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Yesterday John Sharp announced on Facebook that the book he's been sloooooowly putting together for a number of years is FINALLY going to go to print. He says he plans to have copies for sale at the various shows this winter (DSC, SCI, etc). I, for one, can't wait to see it. The title is Facing Down Fear.

I look forward to this book for a lot of reasons. Like many of us here I am fascinated by the hunting of dangerous game. To compare and contrast, I recently bought Facing the Charge: African Dangerous Game, by Michael Miller. This book was written by an American who has gone on a bunch of safaris. Sixty- or seventy-some safaris, apparently. Out of this experience, which is rightly considered quite a lot of hunting, he has written a book which purports to be about hunting dangerous game. And it's a lovely book, really well designed, with good photography and a lot of personal experiences and incidental knowledge written up in it. And one gets the impression that the author has done some really good hunting, and has truly faced dangerous game down and won, which is nothing to be taken lightly. I expect I'd enjoy hunting with Miller, and talking with him over a campfire as the African sunset fades into black. But if you want to read about hunting dangerous game, well, it falls well short of the mark. It's terribly over-written (think "Capstick" on metaphoric steroids, if you like), and when you get down to it, there are only a half-dozen DG hunting incidents covered in the entire book... and it's a thin thing, just north of 150 pages, large type and double spaced, after you subtract the various forewords, introductions, afterwords, and acknowledgements written to endorse it.

This is not the sort of book we can expect John Sharp's to be.

When I hunted buffalo in Zimbabwe with John in 2015 we spent a lot of time talking about books: primarily his book, which he gave me to understand was a long way from being finished at that time. Apparently, something lit a fire under him to get it done sooner than he thought! I sincerely hope that this is not the signal that he's going to retire, for I really want to hunt with him at least one more time before he hangs his 470 Rigby double up for the last time. We also discussed at quite some length the idea I have for a dangerous game book, one which will carry on the discussion of target anatomy and physiology I started with my how-to-kill-bad-guys book already in print (the Tactical Anatomy Instructor Manual, 2006), not that the idea of such a book has any credit compared to what I believe John's book will be, but it served as a focus for our discussion.

As it happens, his book's title, and the subject matter--facing down the fear of the massive beast that is about to try to destroy your very existence--ties in with the work I've been doing in law enforcement for the past couple of decades. Standing up to imminent threat of death, and violent, painful death at that, is something that fascinates and terrifies us. Unlike the horror-film junkies, who seek the harmless thrill of celluloid gore without risking anything more than the loss of fifteen or twenty bucks, the men (and a few women) who face down the very reasonable fear of lion, leopard, buffalo, rhino, and elephant, not to mention bear, tiger, and others to the point where they willingly engage with the beasts at bad-breath distance court very real danger of losing their lives and limbs in these self-defining encounters. Why we do it, how we do it, and the elemental thoughts and emotions of hunting dangerous game are questions that speak to the deepest nature of Homo sapiens, Man the hunter.

This is much of what we talked about around those mopane campfires two years ago. During the course of those discussions John shared a lot of stories with me, as I'm sure he does with almost all of his hunters. Because we delved into some areas that are not common knowledge, he shared details of some incidents with me that he said have only been discussed with a handful of people, and I assured him I would keep those items to myself until such time as he makes them public knowledge.

But I will say this one thing, and I am not betraying a confidence by doing so: by his accounting, John has faced down more charges from buffalo alone than most professional hunters have faced from all of the Big Five combined. Add to that his extensive experience hunting lion, elephant, and leopard, and the totals become incredible. Out of that crucible a singular character has been forged that is unlike any I have ever known. I consider it an honor beyond price that he chooses to call me his friend.

But personal considerations aside: that such a wealth of dangerous game hunting experience is being shared with the rest of us in this book is a truly marvellous thing. So many of the best African hunters never got around to writing of their lives and experience, and many of those who did weren't really up to the task. We have a handful--Bell, Taylor, Selous, to name a few--who did, but there should have been a lot more. Sadly, most of them passed from this world before they ever got around to writing that book they'd been mulling over for years.

I don't know if John Sharp is a great writer, or only a good one. I guess we'll know soon enough. But I sincerely hope he has a good editor, because his story deserves it. It should be a cracking good read. Facing Down Fear promises to be the dangerous game hunting book we have all been hoping for. Watch for it.


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I met John several years ago and he was polite and took the time to answer all of my questions. It was a pleasant experience. This was not long after he lost one of his native staff and took out a full page ad in African Hunting magazine in honor of his friendship and respect for his late staff member. That to me said a lot about the kind of man he is. I look forward to reading his book.


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I've also spoken with John about this and can't wait to get my copy at DSC.


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Fantastic!


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Should be a great book.

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Unfortunately I can't make it to either DSC or SCI. If not too much of an imposition, would it be possible for one of you gents to have John sign and address a copy for me and send it my way? I'll obviously pay all expenses of course, as well as buy a round of single malt for John and whomever can help a brother out!

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That is great to read. I am thinking some of the old timers are realizing they may not have much time. This Thursday I head to Zim to hunt with the Meyer's who have been at it since 1969. I was pretty excited to get to meet JPS Meyer but alas he passed away not long ago...


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Originally Posted by FOsteology
Unfortunately I can't make it to either DSC or SCI. If not too much of an imposition, would it be possible for one of you gents to have John sign and address a copy for me and send it my way? I'll obviously pay all expenses of course, as well as buy a round of single malt for John and whomever can help a brother out!


Got you covered, Fost. Just PM me what you want.


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Much obliged CDR. I'll shoot you a PM later on this evening.

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Rog


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Originally Posted by DocRocket
I sincerely hope that this is not the signal that he's going to retire, for I really want to hunt with him at least one more time before he hangs his 470 Rigby double up for the last time.


It is common knowledge in my house that I will be hunting Cape Buffalo with John in 2019. So start planning your next hunt with him! smile

I was really hoping the printer would be able to get copies ready for January. This all sounds very promising. Looking forward to buying at least a couple copies.


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James,

Dibbs on a copy for me too, if you can.


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I'd like someone that is going to one of the conventions to get a copy for me as well. Please PM me if you are will to do this for me so I can get you payment. Thanks.


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Why ask someone to get you one at a convention? Someone should just post where to order it. Amazon? Safari Press? Anyone know?


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Simple, because his book is not available through them. If anything, it will probably be available through the African Hunting Gazette folks.


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If the book is available at DSC I would be more than happy to buy copies for any Campfire members.

As DSC gets closer just PM me to let me know what you want and where to send it.

I have no idea what the cost will be at this point, but we can work that all out when the time comes.

Hopefully John can sign them, as well.


Tim

Last edited by Tarbe; 10/02/17.

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Latest from John is that the printer is not going to have copies ready to ship until March.

They must be too busy celebrating the demise of Mugabe. wink


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Frankly, and after discussing him on my hunt this year in Zim, the feeling is it is time for him to retire He has made some recent mistakes and is over priced as I was told. Bottom line is that I shot a nice buffalo bull (39") for a lot less money than he had been posting.


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Ed: His pricing is a function of the place he hunts; The Bubye Conservancy. As to his mistakes, I sure would like to know specifics. PM me if you like.


A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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BTT.


A good principle to guide me through life: “This is all I have come to expect, standard lackluster performance. Trust nothing, believe no one and realize it will only get worse…”
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