"Writing history is gut-wrenching stuff. You're always worried if you're abusing your power by prioritizing importance. I've read enough of these classics to say, 'Yep, Steve, no one could have chosen a better selection, or made the ones I Haven't read sound so appealing.'" –Yvon Chouinard, climber, fly-fisherman, environmental activist and founder of Patagonia"Patrick O'Brian wrote sporting tales? Who knew? Well, who but Steve Bodio, of course. We who fuss with our own libraries—buying, trading, culling, reading, and lusting after—are beholden to Bodio for this compilation of essentials. First I noted (with satisfaction) the books I already have. And then I started filling in the gaps, because no one has a better grasp of what's worth reading in this field. His only mistake? Steve has left out his own books!" –Silvio Calabi, director of the Anglo American Sporting Agency and author of Hemingway's Guns"I've read enough of these classics to say, 'Yep, Steve, no one could have chosen a better selection, or made the ones I Haven't read sound so appealing.'" "…More than anything else, this book will make you hunger for reading… "
Jameson Parker, actor and outdoor writer, from foreword"Steve Bodio is not only our finest 'sporting' and 'nature' writers, he is one of our finest American writers. Period. I've read all his published books and I am not, at root, a hunter or fisherman. I'm a songwriting-painter who appreciates well-writ literature. Bodio's work has opened doors I may never have knocked on. His work should appeal to anyone interested in fine writing. And now: 'A Sportsmans' Library.' Essential, is the word which comes to mind. What a grand collection!"
Tom Russell, writer, songwriter"Nobody who loves traditional blood sport wants its long literary line totally obfuscated by the faux-gonzo Wang-dang Nugents and gear-hawking carny barkers of cartoonish hunting shows. Steve Bodio brings his formidable powers as both reader and writer to the cause, gifting us with a guide to the greats as varied, as magical, and yes, as essential as the works he champions."
Malcolm Brooks, author of Painted Horses