Is Capstick real or fake?

[Tulu]

Hey all!
I don’t want to make this too long but long story short a much older coworker of mine saw that I had a huge interest in African reading to which he proceeded to bash Capstick and call him a fake. I never get into a debate unless I have all the facts hence why I’m going to my community here which I trust. My coworker’s claim was that Capstick actually stole stories from Hunter and other previous writers or hunters. My impressionnas if it wasn’t Captsick’s actual story he would say so as a disclaimer.
Does anyone know or can prove that that’s true?
Capstick’s writings, like all of of Im sure, we’re very influential in my life and wanted to research this thoroughly.
Thanks!

 

[baxterb]

This will go on forever...

I doubt your coworker has read every one of captick's books - just likes jumping on the "I heard xxx about capstick." Ask you coworker for facts that he actually lifted stories - which books already written did he steal from?. If he falls back on the "everyone knows it" trope - you know he knows nothing.

I'll say this - I've seen exactly ONE PH (other than Mark Sullivan, who also garners as much hatred) actually put in writing that he did not like Capstick - never said he stole a story or what have you, just didn't have much regard for him. I've have heard a story first hand that Capstick shot a cow buffalo out of turn - OK - big damn deal.

I defend Capstick only because the vast, vast majority of those who bash him do so with hearsay and the fact is that Capstick is responsible for much of the interest (still) in safari - a little bit of tall poppy syndrome. "Capstick was a bartender who just lifted stories..." is one I've heard... I very seriously doubt Fiona would have married a plagiarizing bartender... but I digress..

Death in the Long Grass came out in 1977 - 44 years ago - and has NEVER been out of print, and is still under the St. Martins impress. No other safari writer even comes close to that for a pure hunting book.

Is Capstick a fraud? No. Is he a writer, who loved telling a story well so it engages the reader? Yes. Did things happen in his stories exactly as they did in real life? Probably not. Is that cause to pillory him? No (have you read Ruark?).

I would not feel I had to gather my facts to refute his accusations about PHC - that's on your coworkers shoulders, not yours.

Long live PHC

 

[Red Leg]

He was a great writer. You should read his works in the same way one reads Robert Ruark’s “Old Man and the Boy” stories. They were indeed based upon his adventures with his grandfather, but in no way were intended to be a biographic narrative or courtroom testimony. Hemingway’s “Green Hills of Africa” is a similar “non-fiction” book where his first Safari provided the basis of those adventures.

Capstick was in Africa and did act as a professional hunter. He could both tell and appreciate a good story. The difference between him and most of his critics is that he had a magnificent gift in telling those tales. I would suggest enjoying them as just that.

 

[sestoppelman]

He was a great writer. You should read his works in the same way one reads Robert Ruark’s “Old Man and the Boy” stories. They were indeed based upon his adventures with his grandfather, but in no way were intended to be a biographic narrative or courtroom testimony. Hemingway’s “Green Hills of Africa” is a similar “non-fiction” book where his first Safari provided the basis of those adventures.

Capstick was in Africa and did act as a professional hunter. He could both tell and appreciate a good story. The difference between him and most of his critics is that he had a magnificent gift in telling those tales. I would suggest enjoying them as just that.

I would go just a bit further, he not only acted as a PH he was licensed as such and hunted with some big name outfitters.. He also hunted big cats in South America before he went to Africa
And as noted above he is largely responsible for the probably the biggest boom in safari since Ruark. His stories, be they his or someone else's are totally captivating and well worth the read.
Ignore the legion of naysayers, most of them are just jealous.

 

[Red Leg]

I would go just a bit further, he not only acted as a PH he was licensed as such and hunted with some big name outfitters.. He also hunted big cats in South America before he went to Africa
And as noted above he is largely responsible for the probably the biggest boom in safari since Ruark. His stories, be they his or someone else's are totally captivating and well worth the read.
Ignore the legion of naysayers, most of them are just jealous.

Did not mean to imply that he wasn’t a licensed PH. He was. Critics will claim he spent much of his time tending bar and managing clients. Who cares. He had meaningful experience in Africa and the God given talent to write about his observations brilliantly (at least his early works). As I say, if were his name Ruark or Hemingway, no one would say a thing.

 

[baxterb]

Did not mean to imply that he wasn’t a licensed PH. He was. Critics will claim he spent much of his time tending bar and managing clients. Who cares. He had tremendous meaningful experience in Africa and the God given talent to write about his observations brilliantly (at least his early works).

I happen to think his best books are Peter Capstick's Africa A Return to the Long Grass 1987 (about the lion hunt with Gordon Cundhill) and Sands of Silence - 1991 (elephant with Volker Grellman). Both are as safari books should be in my opinion - full of stuff other than just shooting animals. I've read both a dozen times or more.

He indeed loved Africa - you can tell it with every dotted i and crossed t. I think it's that infectiousness that comes through the pages.

 

[sestoppelman]

For sheer excitement and terror, Death in the Long Grass has few equals.

