Snake Hunting on the Devil's Highway [Paperback]

Richard Lapidus (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2006 | ISBN-10: 159858216X | ISBN-13: 978-1598582161

On his first snake hunting trip to southeastern Arizona, the author was taunted and belittled by the owner of a small café because he expressed a fear of insects. The author extracted revenge by releasing a large rattlesnake in the crowded eatery. That's where the fun begins in this humorous accounting of the true-life trials and tribulations of two unlikely friends, Richard Lapidus and Buz Lunsford, as they traveled hundreds of miles each summer to spend a few days and nights hunting for snakes, and found themselves in the middle of situations (sometimes dangerous--always funny), mainly around the Chiricahua National Monument and Highway 666. More than snakes were encountered on the summer trips, however; and, through humorous short stories, other desert creatures are discussed, including bats, arachnids, lizards, frogs, toads, turtles, birds, skunks, insects, spiders, rabbits, coatimundis, rangers, law enforcement officials and other unusual two and four-legged critters. As Master of Ceremonies of the Warren Earp Days and Western Book Exposition in 2002, Richard Lapidus stood before the large group and told the story of his first snake hunting trip to that very city of Willcox, Arizona. There was so much laughter and good cheer that Richard was overwhelmed. He later dusted off his notes, and with the assistance of many people, assembled the stories in this collection.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing, LLC (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159858216X
• ISBN-13: 978-1598582161
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,390,749 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rattlesnakes, Anyone? Probably Fun But I'd Rather Read About It, December 8, 2006

By 

W. J. Elvin "W.J. Elvin" (Chesapeake Bay, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Snake Hunting on the Devil's Highway (Paperback)

After reading this book you will never again have to simply shrug and stare off into space when queried about your phobia around heading out into the remote desert in the small hours after midnight, the less moonlight the better, to hunt for potentially lethal rattlesnakes or other exotic specimens such as a large toad that urinates profusely upon being picked up by an eager collector. Trust me, your fears will now stand upon a firm foundation.

On the other hand, my bet is you'll also develop a deeper appreciation for some of the more reclusive of God's creatures. While there are a few times you might get mad at certain characters who, in their stupid cruelty, haven't even evolved near as far as their reptilian victims, for the most part this book is good for much merriment. My favorite among the string of tales and anecdotes involves snake-killer Ranger Rick who gets his payback in way that makes you wish you'd been there. He's not permanently damaged by the experience but he sure learns to have a little respect for wild things.

I was very much reminded of Edward Abbey's story-telling style when reading "Snake Hunting." Even though they are easy-going, sitting around the campfire stories, there's an exciting undercurrent due to the potential for disaster at the turn of page. These tales are very human, filled with foibles, phobias and a wee bit of what's termed "foul language." Parental discretion advised? Well, only if you keep your kids in a closet where they never hear the radio, watch TV or connect with the internet. It's pretty tame by modern standards. And, after all, it's about two wild and crazy guys out hunting deadly snakes in the freaking desert in the middle of the night ... I mean, don't judge it by tea party standards.

While this isn't an academic book, Richard Lapidus reveals himself as a brave and serious naturalist in the course of this humorous series of stories. The patient reader will be surprised and rewarded by the information absorbed over the course of reading it. And I wouldn't be surprised if over the course of vicariously trucking along on these adventures and misadventures, you come to feel like you've found a friend. A quirky friend all right, but aren't they the best kind?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Snake Hunting on the Devil's Highway, August 20, 2008

By 

Mickey T. Richardson "Mickey Richardson" (Long Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Snake Hunting on the Devil's Highway (Paperback)

Snake Hunting on the Devil's Highway is a hysterical and fun collection of stories that revolve around two guys who travel to Arizona in search of exotic reptiles and amphibians and find trouble, fun and craziness along the way. I'm sure the book will make a great movie too. Action, adventure and humor are a constant theme in the book. I really enjoyed how the author broke each adventure into its own chapter, which made the book more like a collection of really funny short stories but ended up being very much related. Intelligence comes from the least likely places at times, and the animals described in nice detail are utterly amazing, which makes you feel a little bit more comfortable about snakes, lizards and frogs after reading this book. But its the crazy situations that's so peculiar and incredible in the book that made it extra enjoyable for me. Fascinating how these two guys are experts in something most people would run away from (SNAKES), and these guys run straight for it! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to laugh, and enjoy themselves for an easy and enjoyable read!

4 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars "Snake Hunting" is a mildy amusing read, September 7, 2009

By 

Chris Marshall (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Snake Hunting on the Devil's Highway (Paperback)

If you're after some substantive essays about herping, even if they've got some light-hearted premises, you might actually be disappointed with this book. It really doesn't teach you much about the particulars of desert snakes, what's really involved with hunting and catching them or their unique behaviors. This book is more a loose collection of field notes written by a guy who's clearly spent more time in the field stuffing snakes in bags than polishing his story-telling skills. I would have been satisfied if more of that field experience really showed through, but it doesn't. It's mostly campfire storytelling without enough engaging tall tales or juicy details. For a more "meaty" read, where you'll really learn some cool things about snakes and other herps, read "Stalking the Plumed Serpent" by D. Bruce Means. Or, Jamie James's "The Snake Charmer." Both will give you newfound respect for snakes and the interesting, engaging people that seek them out.