Customer Reviews

End of the Game

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Hypnotic, sad, and occasionally graphic, this first-rate picto-history of Africa's glory days manages to convey something of the magic that inspired artists and hunters alike to flock to the expansive, untamed land known as The Dark Continent. Excellently annotated with stunning, eye-poppingly original photos never before seen. First rate. Spending an hour with Beard's book is to embark on an adventure. You will not be able to forget many of these photos, some of which were supplied to the author by Karen Blixen, the woman who penned "Out of Africa." The orginal 1965 edition of "End of the Game" is so prized the School of the Art Institute of Chicago keeps a copy under close guard in the Special Collections room. To spend an hour with this book is to lose yourself under the volcanic glare of an African sun, to feel the blackflies nipping at your shins, and see, if only through a final, panicked photo, all the beauty and horror of Africa rushing toward you through the tall grass of an abandoned savannah. Sound exciting? Take my advice: skip "Out of Africa"; "End of the Game" is out of this world.

This is not a coffee table book despite its professional and exquiste photographs. The End of the Game is a heartrending and informative picture of poaching and the plight of the African elephant. For those with connections to Kenya it breathes nostalgia of days gone by, and an era both sad and beautiful.

It's a very real look at Old Africa. It shows the truth of man's bad luck, bad descisions, greed, and life filled with hard times. It shows nature in it's true self, not some Disney version of happy animals dancing around. This is an excellent book and should serve as a wake up call for the multitudes of Americans who believe the garbage that is spoon fed to them on their televisions. It may be well more than most readers can handle, because the truth is not sugar coated here.

Images have great power over the imagination and spirit, and Beard's b&w photographs of elephant carcasses are both elegant and tragic, showing that elephants are the first to be affected by any inbalances in their environment, whether induced naturally or from mankind's insensitivity. What ever flaws Beard may have as a wildlife conservationists, he is great artist with a crying heart for these noble and wonderful animals. I highly recommend this book.

I, like many of you, read these reviews before purchasing this book. I have little to add to these reviews-- for the most part they are accurate: the book is full of captivating photos and text. And like one reviewer stated, full of pictures of dead animals. One reviewer used the words "racist" and "reactionary" to describe this book. I use the idiom "chip on the shoulder" to describe his comments.

Hypnotic, sad, and occasionally graphic, this first-rate picto-history of Africa's glory days manages to convey something of the magic that inspired artists and hunters alike to flock to the expansive, untamed land known as The Dark Continent. Excellently annotated with stunning, eye-poppingly original photos never before seen. First rate. Spending an hour with Beard's book is to embark on an adventure. You will not be able to forget many of these photos, some of which were supplied to the author by Karen Blixen, the woman who penned "Out of Africa." The orginal 1965 edition of "End of the Game" is so prized the School of the Art Institute of Chicago keeps a copy under close guard in the Special Collections room. To spend an hour with this book is to lose yourself under the volcanic glare of an African sun, to feel the blackflies nipping at your shins, and see, if only through a final, panicked photo, all the beauty and horror of Africa rushing toward you through the tall grass of an abandoned savannah. Sound exciting? Forget "Out of Africa"; "End of the Game" is out of this world.

Moleskine Pocket Journal - Plain Pages

I love this book! I lived in North Africa, briefly, but had friends that lived in Kenya and places where safaris actually happen. So, I have heard many first hand accounts of life in modern day Africa, (Malaria!) but thanks to the gorgeous photographs, torn bits of history, diary entries, drawings and Beard's interesting explanations, I could experience a different Africa. Aside from actually undergoing a painful series of shots, venturing into the grasslands, climbing Kilamanjaro, or just trying to figure out the settings on my camera, I think reading or just gazing at this book makes the perfect African holiday. Romantic, tragic and inspiring...I still fear mossies the most!

Having been introduced to his work at a gallery exhibit in New York, I bought this book which contains pretty much the same sad pictures. Really an amazing point of view of wildlife in Africa, might shock some with graphic pictures of carcasses, particularly one of a zebra with its hide stripped off. What I cannot figure out ultimately is where Peter Beard stands on the issue - although the big message appears to me that he opposes the killings, which is why he films the hideousness of it all, he seems to have personally participated in the hunts that he photographs, killing the same animals. He is very elusive about his personal viewpoint, seems kind of snobbish to me.

Published in 1965, the book is the most famous book of Peter Beard. The book is shoking as most photos are pictures of dead animals, it is definitely not a book to look at before your safari. Black and white pictures are excellent. Sadly, the last pages are only photos of elephant's carcasses (too much?). The Beard's touch is a book full of old illustration, tiny pics, small and odd drawings and detailed texts - most of them taken from the British Museum. The book is about the Old Africa and text about Mt Kenya, the Man-eaters of Tsavo, Nairobi and Karen Blixen are not easy and you must have a knowledge of Kenyan history to understand them fully. This book is essential for any African collection as it has shocked and marked history.

I thank you for sending me the above book .Unfortunately the cover was peeled off because the glue inside the envelope was directly in contact with the book cover. And before I opened the package I could see through a hole on top of the envelope that the book cover was damaged. Perhaps the book should have been seperately wrapped in plain paper, before being enclosed in the envelope.

Thank you for your understanding.