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Killers in Africa: The Truth About Animals Lying in Wait and Hunters Lying in Print Paperback – November 20, 2000

by Alexander Lake (Author), Mike Resnick (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 20 ratings
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Alexander Lake was a big game hunter, but a hunter with a difference. At a time -- the late 1940s and early 1950s -- when hunters were selling macho yarns filled to overflowing with false bravado, Lake began debunking all the myths that had been making the rounds. Indeed, when Killers in Africa was first published, the advertising tagline was The truth about animals lying in wait and hunters lying in print! This book, drawn from a number of Lake's magazine articles written while in Africa, covers the animals he hunted, species by species, all told with a round the campfire feel.
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  1. Print length
    280 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Alexander Books
  4. Publication date
    November 20, 2000
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1570901155
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1570901157
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Alexander Books; 2nd edition (November 20, 2000)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 280 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1570901155
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1570901157
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 20 ratings

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
20 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

theerathorn
5.0 out of 5 stars This book makes me want to go out hunting
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2014
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My all time favorite hunting book! I enjoy reading this book a lot.

It takes me on an adventure that is like every boy's dream.

I want to go to Africa because of this book.

Obviously, It's a 5 star from me.
2 people found this helpful
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Jack
4.0 out of 5 stars Africa Of Old
Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2012
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This is the book I remember from earlier days. The Africa that existed in a true wild state. Gone now forever. The book brought back "How It Was" in vivid and understanding detail.
One person found this helpful
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Teknokrat
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2017
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A fascinating book with many insights on survival in a very hostile and dangerous environment.
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Nancy E. Guthery
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2018
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Interesting read
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MarmaLakeFirearms
1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth reading
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2006
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This guy did very little hunting. His books are fully of fantasies. He has no idea about firearms and ballistics. It is one of the worst examples of african hunting literature i have come across.
2 people found this helpful
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R. A. Neuberger
5.0 out of 5 stars Fireside Chats ?
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2011
I first read this book while in grade school during the late fifties . I was captivated by it and continued to borrow it from my local library until it became so shabby that the library discarded it ( much to my chagrin ) without replacing it . I have since found a replacement . I have enjoyed the read as much now as then.
While Lake will never go down in literary history as an immortal bard , he has an easy to read style that makes one feel like one is sitting with him by a campfire after a long day's trek , listening to the tales of a man who spent much time in the African bush hunting the animals there in a time long past .
Each chapter focuses on a different species ( or two ) . Lake then proceeds to give his memoirs on each species and tells of their habits and of his encounters with them.
I don't really care that some of his stories are a bit far fetched or that they may be proved wrong by contemporary research ( a mamba that can run down a horse ???) I just simply enjoyed this book for what it is. It is a fun and very entertaining read .
So pull up a rock by the campfire while Mr. Lake cleans his Lee Enfield .303 and drift away to a time never to return and enjoy a few well spun yarns about big and small game hunting in Africa when it really was the Dark Continent .
4 people found this helpful
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JHF
4.0 out of 5 stars Love the book...Lake is a great storyteller
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2009
This is one of my favorite books...I read the original printing as an early teen and I am thankful Resnick brought it back in a new printing. I especially enjoy his dissection of the mistakes made by LTC Patterson, the engineer who became famous retelling his exploits tracking the "killers of Tsavo." The book is an enjoyable read of a long-gone era. Lake wrote for many magazines, and this book is obviously a compilation of these. Well worth the read.
4 people found this helpful
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Hans-Ulrich
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on African hunting
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2014
Certainly one of the best books on African hunting I have ever come across (and I have read many). His stories are always interesting, often exciting, with a good sense of humour, occasionally touching or thought-provoking, in any case good, solid entertainment. Lake was a humble writer (perhaps in line with J.A. Hunter and T. Murray-Smith), which adds credence to his words. With the experience of more than 20 hunting trips to Africa: I believe everything he wrote. Lake may not be the greatest gun writer, but he, as the vast majority of his contemporaries in Africa, had no means to afford an artillery-calibre big bore double rifle, and he simply did not need it.
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Top reviews from other countries

Hans-Ulrich
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book on African hunting
Reviewed in Germany on July 11, 2014
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Certainly one of the best books on African hunting I have ever come across (and I have read many). His stories are always interesting, often exciting, with a good sense of humour, occasionally touching or thought-provoking, in any case good, solid entertainment. Lake was a humble writer (perhaps in line with J.A. Hunter and T. Murray-Smith), which adds credence to his words. With the experience of more than 20 hunting trips to Africa: I believe everything he wrote. Lake may not be the greatest gun writer, but he, as the vast majority of his contemporaries in Africa, had no means to afford an artillery-calibre big bore double rifle, and he simply did not need it.
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Dr S S Nagi (NYROBE)
4.0 out of 5 stars KILLERS IN AFRICA
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 1, 2008
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This book was first published in 1953, has 272 pages, 18 B/W photos, no maps and the author's large picture in B/W is on page 2. The introduction of this edition is by Mike Resnick. Lake was born on 29.7.1893 in Chicago and went with his family to South Africa in 1908. At the age if 18 in 1911, he joined Jones in transporting Game to transport Wagon Trains. His Zulu tracker was "Ubusuku". Lake died on 25.12.1961.
The book starts with author discussing careless hunters. He even calls J.H.Patterson's moves at Tsavo 'wrong or bolched'. Also the maneaters of Tsavo as female ?(most call them maneless males). Being lost in the bushveld is one of the most nerve-shelling experiences. Carelessness, ignorance and unreasonable fear(foolishness) are the killers of man. It is the pregnant elephant cow who attack with little warning. When elephants feel death approaching, they seek water. "Wait-a-bit" thorns are like "millions tiny swords". A charging rhino is a frightened rhino.
In warm waters, crocodiles grow 12" a year. The only animal croc will not attack ,is the hippo. Captive baboons are "water", wild baboons are "whiskey". A lone male buffalo or a cow shut off from her calf, are dangerous. A buffalo won't toss a dead man, he has not killed himself. Lake buys a farm and then sells it, and goes back to hunting.
Females of all big Game animals have more courage than the males. The black mamba snake is also called "snake-that-walks-on-its-tail"(the shadow of death). There are 9 kinds of cobra in Africa. A deposed male hippo leader looses all interest in females and leads a solitary life. To escape charging hippo, simply get behind a fallen log, as they seldom step over anything.
Most palatable antelope is 'klipspringer'. There are 14 species of heartebeest. Kudu horns are finest in Africa. African leopard's strength is fantastic. He is smarter and more vicious than lion. Leopard is sneaky, treacherous and fast.
Lake with his Zulu tracker 'Ubusuku', describe their hunts of all big Games of Africa. Having born in Kenya, I found the book interesting.
Read and ENJOY.
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ATC123
3.0 out of 5 stars A Good Book but Average Presentation
Reviewed in Canada on June 28, 2020
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I like reading/collecting books on hunting and specifically in Africa. The stories/chapters in the book are well written but the look of the book and the printing is average at best. It would not have taken a lot of extra effort to have dressed the content up and it would have helped. This is a case where the content is good but it has the feel of a paperback book, which is a shame, given the writing.
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