Foxhunting Books

Pedia was a genius; he had the love for the sport and the ability to pass it on, not only to his family and friends, but to anyone who picks up any of his books. He was incredibly talented and dedicated to his work- this book shows the passion that captured him as it does so many of us that truly love the hunt, the hounds, and the horses.

best book ever very interesting and intriguing ....very clear and interesting.. i new of the man personally so it was a pleasure to read the book

Reading this collection of special hunting stories so deftly illustrated was a joy. The breadth of the collection encompasses many different periods in hunting lore and offers the reader the enjoyment of reading about hunting from those whose perspectives differed as greatly as did their writing styles. Mr. Mackay-Smith has arranged the collections and illustrations very cleverly, with a sure sense of rythmn and sharp editing skills. A wonderful gift, much treasured.

A wonderful collection of stories about Norfolk Hunt - both past and present - but can be enjoyed by anyone facinated by the sport of foxhunting. Great for the coffee table.

A wonderful collection of stories about Norfolk Hunt - both past and present - but can be enjoyed by anyone facinated by the sport of foxhunting. Great for the coffee table.

A great read for the seasoned member of the hunting field and the novice to foxhunting alike. Patrick Teroerde, MFH

After having the pleasure of meeting and visiting with Melvin during a recent research trip of my own for a book I am writing, I was very pleased to be lent a copy of this book for my reading/research enjoyment. Melvin is truly an original man and anyone who comes into contact with him is immediately struck by his easy ways and welcoming smile. This book will put you in the saddle and trailing behind one of the top Masters of the Hounds in the United States today, and perhaps one of the best in the world. Hats off to Mr. Winants for capturing the spirit of the sport and the spirit of Melvin Poe, a man and his horses and hounds. Judith Joyce Poe, author But I Have Known You

I recommend reading this along with some other biography of Sassoon. The concordances and the differences are stunning. The factual revelations of his life which he does not reveal in these paired biographies/novels are remarkable. Sassoon writes well. The fox hunting classes of England, what must have been going on in their hearts in pre WW1 years unfolds before you. These novels are description of a class of people as well a an insight into Sassoon and the question of where his poetry "came from". A fascinating man with a life whose real events were compressed into a short time. A great study for those interested in Georgian England, in WW1 and in Sassoon himself or other WW1 poets.

Robert Smith Surtees devoted his life basically to two things: fox hunting and novel writing, actually combining both into a single pursuit. He wrote a number of delightful novels centering around the fox-hunting society in and about Durham, England; this was his last book, published posthumously, and among his best. Facey Romford is a confidence trickster who passes himself off as his wealthy namesake, using the other's stationery to pull off the switch. He becomes Master of the Hounds of the Heavyside Hunt, and from that vantage point we are privy to all kinds of characters and happenings. The novel ends with Facey and his new bride going to Australia, not in disgrace, as was hoped by all who knew him, but where his fortunes only increase and all is well. Surtees's humor is broad and ruthless, and his observations on what makes this society tick are keen and perceptive. The novel presents an entertaining look at the sporting side of Victorian England.

I read this book because of my early love of the War Poets, Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and Robert Graves.
What I had not expected was to find myself transported into a nearly forgotten time where Summer was glorious and England was feeling safe, secure and on top of the world.
Yes, they knew that things were a "bit iffy" in Europe. Yes they could see that the USA and Germany could challenge them economically - if not on the seas.
I had read Robert Massie's book Dreadnought which had a solid military-political perspective of the time following Bismarck and his unification of Germany.
This book filled in the missing pieces in my mind to show just why the English and Europeans were so unprepared to fight a total war. And why the aristocracy was so casually careless of the lives of ordinary soldiers.
I wept for the innocence of young men suddenly thrown into the teeth of machine gun fire and massive explosive shells. I smiled and felt comfortable at the descriptions of park cricket at a time that this was the noblest conflict that a young man might pursue.

I read this book because I entered Sassoon first by reading his "Memoirs of an Infantry Officer." Since Sassoon has always been one of my favourite poets I thought this would allow me to see into the mind of one raised in the English Countryside at the turn of the 20th Century.

