If you are into fiction, check out Rita Mae Brown’s “Sister Jane” and “Mrs. Murphy” murder mystery series. These are set in the Charlottesville, VA area and the lives of the main characters in both series revolve around fox hunting. http://www.ritamaebrownbooks.com/
Here’s one I haven’t seen anyone else list
Years ago my mom bought me a book titled Fields Elysian: A Portrait of Hunting Society. It was printed in the UK about 1984 and the author is Simon Blow. He is a nephew of Phillip Cantrell-Hubbersty and Phyllis Cantrell-Hubbersty, who were MFHs of the Quorn. Very interesting read about the major players on the British foxhunting scene, mostly from about 1880 to the 1950’s. Some good photos too. It might be out there on the internet somewhere…
What a coincidence! I bought a copy of this at the library sale at National Sporting Museum Library, Middleburg. Mine was a hardcover copy, beautiful photographs from that period. I read it cover to cover. I would say the chief value of this book lies in the visuals of a ‘lost era’. If you scanned the photos, some make for very nice framed pictures for your tack room!
I also recommend Anthony Trollope’s “Hunting Sketches”. I’ve found that I enjoy most the foxhunting books written by foxhunting literary figures (Siegfried Sassoon, and now Trollope) - they already know how to spin a good yarn and their ‘authorial voice’ is so captivating. When I saw Trollope’s table of contents: “The Man Who Hunts and Doesn’t Like It”…“The Man Who Hunts and Does Like It”…“The Man Who Hunts and Never Jumps”…I burst out laughing and bought it right away. So relatable despite the gulf of time.
SOME TIPS ABOUT BUYING USED FOXHUNTING BOOKS
I have now amassed a shelf of foxhunting books, mostly over 100 years old. The best (and best value) are those from in-person purchases in old bookshops or library sales. My experience has been that online you can get overcharged as dealers are quite savvy and know the value of convenience to the Web surfer.
If you live in or near Middleburg, you can make it your habit to stop by the National Sporting Museum Library every fortnight to see what’s in the library sale cart next to the receptionist (note: the Library is not inside the Museum, it’s just the light-colored carriage house separate from the Museum itself, adjacent to it, same parking lot). I’ve picked up beautiful 19th century, early 20th century foxhunting books there: everything is $5 each and you would be donating to a good cause. I would not even share this info with you if I lived nearby, but as I only visit occasionally, it would be unfair for me to keep this information to myself!
Lastly, a lot of my old foxhunting books bear library stamps or plates - they are often interesting people. You can Google them - they’d be ex-Masters, or huntsmen, or landowners of estates long gone (or that have been converted into hotels or clubs). Although foxhunting is not something we can talk about with most folks now outside of certain geographical areas, the shrinking of the community of folks interested in foxhunting means we are the lucky ones poised to catch the flotsam and jetsam of the ‘old world’, at a very reasonable price. It’s kind of like buying used shellac records from the 1920s, or like that old Patek Philippe tag line: “you don’t own it…you keep it for the future generation!”
Happy book-hunting and reading. I would be checking this thread in the future for more book recommendations!
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Well, re: books Lady Fane’s Chit Chat, by Lady Augusta Fane. Really interesting account of hunting and other aspects of Edwardian life. Like the Irish RM it doesn’t read “old fashioned”.
Another book is A Portion for Foxes by Jane McClary. Then you can find all the people she portrayed really unflatteringly in Hunt Country in America by Kitty Slater. I would be astounded if anyone spoke to Ms. McClary again but maybe they were just happy to be in the book.
I enjoyed the Bolivars but the hunt stuff is weird and unbelievable-it involves a hunt from Virginia to New York-yep, one hunt. AND though not a deal breaker for me-it’s hilariously homo-erotic. I am guessing the author didn’t think of it that way but could have been laughing a bit too.
There’s a novel called Riding High by two women who write as Emily Brooks. That was fun.
If I think of any more I’ll post 'em! And thanks for the ebook list!!
Regards,
Huntin’Fool
Most of the books that come from US whitetail hunting are useless to anybody who doesn’t stand hunt. I listen to this pretty good podcast to glean information, but it is so focused on tree stands that I can’t use most of their info. Rienellas stuff is great. His Meateater series of videos is excellent. I’d love to take a peak into his books and s how thy are. His focus is spot and stalk. I have yet to find a really great resource for still hunting other than guys who do it a bunch.
