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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An informative read on an enjoyable subject,
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Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Shotgunner's Notebook: The Advice and Reflections of a Wingshooter (Hardcover)
I realize that I am writing my review almost two years after the previous one that appears here on Amazon. However, I respectfully disagree with some of the comments made by the earlier reviwer. The late author Gene Hill wrote many books before that were touching concerning the philosophical aspects of hunting and bird dogs -- so much so that one reader said that they made you both laugh and cry. What makes Gene Hill's books so moving, besides their wit and sensitivity, is the fact that everyone gets the (perhaps sad) feeling that he is writing about outdoor subjects that seem to be fading from the American scene. The simple pleasures of shooting, hunting upland birds, gun dogs, etc. seem to be less a part of the American lifestyle experience than they were a generation ago. (The late author Jack O'Connor touched on this same point in some of his final writings.)
Given this backdrop, I can see why some may feel A SHOTGUNNER'S NOTEBOOK is not in the same vein as previous Gene Hill books. However, one has to place this book into the overall context of all of Hill's earlier works -- namely a love of hunting and the outdoors. I personally found nice touches of the Gene Hill wit as early as the first chapter and I think the tone of the book is well within the character of his earlier writings. A SHOOTGUNNER'S NOTEBOOK is an extension of what Gene Hill has been telling us all along since the shotguns are part and parcel of the hunting experience and tradition just as much as our favorite dogs and gamebirds are. It could be said by some that Gene Hill's book does not plow any new ground given today's current literature but I found many of the chapters very worthwhile reading to the point of being a sublime pleasure. I don't think it matters much whether one is an experienced gunner or a beginning novice -- everyone will gain something from this book. The chapters are concise (many derivied from his columns in "Gun Dog" magazine) but cover a wide range of topics. For example, I found his thoughts on shotgun choke to be quite interesting and made me rethink my position on the subject. The other chapters are factually sound and enjoyable while being very informative. I sincerely recommend this book to a wide array of readers who would like having a modest length work on the subject of both shotguns and hunting. It is far from being dry or dull! That fact that Gene Hill is no longer with us makes having a copy of this book something one can treasure even more.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Focused on the guns, but not his best work.,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Shotgunner's Notebook: The Advice and Reflections of a Wingshooter (Hardcover)
I waited a long time to get my hands on a copy of this book. I had already read several other Hill books, but this one seemed to be most in demand as the prices for out-of-print copies were pretty high. I finally found one at a reasonable price, and I ordered it immediately. I read it within 24 hours of receiving it - not difficult, as it's not a particularly long book. I have to say honestly that I was very disappointed with it. The book lacked Gene's cleverness and wittiness that made his other books so enjoyable. That in itself would be forgivable, especially considering the somewhat dry nature of the topic, but he used practically no anecdotes or stories make his points. The book is technically accurate and useful, albeit dated, but is not a fun or entertaining read. I suppose I have come to expect that from Gene, and that was the source of my disappoinment.
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