1949)
Grenadine's Spawn (1952)
Horn of the Hunter (1953)
Something of Value (1955)
The Old Man and the Boy (1957)
Poor No More (1959)
The Old Man's Boy Grows Older (1961)
Uhuru (1962)
The Honey Badger (1965)
Use Enough Gun: On Hunting Big Game (1966)
Women (1967)
Robert Ruark's Africa by Michael McIntosh (1991), a collection of Ruark's magazine articles
The Lost Classics (1996), additional hunting adventures

That's a good list! If you read the forward in "the Lost Classics" it describes that Ruark's artistic inspiration came mostly from Hemmingway and he admired him immensely, and thus, his writing as well as his lifestyle, followed suit.

I share the "Ruark" (pronounced Rook) last name and was told that we're distant relatives but I've yet to prove it. As close as I can get is that a few generations ago my family lived in Georgia and before that the Carolina's.

One of my favorite quotes:

"The ramifications are endless if you combine some basic common sense with faith and a long gamble. Quite often you'll trip, but not so often as you'd think if you try the hard shots and give the extra effort you'd devote to the mortal cinches.. ..The greatest adventures of my tenderest-footed days were on offbeat expeditions when boy & dog or boy & boat sort of just sauntered off in unlikely directions and got lost. Mostly I had faith that something would happen, and generally something did.

Something always does if you make up your mind that something WILL..."

- Robert Ruark, 'Hit 'Em Where They Ain't'

[LWC]

I've only read Horn of the Hunter and really enjoyed it. I need to get some more of these.

[ezypikns]

I used to read his columns in Field & Stream when I was a kid...

late 50's or early 60's. Then I read "The Old Man & The Boy". Still have my copy of that book that my Mom gave me in 1960. He was an amazing writer.

If you can find a copy of his movie, "Africa Adventure" (1954), a black & white movie made & narrated by Ruark, it's well worth watching.

[lodgepole]

I've read all his books. He is a wonderful story teller. He can write about food and his description will make you hungry. Lol

Also he is kind of a friend of a friend to my family...sort of.


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[boblee]

I've read all his books. He is a wonderful story teller. He can write about food and his description will make you hungry. Lol

Also he is kind of a friend of a friend to my family...sort of.


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You sure about that?
He died in 1965 in London. After residing in Spain the last few years of his life.


Bob Lee

[lodgepole]

Robert Ruark

Ya, my Dad has a friend that grew up in Addis Abbaba . His father was a part time bush pilot and flew Bob Ruark around in his plane. Dads friend has a complete set of Ruark books bound and signed. Also old family photos of Ruark.

I said sort of...but that is my claim to fame.


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