Book Review: “Riding the Echo Down” subtitled “Hunting Adventures from New Zealand and Around the World” by Peter Ryan. Published by Bateman Books. Price $49.99. Reviewed by Tony Orman.
Previously Peter Ryan has written three published hunting books and all received high praise, largely due to the quality his writing, not forgetting Bateman Books quality productions. Now he’s written his fourth entitled ”Riding the Echo Down”
The book continues in the same quality vein of his earlier books and obviously involved some intensive and meticulous research. The book comprises a collection of illustrated chapters exploring hunting and the natural environment enhanced by historical and modern photographs, maps, journal entries, news clippings, and artwork. It follows stories of past hunters and adventurers from Africa, Asia, the Americas and New Zealand.
In a Radio NZ interview , Peter Ryan described “Riding the Echo Down” as “stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” I was delighted to note the first chapter was devoted to the late Jim Muir, an incredibly gifted hunting guide from the mid-20th century. Jim Muir was humble and unpretentious. No doubt Jim Muir considered himself “ordinary” but the reality was he achieved extremely “extraordinary things” as a guide to legendary deerstalkers like Major Wilson and Eddie Herrick.
The book is not totally hunting and for example, features a courageous outdoor adventure of the incredible Kiwi Frank Worsley a person of heroic “extraordinary” deeds when serving Antarctica explorer Ernest Shackleton.
A chapter on a dare-devil helicopter pilot and poacher Joe Collins did have me wondering about its relevance in a book espousing sporting hunting. However the section when Peter Ryan writes of hunting with his own youngsters and dogs, I especially enjoyed. The photos throughout are often stunning.
Overall and in his fourth book, Peter Ryan via his writing, adeptly and sensitively captures the various aspects of hunting and shooting that are so much a part of the Kiwi psyche.
Very highly recommended.
