African Game Trails: An Account of the African Wanderings of an American Hunter-Natrualist [Paperback]

Theodore Roosevelt (Author), H. W. Brands (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2001

In 1909, the Smithsonian Institution commissioned ex-President Theodore Roosevelt to collect specimens of African wildlife for the National Museum. Roosevelt went to Africa with his son Kermit, several prominent naturalists, and many journalists, thereby initiating the safari industry and setting the standard for the big game hunt. Yet Roosevelt never killed for thrills, instead hunting only specific animals in the amounts requested by the Smithsonian. Making his way from the Kenyan coast to the Upper Nile, he records his impressions of the African landscape, witnesses a traditional lion hunt by African pastoralists, and recalls his meetings with East Africans, to whom he was known as 'Bwana Tumbo (belly).'

Editorial Reviews

Review

[Roosevelt's] descriptions of the land, the people and the game he encountered are as colorful and readable today as they were in 1910, when this classic was originally published. (Dallas Morning News )

A source of constant entertainment. (Nation )

Frequently lightened by touches of genius and always readable. (New York Times )

About the Author

Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) was a soldier, rancher, President of the United States, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, and an accomplished explorer and author. His book Through the Brazilian Wilderness is also available from Cooper Square Press. H. W. Brands, the author of the bestselling Roosevelt biography T. R.: The Last Romantic, lives in Austin, Texas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 618 pages
• Publisher: Cooper Square Press; 1st Cooper Square Press ed edition (April 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0815411324
• ISBN-13: 978-0815411321
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #295,649 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( R ) > Roosevelt, Theodore

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perfect reading for downtime on your safari, August 31, 2009

By 

Enjolras (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: African Game Trails: An Account of the African Wanderings of an American Hunter-Natrualist (Paperback)

I had just finished reading Douglas Brinkley's new The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America and decided to take Roosevelt's African Game Trails: An Account of the African Wanderings of an American Hunter-Natrualist on my own safari to East Africa this summer. The book is a collection of articles he wrote during his 1909-10 safari for Scribners.

One of the questions I had before I read the book is whether it would actually provide interesting insights into Roosevelt and Africa, or whether it would just relate how Roosevelt shot up wildlife. I found the book to be a mix of both. Roosevelt is a keen observer of wildlife and provides many insights into animals that biologists consider accurate today (and that I observed on my trip). His discussion of which of the Big 5 (Lions, Leopards, Elephants, Rhinos, and Cape Buffalo) is the most dangerous is interesting and he reflects upon his own experiences to conclude that it depends on the situation. There are also a few memorable stories, such as the time when his fellow hunters had to throw several spears into a Lion to stop its charge. It is also simply fun to see a former U.S. president in all sorts of crazy situations (the book has great black & white photos from the trip).

However, the most interesting aspect of the book is its insight into Roosevelt himself. He frequently calls indigenous Africans savages and praises European settlers. From these remarks, it is clear that he saw Europeans in Africa in much the same manner as he saw the American West - a new frontier to be settled on behalf of civilization. He isn't racist - at least according to the standards of his time (in the U.S., he was actually quite progressive on race) - but rather reflects a Social Darwinist view of humanity.

This is a long book (over 500 pages in my version) and it seems long after a while since it generally involves the accumulated killing of animals. However, you have to remember that it was originally written as a series of articles for Scribners and was not meant to be read in one sitting. I think it works well if you read it over a few days or weeks. I read mine during the long drives from one park to the next during my safari in East Africa. That way, you won't get fatigued by the hunting stories.

One final note: this book is crying out for an annotated edition. I think it would be great for some conservation biologist to expound upon Roosevelt's observations of African wildlife. While Roosevelt gets many things right, we have also benefitted from a century of field research in East Africa. For example, Roosevelt at first is adamant that there is only one species of Rhinoceros, with the Black Rhino being the common form and White Rhinos a sub-species aberration (although by the end of the book he sounds less sure). Of course, today we consider these two distinct species and in fact the Black Rhino is far less common. I would also be interested in learning whether his observations of the African tribes were accurate. Alas, this is the work of a future edition. While you're waiting, you can take this edition of African Game Trails with you on your next safari.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating reading!, January 2, 2011

By 

dakota snowflake - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: African Game Trails: An Account of the African Wanderings of an American Hunter-Natrualist (Paperback)

Purchased this book to read before taking an East African safari. It was soooo interesting! Full of detail of all kinds. Highly recommend adding this to one's reading before experiencing a safari in Africa.