My Mother Shoots Elephants

[Sourdough]

We are just back from a week of fishing the rivers and streams in the Bristol Bay Area (Alaska) for Rainbow Trout, Silver Salmon, King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Arctic Char and Arctic Grayling. We fished out of a friends operation, Alaska Rainbow Lodge.

While there we met a new friend, Chris Kellogg. Chris, like us, is an adventurer. Some people from time to time go on adventures. Other people, very very very few people, have a life that is a constant Adventure. Why the distinction is important is that Adventurers have a hard time relating to the world everyone else lives in. So it was a real pleasure to meet and spend time with Chris while not fishing.

At 80 on September 12, Chris looks like he is 60, and acts like most 50 year olds. At 68 on Sept 5 I am truly inspired to achieve similar as currently I look like I'm 60 but act like I'm 75- from too many injuries and being out of shape. That changes starting now.

The first thing I learned about Chris was that he hunted in Kenya in 1961 at the age of 18 and took the Big 5 which included two elephants and two Rhinos. He was visiting his mother who was an avid hunter, fisherman and conservationist, owned half-interest in a 30,000 acre farm in the Rift Valley in Kenya and was a good friend of many hunters including John Sutton of Ker and Downey Safaris (and her partner in the farm) and Robert Ruark. Wow. Kenya. In its heyday. We had to learn more.

We learned that Chris had self-published a book titled "My Mom Shoots Elephants" and had brought two copies with him. The first he gifted to our friend the lodge owner, the second we purchased.

I expected a book all about Safaris in Kenya. When I opened it I was surprised to find only one chapter about Kenya. The remainder of the book is about Chris' life from a youth until he was 78. Mostly focusing on fishing and bird hunting, a few of his jobs and a little on his education (he is dyslexic), and his legal battle to save the family fortune.

Although initially disappointed I decided to give it a read. I'm halfway through now and am thoroughly enjoying the book.

Describing it I can't do the book justice except to say that Chris is a heir to the Wanamaker empire and grew up under the shadow of old East Coast wealth. As readers we get a glimpse into that world, especially during one of the golden eras of hunting. Chris' family ties certainly opened some doors for him but he worked hard to get where he is today. Had successes and failures along the way and his story provides lots of life lessons the youth of today could use.

The three sets of tusks on the book's cover- the smallest taken by him, the next largest by his mother, and the largest by his uncle- are all at his house currently. [drool]

My Mother Shoots Elephants is available as an e-book from Amazon and others for less than $10. A signed printed copy can only be purchased from him directly for $75. If you want one of these pm me and I'll put you in contact with Chris.

He is currently finishing his second book which is about the Sudan.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

We are just back from a week of fishing the rivers and streams in the Bristol Bay Area (Alaska) for Rainbow Trout, Silver Salmon, King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Arctic Char and Arctic Grayling. We fished out of a friends operation, Alaska Rainbow Lodge.

While there we met a new friend, Chris Kellogg. Chris, like us, is an adventurer. Some people from time to time go on adventures. Other people, very very very few people, have a life that is a constant Adventure. Why the distinction is important is that Adventurers have a hard time relating to the world everyone else lives in. So it was a real pleasure to meet and spend time with Chris while not fishing.

At 80 on September 12, Chris looks like he is 60, and acts like most 50 year olds. At 68 on Sept 5 I am truly inspired to achieve similar as currently I look like I'm 60 but act like I'm 75- from too many injuries and being out of shape. That changes starting now.

The first thing I learned about Chris was that he hunted in Kenya in 1961 at the age of 18 and took the Big 5 which included two elephants and two Rhinos. He was visiting his mother who was an avid hunter, fisherman and conservationist, owned half-interest in a 30,000 acre farm in the Rift Valley in Kenya and was a good friend of many hunters including John Sutton of Ker and Downey Safaris (and her partner in the farm) and Robert Ruark. Wow. Kenya. In its heyday. We had to learn more.

We learned that Chris had self-published a book titled "My Mom Shoots Elephants" and had brought two copies with him. The first he gifted to our friend the lodge owner, the second we purchased.

I expected a book all about Safaris in Kenya. When I opened it I was surprised to find only one chapter about Kenya. The remainder of the book is about Chris' life from a youth until he was 78. Mostly focusing on fishing and bird hunting, a few of his jobs and a little on his education (he is dyslexic), and his legal battle to save the family fortune.

Although initially disappointed I decided to give it a read. I'm halfway through now and am thoroughly enjoying the book.

Describing it I can't do the book justice except to say that Chris is a heir to the Wanamaker empire and grew up under the shadow of old East Coast wealth. As readers we get a glimpse into that world, especially during one of the golden eras of hunting. Chris' family ties certainly opened some doors for him but he worked hard to get where he is today. Had successes and failures along the way and his story provides lots of life lessons the youth of today could use.

The three sets of tusks on the book's cover- the smallest taken by him, the next largest by his mother, and the largest by his uncle- are all at his house currently. [drool]

My Mother Shoots Elephants is available as an e-book from Amazon and others for less than $10. A signed printed copy can only be purchased from him directly for $75. If you want one of these pm me and I'll put you in contact with Chris.

He is currently finishing his second book which is about the Sudan.

View attachment 554971

Sounds interesting!

 

[Kouprey]

Thank you Sourdough - a great book-cover!
The massive 147 / 148 lb tusks must be from Mr. Gurnee Munn's elephant. Is that correct?
The PH was Bill Jenvey and Mr. Munn also shot a huge leopard on that safari.
If i remember correctly, Jenvey said in an interview that Mrs. Kellogg was the only woman he knew of who bagged a Kenya Bongo.

 

[Sourdough]

Thank you Sourdough - a great book-cover!
The massive 147 / 148 lb tusks must be from Mr. Gurnee Munn's elephant. Is that correct?
The PH was Bill Jenvey and Mr. Munn also shot a huge leopard on that safari.
If i remember correctly, Jenvey said in an interview that Mrs. Kellogg was the only woman he knew of who bagged a Kenya Bongo.

Yes that is correct on all accounts.

 

[R.M.C.]

Very cool, thanks for sharing!! And I thought it was pretty cool that my grandmother shot pheasants!! Awesome!!

 

[Wheels]

Thanks for the book report.

Reading books written by individuals one knows adds an entire new perspective to the book.

 

[Sourdough]

I did finish the book and definitely enjoyed it. Chris has since shared with me that he is now working on a third book. It's about his grandfather (maybe great-grandfather, don't recall 100%) going on a Safari at the same time Teddy Roosevelt went on his. Apparently they crossed paths several times. Sure sounds interesting.