There is a lot of fox hunting here and if I was encouraged to be more sympathetic to a bunch of upper-class twits running in their finest allowing hounds to do most the work, then this book, for all its description did not engender such feelings. (Being born in Canada, real men and women hunt their animals on foot, are forbidden from using dogs in any form of hunting and a real man shoots one's game over open sights... preferably after that person has hiked over a few mountains on foot. The game is then carried out of the bush, by yourself. There are no manservants, no shared drinking of spirits or chance to rest). But the descriptions of rural life and Sassoon's existence between some limited previledge yet not quite a member of the upper classes was an interesting perspective on this time.

Sassoon writes well and economical. There is little real adventure here and the book would be one that I could recommend to someone who is thinking of touring the quite country lanes of Kent in the summer time, or open whilst on top of Downs on a sunny day. It is a reflection of rural (but not country) life in the soft cotton covered English existence while the world heads for collective insanity.

Sassoon and book eventually drift to war and the last third of the book is about him forsaking Cambridge, taking a commission and eventually heading to the front. While around him his mates, his footmen and other collegues are blown to pieces or otherwise changed unalterably by the war. Sigfried ends the book after the disasterous battles of Loos (where Kipling's son was killed) and the writing style starts to take on a melancholy and more stark tone continued in his "Memoirs of an Infantry Officer".

A good book and one worth the read for the country vignettes.

This is a very good place to commence the life of Sassoon, better known in my country as a great poet of the First World War. Having only the briefest of equestrian experience in rural Dorset and the slightest of brushes with the class structure existing even in a small village, most of Sassoon's marvellously recounted youth falls well beyond this Aussie's radar. I found the quaint rituals of horseriding and foxing fascinating; the fact of a life so given to the pursuit of pleasure, utterly bemusing. Sassoon's everpresent sense of how protected all this was, and how he could place such significance, say, on the purchase of a riding cap, saves this work from charges of class pretension. Though an acute observer, he is amazingly free, in his writing, from the sense of superiority exuding from many of the class he aspires to join.The idyll comes crashing down with the outbreak of War, and the loss of his closest friends are sobering moments, never milked for any self-pity. His writing is exquisite,full of easy phrasings that scroll as readily on his page as the gentle topography of those pleasant pastures green. As eloquent as the succeeding volumes of this series are, I believe this is the most satisfying. Is that, perhaps, because the catostrophe of the trenches was so brilliantly trapped on silent film? iMAGES OF The Great War jittered across our tele screens in the mid 1960s, possibly with the hidden message of consolidating youthful support for our conscription to the Vietnam conflict. I was almost paralysed with fear each Sunday as I sat hypnotised before the unspooling of those oancient black and white atrocities. The effect induced a wholesome loathing of nationalism and all futile expressions on foreign soils.

Perhaps the best way to classify "Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man" is as an autobiographical novel; the details and events described are Sassoon's personal experiences in disguise. This book serves as the first of a trilogy, covering the author's early days up through his initial military service during WWI. Even though it is written as a novel, the truth of the author's life shines through.

The narrator of "Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man" is George Sherston, a young orphan left to live with his aunt in the remote English countryside. He is a shy, reticent and awkward boy who learns gradually to flourish under the tutelage of his aunt's stablehand, Tom Dixon. Dixon teaches young George to ride and play cricket, and as he grows he eventually makes a name for himself among the fox hunting circuit and among horse racers. George drops out of Cambridge to pursue a life of leisure (one that he cannot afford) and finds himself entering the military just before war is declared.

The narrative is surprisingly fast-paced and evocative to begin with. Sassoon has a manner of drawing readers into the story through the quaint and idyllic reminisences of a spoiled young man. Yet readers may soon become distracted with George Sherston's snobbery, his diffidence towards those who care about him and have his best interests at heart, and his pretentious attitude towards his station in life. There are also times when readers can see the author shining through his characters, in scattered asides he drops the mask he holds before him and tells it as it is. "Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man" may not be for everyone, but is a definite must-read for any fan of Sassoon's poetry; it is a window into the world of a man who helped to shape the course of literature after WWI.

This beautifully written account of a well-to-do youth growing up in sleepy rural England in the years leading upto and including the Great War. Siegfried Sasson was one of the finest poets of the Great War, which he experienced first hand (he famously threw his medal into the sea in disgust at the war), however he only touches on the war in this book -- the incredible restraint just adds pogniancy though. I was deeply moved by this book (and Siefrieds war poetry). The book, perhaps somewhat autobiographical(?) describes in some detail the growth of a young rider into an accomplished hunter. There is also some interesting insight into early golf and cricket. While Fox-hunting may not interest some (indeed it is now scorned my many) -- do not let that deter you from reading this excellent book. The book captures, accurately I think, the flavor of rural Britain -- and the relationships that grow up regardless of class in many English villages (the English country village was in many ways the ideal community -- perhaps a model for the world to adopt). This is a wonderful book intended for anybody and everybody -- not just fox hunters.

