Hope you dont mind me adding mine to this thread for consistency...
The Sound of the String by Brad Isham
Well, I just finished reading a book that should be on everyone’s reading list this year…..The Sound of the String by Brad Isham. Typically, I don’t read books about hunting Africa…and rarely watch hunting shows/videos of the area. This is not because I abhor Africa but that I don’t ever see myself going there and primarily I see guys with weapons that just don’t catch my fancy. Sure I enjoy shooting firearms in addition to my glass backed or self bows; but am just tired of the fist pumping, yelling and screaming on 60 yard shots and then wondering why they got little penetration or was a misplaced hit.
I did not buy this book but won it in an offering online but did not intend to continue my disinterest in all things professional and African when it comes to hunting though must admit I am tempted by E. Donnell Thomas’ book Double Helix…as I have thoroughly enjoyed his books and Brad even mentions it as the reading material by the main character. And so we start with Gordon, preparing for his hunt in Africa…laying up lamination's of bamboo, limb veneer, riser and glass for a bow he calls Thabazimbi. It showed the detail and perfection pursued in his bowmaking…and even mentioning something I have only heard one other time—“Wet on wet, no regret” as it applies to applying glue to every dry surface before combining them in press to ensure good adhesion when cured.
Less you think this is just a bowmaking or bowhunting novel, there is something underlying in the text that caught me by surprise. I had read the comments on forums and even on back of book once it arrived but discarded them as flowery words by friends and fans… Wow was I wrong.
The Sound of the String is a traditional bowhunting book but it is much more…and steps off the game trail of the typical and dabbles in life lessons, personal integrity, the struggle between the heart and the mind, and also that fine line between doing what is right vs doing what is ‘right for you’ when other options are presented. Gordon, the hero, completes his bow and even a spare and makes his first trip to South Africa. Immediately I can relate to the character in his actions on the long flight as he deals with obnoxious hunters without causing a stir but using his mental faculties to diffuse the situation and also be the hero. His challenges in this story are the items discussed on every traditional forum, campfire or camp when it comes to the challenges and obstacles we face in pursuit of our passion.
Gordon also confronts these same scourges but sometimes much differently than we would expect. Everything from slob hunters and “ugly” Americans on the flight to disbelief in the effectiveness of his chosen equipment and even his own innate desire to do the hunt himself…from beginning to end without much or any help from the PH.
We read how Gordon earns the respect of the PH and staff, become part of their family but then also fights inner urges as he becomes more close to the PH’s wife. I wondered while reading how much of his travels to Africa were based on an urge to bowhunt more animals even after his disappointing Kudu attempt…and how much was from being lustful of another man’s wife.
In the end he removes himself from the situation but not until after a heart stopping encounter with a old bull cape buffalo that leaves your hands sweaty and heart pounding with excitement. Plot twists are not in short supply especially near the climax of the adventure but in the end, Gordon proves that he is “everyman” no matter how hard he tries. His visions and ideas of right and wrong are challenged in every chapter but he is well grounded in his own abilities as a bowyer, a hunter, and a man. He is not perfect but he strives for perfection to a fault.
The Sound of the String gave me much to think about while reading it the first evening after it arrived in a ground blind. I was so enthralled by the story line and adventure interwoven with human challenges and detractors that it could easily have been written in the middle of the previous century. The underlying story beyond all the bowhunting and such reminded me of reading one of the classics. I know some will roll their eyes but the feeling I got was similar as to when reading Grapes of Wrath or a Catcher in the Rye. I know some literary zealots will want me tarred and feathered…but this book gave me much to comprehend and acknowledge while reading.
Easily I could have done the light-sport reading commonly undertaken with most outdoor related books…but this one hooked me deeply and had me meditating on every chapter and word. Now for those of you that could care less about social meaning and personal redemption…there is a healthy dose of hunting adventure. Especially the chapter with the rogue baboons….talk about nerve wracking!
This book is destined to be a classic along the lines of Longbows of the Far North, where the authors beliefs, fears, and personal demons are laid bare beside his triumphs and convictions of heart as it relates to traditional bowhunting but also life itself. It would do anyone good to pick up a copy and give it a serious read one slow, rainy and cold weekend by the fire not only for the entertainment of a well written book; but also for the ability the author has in making us examine ourselves based on the thoughts and actions of the hero---Gordon.
Well done Brad and this is definitely one of those books that is destined to be read many times. There is a bit of Gordon in all of us that truly love this sport, the heft of a bow in hand or the sound of the string. Gordon may have enlightened those he met with his basic kindness and thoughtfulness in treating everyone as someone special. I believe he received much more than he gave by those he met…especially Moses and Daniel but you need to read it for yourself to find out exactly why. There are some very good life lessons contained in these pages…don’t let their meaning go unnoticed. Least of all the ending which caught me totally by surprise! Is there a sequel in the works??
Keep em sharp,
Ron Herman
Topic: "The Sound Of The String" - A hunter's review. (Read 128 times)
