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The Writers

Discussion in 'APBT Bloodlines' started by Fritz, Jan 15, 2015.

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  1. Fritz

    Fritz Big Dog

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    Specifically the writers of pit bulldog books (and I’ll leave my own books out of the discussion). Which are our favorites and why? I’ll go first.

    As to the really old books, Armitage for example, they’re relics of the past, repetitious, somewhat self-serving, and more than a little unsavory – but of course interesting in an historical sense. I can browse them despite my wanting to pinch my nose closed while I do.

    Along came Richard Stratton to supply us the next fine new voice of the day we actually lived in. He was a blessing in that regard, chronicling in a way no other writer had yet done the world of dogfighting. And what’s more, he did it in a way that was as wise, fair, and clear thinking as was possible. In a world for the most part poised to stone a dogman to death, Stratton’s seems to me to have been the one sane voice of reason.

    Stratton’s first book seems to me his best. Sadly, the ones following lacked the impact of the first, grew unavoidably repetitive. Why unavoidably? Because that’s what nonfiction is – an on-going examining of fact, and in this case virtually the only fact, over and over again – the fact of dogfighting. Only in fiction can a writer break that hold and venture forth into the deeper realms. But I’ll get to the fiction writers in a moment.

    I think Stratton’s writings prompted at least several dogmen to venture into print on their own. There was the Bob Stevens book which, despite its inspired title, didn’t much interest me. A how-to book, I was working hard at experimenting and working toward my own way of doing things.

    Frank Rocca, too, wrote a couple that sort of reminded me of the Armitage book, and I didn’t take to them. Not that they weren’t informative, but that they seemed to take on that same old tone – too close-to-home gossipy. Anyway, that’s the way they struck me.

    Even Bobby Hall wrote one – as self-serving and putrid a book as I’ve ever read. Ex-used-car-salesman as he was, he took delight in and even patted himself on the back for every trick and misrepresentation he could work against other men “of lesser wherewithal and intelligence.” Whew!

    On to fiction. One of my favorites is The Dog Who Spoke With Gods by Diane Jessup. I even did a review of it on Amazon in which I wrote:

    “And far more reaching than that, Ms. Jessup somehow and magically reveals for us the very soul of the relationship between dog and man. What more might a reader ask than that? What more might a writer give?

    Summing up, this is a book as thorough, insightful, and magical in the telling – a book as true to both art and life as any I’ve read – and one that must prove invaluable to dog lovers everywhere, and to pit bull folk in particular. A misfortune should any of us miss it.”

    I’ve only just recently noticed that Frank Rocca, too, has some fiction up for sale on Amazon. Glancing into these several books of his, they seem interesting – certainly interesting enough to read, and so I’ll most certainly buy one or two in the near future. At first glance they seem a dramatization of city life at its nittiest and grittiest, peopled with bottom dogs of the rawest sort. As to how and where in these books dogfighting is addressed, it seems subsidiary to the lives of however many con men and slicksters haunting the pages.

    But out of fairness, I shouldn’t say much more about Rocca’s books without having read them.

    So what do you guys like?
     
    Fritz, Jan 15, 2015
    #1
    Vicki likes this.
  2. TDK

    TDK CH Dog Staff Member

    I find most books written for those in the dogs to be too much about the author himself rather than dogs and others behind those dogs. It's a little bit easy to lose interest in them because of this. There are so very many aspects of these dogs one may elaborate on otherwise, IMO.

    I found Armitage's book to be a fun read, and I attribute much of that to his Irish "lilt" which is so obviously present in his written expression. I also loved Wayne D. Brown's book because it was absolutely well illustrated with poignant pictures, and maintained a theme of historical rundown through the ages. A great book for novices for the sake of lineal knowledge, and for the more experienced to brush up on such.

    The books that bring a slight chuckle to me today, are the ones which are instructional in nature, or have much instruction within them. Yes, they have benefits for those who want to have ample or better knowledge of aftercare and just medical and medicinal knowledge in general if up-to-date. However, some were made into pamphlet form or included in a larger book merely with the knowledge that most are just too lazy to research these things themselves. Sort of appropriate for lazy folks, I suppose. All's fair in these cases. You get what you put in.......or pay. LOL

    While we are excluding Freddie's writings, I have to say that if Mr. R. Fox had great writing skills 'back in the day", his writings would have surely been much like the intriguing ways Maff wrote stories. I remember days in my living room when Mr. Fox would spin yarns so well you wouldn't move a muscle while listening to them. He was the best I ever heard at spinning a good yarn (story) verbally. Enter the ghost writer, I suppose.