An interesting combination of fantasy and mystery although the mystery is not important to the storyline.

You may wonder as you read any book in this series how a town full of freedom loving, democratic minded citizens could be persuaded to call a silly, 70-year old harridan Master. Why they would endure her pettiness and mean spirited insults and why they obey her whimsical dictates. Those answers and others are never fully revealed to the reader.

Brown shows an absurd lack of knowledge when it comes to all the animals in her novels. Foxes don't enjoy being hunted, nor do they sit around their humble dens at night and gossip about foxhunters. Horses don't enjoy being jumped over ice to give their riders a thrill. But wishing makes it so in this Virginia community, that is if you are one of the hunting-mad, rich gentry.

Ignore the basic cruelty to animals and the unpleasant sense of entitlement felt by the fox hunters.

I've read Ms. Brown for years and keep hoping I'll enjoy one of her latest books as much as High Hearts or her earlier books. Her snobbish Virginia characters and foxhunting settings have worn very thin. I believe in southern gentility as much as the next person, but in light of the issues we face today, lauding something like foxhunting as "civilized" seems a slap in the face.

I don't mind the animal antropomorphizing, but I do mind her using that device to justify foxhunting as a sport that the foxes apparently "enjoy", even if she only portrays "no kill" hunts.

....but found it confusing since I read Hotspur first. Apparently the author decided to ignore the details in Pete's will in the following books. (Doug to become Hunt Master, no Joint-Master.)

Just found this Rita Mae Brown fox hunting murder mystery series and loved it.. read all of them so far but am posting review for the first...

bottom line all are superb... to be honest when I picked up the first I was not sure what the bit was about anthropomorphizing the animals (hounds, horses, foxes) but it is fine... not overdone and fits right in...

what I like about the series is it is above all positive about life and positive about keeping on living with any and all set backs that occur to people including the loss of loved ones, jealousy sexual and professional, rivalry, pettiness, etc. etc. etc.

it's darned entertaining hearing about American fox hunting from someone expert in the sport who loves it (btw they don't kill the foxes)... it's fun reading the glossary at the end and in the text ("gyp" is a synonym for "bitch" etc.) ...

and finally it's reassuring to read about keeping on keeping on and having both youth and elders and middle agers being able to coexist and help each other...

what can I say I laughed I cried I was entertained and I was engaged... what more would one want ! :)

I thoroughly enjoyed the book - I couldn't wait to find time to read. Outfoxed is light yet intelligent with a fascinating glimpse at the communication between animals and their role in solving the crime. As an animal lover and avid reader, I highly recommend this book. As a recent mystery convert, I am hooked and cannot wait to read the second book in the series (Hotspur).
Enjoy!

This novel seemed like a rush job. The characters are so prolific that you barely get to know who's who - is it human, animal or hunting history being shared. Too much to sort out and too little meat to make it worth it.

Normally I love Rita Mae Brown's stories. I can't wait for them to come out! But this one I found to be disappointing. It had virtually no plot and little interesting interactions with the animals but what felt like an inordinate amount of "lecturing" about various and sundry things. Frankly, it was dull which is something I never thought I would say about one of Ms. Brown's books.

Rita Mae Brown reads her own work in the audio version of this book, not a good decision. Sometimes (like with Barbara Kinsolver), the author's reading enhances a book. Unfortunately, Ms. Brown's inept reading was distracting. I think, overall, I liked the book, as I've liked all her previous works. But with her very odd pacing (she sometimes ran names together, so for the first several chapters I thought there were nuns in the book - Sister Charlotte, for example) and her inability to "voice" the characters differently, I kept getting lost. Several times I had no clue whether the speaker was animal or human. I'd not read any of the Hunt Club books before; maybe it would have helped if I had already known all the characters.

It's wonderful to have another visit with Sister Jane and the crazy people who populate her world. I liked the mystery but the mystery isn't really why I read Rita Mae Brown's hunt books. I read them because I love rural Virginia, dogs, tales of the hunt and character studies.

