Twentieth-century American sporting literature arguable produced no more prolific scribe than Archibald Rutledge, and his works on the natural world were of a consistently high level of quality. Similarly, he wrote some little inspirational books that literally made an impact on millions of readers. His strong suits as a writer were in-depth personal knowledge, intimate familiarity with his subject matter, a powerful sense of passion the books exude, and a matchless way with words. I’ve personally been enchanted with the man and his work since first being exposed to his writings in major outdoor magazines. So meaningful has he been to me that I’ve edited and compiled five different volumes bringing together his finest work, and some index to his enduring appeal is offered by the fact that each of those volumes has sold well and all remain in print (some after the passage of more than a quarter of a century).
Strangely though, and it was a key factor underlying compilation of those anthologies, originals of his books are often rare and in some cases almost impossible to locate. That’s especially the case if you happen to be a discerning reader/collector seeking really nice copies. The list below is hallmarked not only by a number of choice items but also but a far higher level of overall quality in his early outdoor books than is normally found in Rutledge works. It’s the finest offering of Rutledge material I’ve handled, and indeed a number of the items are much nicer than those in my personal collection. Browse with a will and know, while doing so, that you are looking at treasures which don’t come along every day. This is “Old Flintlock” (the moniker by which he was known to family and friends) at his best.