    Almost all truthfully written books have at least some value. After all, history is something we must read about or learn by way of documentary. Not many are old enough to have "been there" but for a limited few with such tenure on this earth. I'm no book critic. I, like most all, struggle to give clarity when I write anything I feel can help with the perspective of an inquiring mind. To err can be to mislead, so one is careful if one cares to give proper information to others who are learning.
     
    TDK, Jan 15, 2015
    #2
    Vicki likes this.
  3. Fritz

    Fritz Big Dog

    A good thoughtful post, TDK.

    "I find most books written for those in the dogs to be too much about the author himself rather than dogs and others behind those dogs."

    So true. I fall into that trap myself, at least when I'm writing essay or autobiography. Too much of that "I-I-I" accursed pronoun. That's why I like fiction so well. It frees one to break through the self-enclosed walls and soar free into the greater world.
     
    Fritz, Jan 15, 2015
    #3
  4. TDK

    TDK CH Dog Staff Member

    It's not only a freer way to write, my friend. It's also a much freer read. It is sans the shackles of personal confines and doesn't promulgate jealousy and other ugly behaviors. I agree totally. I'm referring to fiction, of course. Sometimes good fiction is also written "based on a true story" and if one might be able to decode such, it's even MORE interesting. But pure fiction can be a ton of fun to read in itself.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 15, 2015
    TDK, Jan 15, 2015
    #4
  5. TDK

    TDK CH Dog Staff Member

    Personal accounts are nearly impossible to write without some "self" in them. That's never a problem, and I believe the same goes for any autobiography. Be nearly impossible to write a "life and times of (insert name) without self mention. LOL Maybe I'm a slave to the meaning of the word itself (autobiography), but I'd think it a bitch to do without some self reference. LOL

    I've personally not seen anything you've written to be awry of said necessities. Keep writing. T.
     
    TDK, Jan 15, 2015
    #5
  6. BLUE8BULL

    BLUE8BULL CH Dog

    ...i agree with ya fritz on some getting lost ,and putting themselfs more than the dogs.an example would be that s-teacher's book p-bull-saviour read the first few pages and it was into the %^&%$...s.pose r.strattons...is def the fairest...but i have'nt read some off the others yet .......but on the other hand it is writeing about ones experenice with the subject...it's when some say listen to me i'am the all-knowing there be no other who knows best crap...that makes ya throw em the bin...
     
    BLUE8BULL, Jan 15, 2015
    #6
  7. 87buick

    87buick Top Dog

    Ive always wanted Bobby Halls book but they fetch a premium! I can't believe the price on those. I might jump on a good set if ever available I love to read on
    my long trips over seas. I read the new Stratton but it gave me a political vibe of some sort. The pictures like always were great, I still enjoyed it.
     
    87buick, Jan 15, 2015
    #7
  8. Fritz

    Fritz Big Dog

    Funny you should mention Pit Bull Savior. I even wrote a review on that one and gave it two stars. Ha. Here's the review:

    "Not well written, utterly disconnected, and in fact a bit nutty. Which explains at least one of the stars I gave it. What earned the book its second star was its passion. What could be more refreshing than a bit of passion in the midst of so much literary deadness all round? Truly an interesting and amazing case history here, utterly disconnected, a bit nutty, and yet passionate. Long live all solipsists!"

    It's like TDK says, you can find something of value in no matter what bit of writing -- even if what you take away from it is a lesson in how not to write. Ha.

    As to autobiographies, I've written one myself -- but only at the insistence of my wife and sons. It wasn't too terribly bad and contained the whole story of how I got into the dogs and how I got out of them. But I hated writing it. I even titled it Writing One's Memoir Sucks. I put it up on Amazon for a time, but then "unpublished" it, made it unavailable. I simply didn't want it to be one I'd be remembered for. Far better to be remembered for one's finer work than one's lesser fare.
     