I liked the fact that there weren't neat endings in this book. One of the students at the local girl's school is an emotional mess, she is making progress but doesn't miraculously turn into a great kid by the end of the book. Another plus for me was be being mercifully spared another sex scene between Sister and her enthusiastic new boyfriend in this book. That was a relief.

I only have a few complaints: I may the only one but I really think Crawford got somewhat wronged in The Hunt Ball. He's a jerk at times, he's crass, a snob, his reaction to Shaker's punch was childish and he loves to show off his wealth but his money goes a long way to making the hunt possible. In the real world Shaker should've either apologized for belting him and or had to face assault charges. The last time a likeable character messed up in this series she had to face the consequences and went to jail. Shaker's transgression is treated like it 's no big deal because he's a beloved member of the pack and Crawford is only tolerated for his money. I didn't like that. Also, the animals had too small a role in this installment of the series and I missed them.

Hunt Ball seems to be a bridge novel and should be read immediately before The Hounds and the Fury. Perhaps in a later edition the two books will be published together.

In spite of the fact that I am not entirely convinced that the foxes enjoy the sport of fox hunting as much as the people do, and as much as Rita Mae Brown proclaims, I enjoyed the Hunt Ball, much as I have enjoyed her other books, both the Sneaky Pie series and the Sister Jane series. I appreciate the way Brown gives voice to the animal characters and uses them to make observations about humans, and I also share her obvious love and respect for the animals in her stories. Her characters are likable, and the feeling of community is welcoming and a nice place to spend a few hours.

In this book, as in all of her books, the mystery is peripheral to the plot, and is rather contrived, but that's not why I read the books. I read them because I always feel that these are people who, should I show up on their doorstep, would bring me in, offer me a nice plate of cookies and then put me to work along with everyone else.

So if you are looking for a nice, tight mystery, this book isn't it. But if you are looking for friends and a welcoming spirit, then by all means pick up these books. You'll be glad you did.

I enjoyed this book, as I do all Rita Mae Brown's "Horsey" stories! I hope more are coming...fast !

An o.k. story if you can get past the talking birds and animals. Tough to be outfoxed by a fox! I thought this was the first book by Ms Brown I had read, but on checking my list of books read, I find "Riding Shotgun" which I don't recall one bit. I guess there were no talking animals in it. Guess not too much effort was put into solving the mystery at the time of Nola's disappearance cause everyone thought the 2 eloped. But had there been, it wouldn't have been difficult to uncover the culprit at that time and might have spared another person's life.
Long live the clever fox.

I enjoy the animal's personification and dialogue in these books and while I'm not enamored of foxhunting, the information about it does make the book informative.

My complaint is that the resolution of the mystery resembles a CHiPs episode I saw in the late 70s. A re-enactment with actors playing the parts of people who've been dead for 2 centuries? It's rather unsatisfactory. I wonder if the author just got painted into a corner and could only conjure up this elaborate scheme to solve the mystery. I found it to be a disappointing way to end an otherwise enjoyable novel.

While other reviewiers here find the talking animals and foxhunting information not to their taste, I find it enjoyable and fascinating. The mystery here is not as well done as in the previous work _Outfoxed_, and the recent _Full Cry_, but the intrigues of the Jefferson Hunt are what make the book. The murder of Nola seemed to me a bit of rehashing of plot from one or two of the Sneaky Pie books, but I am an avid re-reader of Ms Brown's Sneaky Pie work. It would probably go unnoticed by a reader not as familliar with those stories.
The real stars of the story are the animals' interactions with each other and with Sister, and foxhunting itself. Rita Mae Brown paints a picture of life in rural Virginia as intriguing and affectionate as Peter Mayle's France from _A Year In Provence_.
She makes me want to visit, observe a hunt, and wallow in the hospitality of the south. With this and the first book, you grow to know the players in the hunt club as closely as actors on a soap opera. I too missed Doug, and hope he returns in future books. If you enjoied _Outfoxed_, you will enjoy Hotspur.

This could have been a fabulous story with interesting and compelling characters. Instead, we have another self-indulgent wallow in the world of fox-hunting and so-called gracious southern living. I gave up on Rita Mae Brown several years ago when she stopped writing inventive and intriguing novels and started writing stories about talking animals. Recently I picked up Hotspur hoping some of the old zing had come back into her writing. Sadly, it hasn't.