Speaking of sporting books...

Phil Yearout · 08-21-2015, 05:37 PM

One author who has somehow avoided me is Archibald Rutledge. Any suggestions of titles I should look for?

Charles Matthews · 08-22-2015, 09:29 AM

Phil,
My favorite Rutledge selections are "Home by the River" and " Hunting and Home in the Southern Heartland", edited by Jim Casada. Most of his hunting stories are centered around his family home, Hampton Plantation, located on the South Santee river in coastal South Carolina. More than just a collection of hunting exploits, these books chronicle his life from the time of childhood, to his "exile" in Pennsylvania, to his return and restoration of his home place later in life. If anyone cherishes "family hunts", Rutledge will warm your heart with the tales of hunts with his sons.
I am fortunate to live 40 miles from Hampton Plantation and have visited the site dozens of times. I am a big fan of Rutledge and his works make up a large part of my library.

Regards,
Charles

Daniel G Rainey · 08-22-2015, 05:39 PM

Phil I agree, you should start with "Home by the River" ,"Hunters Choice" is another good one. Rutledge was born to the manor and much like another well born Southern outdoor writer Nash Buckingham, they had a hard time making ends meet. Rutledge is has been known to kill the same deer more than once but for different stories. Around Memphis Nash know for always accepting every invitation to hunt, always being short on funds and never learning to drive a car. Both are great writers. Dan

King Cobb · 08-22-2015, 05:57 PM

There is a best of Rutledge...I think it might be Home and Southern Heartland, but I loved it and it is my favorite of his books.

MarketHunter · 08-24-2015, 02:50 PM

Like you Phil, I've never read much of his stuff. I think I've got one on the shelf which I bought and read so long ago, I can't now remember the title. One of his relatives has posted on the site a few times about a Parker if I remember correctly.

Destry

Phil Yearout · 08-24-2015, 02:59 PM

I ordered up Home by the River and Hunting and Home... from ABE; that should get me started.

Mills · 08-24-2015, 04:16 PM

Home by the River is the place to start. Then, just about any of his hunting books: Old Plantation Days, Days Off in Dixie, Tom and I on the Old Plantation, Bolio and Other Dogs . . . some are pricey. His poetry is good, particularly the early stuff (which is really pricey). If you love turkey hunting, then America's Greatest Game Bird can't be beat and it has stories in SC and up in Pennsylvania.

Bill Murphy · 08-24-2015, 05:16 PM

Does anyone know what outdoor publications contain the most of his writings? Are any of us interested in creating a bibliography of his periodical writings?

Mills · 08-24-2015, 05:54 PM

Jim Casada would know if anyone did. I have heard he wrote for a lot of magazines

Charles Matthews · 08-24-2015, 06:07 PM

"Archibald Rutledge: The Man and His Books" by Dorothy Stone Harmon, contains a list of 39 periodicals that featured Dr. Rutledge's works. The list includes the usual suspect ( Field and Stream, Sports Afield, Forest and Stream) but also Saturday Evening Post, The New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly and The Virginia Quarterly Review. These were in addition to his books, which in some cases were a compilation of his articles.
On an interesting note, this book by Dorothy Stone contains copies of original handwritten manuscripts of some of his works.

Charles