 

[Rare Breed]

I have read all his books and believe him to be a great man who had and lived his passion for Africa. He gave up a fortune in American investment banking (fact) to pursue his dream in Africa…how many of us can claim the same

 

[Sabattiboy]

In another thread a man/fellow PH piped in about being with Capstick in one of his escapades.
I've read and heard the same things about Elmer Keith but I doubt any of those people were standing with him when the things he wrote took place.
This is kind of like the naysayers about landing on the moon; Tell Armstrong and the others they lied.
As I said on the other thread, I sure A-Square designed the 470 Capstick cartridge for a bartender then tried it out shooting a cape buffalo on video. Of course that was all faked too.

 

[flatwater bill]

An old man, and a very experienced PH that I know well, hunted with PHC. He told me the good and the bad. There was a lot more good. He was there. He was a hunter. FWB

 

[Sabattiboy]

If you want to get the hair raised on the back of your neck and laugh yourself silly both read Col Patterson writings of the Tsalvo river killer lions. At that time Lions were hunted as vermin so he has some stories very worth reading. I found it in pdf format on the internet.
And am certain there are some out there that can say his stories are hogwash.

 

[Bonk]

The worst anyone can say about Capstick is he was a slightly flawed human being and he probably embellished a tale or two for literary value. So what. We're all flawed and we've all polished a story here and there without outright fabricating facts. He was a hunter first and a writer second and writers are supposed to paint a picture through their words. In that regard IMO he has no equal.

 

[John Wasmuth]

PHC was a genuinely good man with a keen talent for telling a story. He would tell you straight up that the tale he’s about to tell happened to someone else. He never stole a story. Embellished? What good story isn’t to some degree. It’s always easier to try to discredit some one after they're dead because they can’t defend themselves from the cowardly attackers. Peter Hathaway Capstick was just a genuinely good man.

 

[jacques smith]

Chapstick just may be responsible for my first safari. His writing pushed me over the edge and safari one was for leapard. I always knew I would shoot a striped horse to kill a spotted cat. I can’t hardy count the trips since then. Thank you Peter

 

[Hogpatrol]

Hey all!
I don’t want to make this too long but long story short a much older coworker of mine saw that I had a huge interest in African reading to which he proceeded to bash Capstick and call him a fake. I never get into a debate unless I have all the facts hence why I’m going to my community here which I trust. My coworker’s claim was that Capstick actually stole stories from Hunter and other previous writers or hunters. My impressionnas if it wasn’t Captsick’s actual story he would say so as a disclaimer.
Does anyone know or can prove that that’s true?
Capstick’s writings, like all of of Im sure, we’re very influential in my life and wanted to research this thoroughly.
Thanks!

Ask him if he believes the Bible has no embellishments and is 100% factually correct.

 

[gprippers]

He was a great writer. You should read his works in the same way one reads Robert Ruark’s “Old Man and the Boy” stories. They were indeed based upon his adventures with his grandfather, but in no way were intended to be a biographic narrative or courtroom testimony. Hemingway’s “Green Hills of Africa” is a similar “non-fiction” book where his first Safari provided the basis of those adventures.

Capstick was in Africa and did act as a professional hunter. He could both tell and appreciate a good story. The difference between him and most of his critics is that he had a magnificent gift in telling those tales. I would suggest enjoying them as just that.

EXACTLY! I could not have said it any better or given any better examples.

 

[Timbo]

Hey all!
I don’t want to make this too long but long story short a much older coworker of mine saw that I had a huge interest in African reading to which he proceeded to bash Capstick and call him a fake. I never get into a debate unless I have all the facts hence why I’m going to my community here which I trust. My coworker’s claim was that Capstick actually stole stories from Hunter and other previous writers or hunters. My impressionnas if it wasn’t Captsick’s actual story he would say so as a disclaimer.
Does anyone know or can prove that that’s true?
Capstick’s writings, like all of of Im sure, we’re very influential in my life and wanted to research this thoroughly.
Thanks!

I heard that too from PHs I was with in Zim and elsewhere. As identified by others he embellished stories - and used his gift for telling a story to write some entertaining books - but I think the problem arose from those stories he implied were his OWN experiences (ie: writing in "the first person"), rather than relating a story as had happened to OTHERS (ie: writing in "the third person").

All this reminds me of the old adage: "Beware of dangerous game lying in long grass - while hunters lie in print!!"

 

[John Wasmuth]

I heard that too from PHs I was with in Zim and elsewhere. As identified by others he embellished stories - and used his gift for telling a story to write some entertaining books - but I think the problem arose from those stories he implied were his OWN experiences (ie: writing in "the first person"), rather than relating a story as had happened to OTHERS (ie: writing in "the third person").

All this reminds me of the old adage: "Beware of dangerous game lying in long grass - while hunters lie in print!!"

Any thing other than I heard from a guy that heard from another guys cousins best friends dog walker that.......... after all these years not one single person can offer proof PHC stole anyone’s story and passed it off as his own.... it’s all hear say

 

[Captain Munro]

Death in Silent Places won me over. It was a gift from a friend that picked it up in a thrift store. Now all Capstick's books are on my Christmas list!

 

[375er]

Death in Silent Places won me over. It was a gift from a friend that picked it up in a thrift store. Now all Capstick's books are on my Christmas list!

You SHOULD read them all...and then start packing for Africa because you are going to want to go asap!