The Johnsons were first and foremost photographers, not writers or hunters. Osa evolved into the shooter on demand (groceries and protection). The facets I most enjoy are the logistics of accomplishing what they did. I'd much rather read her accouts than those of the modern painters who describe every component beginning with the cartridge, primer, powder, slug, action, barrel, scope, stock, gloves, shirt, camo pattern, hat, sunglasses.....etc all the way out to the airline, fuel provider, and plane they flew in on that we get from todays writers and media.
Most of those in the outback at the turn of the century were simply there to do a job and were not obsessed with the intricacies of their accomplishments. I.e. they were not there to print and sell books. Had they waxed elequontly on the xanthic reflections of morning dew drops and muted trills of bowery birds as the sun's corona peaked from behind Mt Kilimanjaro, one would not have time to read the 3 dozen volumes they could have generated.
I think Jim Corbett's writings on the man eater tigers is one of the finest hunting books ever drafted. It's probably also the epitome of understatement.
I suspect the writings and images of those early adventurers will always remain classics. I hope our great grand children don't end up viewing photos and videos of the now generation out and about with more labels on their person than a NASCAR driver and think " wow, those were the days." Few if any of today's writers will ever collect the experiences of those early travelers. That being, most today seem to borrow heavily from their predecessors.
Last edited by 1minute; 01/06/09.