    Fritz, Jan 15, 2015
    #8
  9. TDK

    TDK CH Dog Staff Member

    Mr. Stratton was one of the first poeple in the dogs I met. I admire him as a wonderful ambassador to our breed. He is a good writer, an affable man and all around fine fellow. We were much closer once. I do find his themes to go off on small tangents and Rushin Bill and I used to sort of tease him about it. HAHA But that notwithstanding, he is a terrific individual, good writer and premier champion of our breed.
     
    TDK, Jan 15, 2015
    #9
  10. CajunBoulette

    CajunBoulette CH Dog

    Boy the guy that wrote that book is one more asshole lemme tell ya!! A bit nutty like fritz said!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
    CajunBoulette, Jan 15, 2015
    #10
  11. Fritz

    Fritz Big Dog

    A good man, Stratton. He and I corresponded quite a bit way back when about writing and such. I was to meet him at a friend's house in California, but he was delayed, I had to leave, and I never met him. May his writings live on.
     
    Fritz, Jan 15, 2015
    #11
  12. TDK

    TDK CH Dog Staff Member

    An amen to that, Fredric.
     
    TDK, Jan 15, 2015
    #12
  13. bill bixler

    bill bixler Pup

    Iv'e read robert lemm's through the eyes of the millmaker along with ed faron and crenshaw's i enjoyed reading them.even though they are mostly how to book's.faron's had some great matches in it.those most of been the good'ol days
     
    bill bixler, Jan 15, 2015
    #13
  14. ELIAS'PISTOLA

    ELIAS'PISTOLA CH Dog

    Great thread and post Fritz and TDK, I couldnt agree more with both of your thoughts...
    Strattons old books are classics and evrybody should read them at least once especialy beginners in the breed...
    Farons book was good also as only about a third or quater was focused on them, alot of good tips also...
    Armatages is by far the best piece of bulldog americana avalible and gives a good insight to the life of a dogman in the begining of last century...
    Roccas ramblings were too much for me till it clicked and I started rambling, a must for bloodline slues like myself...
    Halls book was an interesting look at how a bulldog can cur and still make the history books...
    Maffies books are well written and overlooked, I sought them out because they were listed in the comlpete gamedog...
    Hihaths Schoolteachers book was the worst Ive read (besides from a non-dogman), he seemed to be explaining the dog game to elementary studants or his family while trying to maintain the grit, add religion and politics and its the recipe for a depressed locked up dogman that should of proof read the book a couple years after he got out of prison and went back to the drawing board as he made himself sound like a true baskit case...I GUESS PRISON WILL DO THAT TO YOU???
    TDK new book is already a classic before it came out!!! Great style of writing coupled with your knowledge can only harvest the best friut...
    WE ARE HUNGRY my friend FEED US...no pressure-signed starving skinny children with puppy eyes...
     
    ELIAS'PISTOLA, Jan 16, 2015
    #14
  15. CHAMP

    CHAMP Big Dog

    LOL ^ that is a great post!!
    And this is a great thread.
    That book will be written Pistola, I've been leaning on him to write one for over 10 yrs, and I think I'm making some progress.

    Sent from my microwave using Tapatalk
     
    CHAMP, Jan 16, 2015
    #15
  16. pookie!

    pookie! Top Dog

    I always though his tangent style was good lol, probably because I write like that when I get going. It came in handy during school when I was told to have so many pages on hard to write about subjects lol

    Pistola that end but made me LOL for real.

    Sent from my microwave using Tapatalk
     
    pookie!, Jan 16, 2015
    #16
  17. TDK

    TDK CH Dog Staff Member

    Oh yeah. Tangents can be fun, and to boot, his remained ultimately informative. He knows how to introduce a point, keep your focus on that point, then drive it home in fine style. Quite a guy, and we could use many more just like him.
     
    TDK, Jan 16, 2015
    #17
  18. keystone

    keystone CH Dog

    read a bit in the armitrage book ...i enjoy ...
    think al the books ful of picture's its not what a beginner needs specialy....
    a beginner need to have some luck when he buy his first dogs and the mentor who he is talking to .
    he need real info......
    don mayfield put the real info on video instead of writing it in a book
    til video 16 only ....
    video nr 7 about food
     
    keystone, Jan 16, 2015
    #18
  19. keystone

    keystone CH Dog

    i think book are for groupies/fans
    not a need for beginners really .......
     
    keystone, Jan 16, 2015
    #19
  20. The Saint

    The Saint Big Dog

    but the best was the 1st book of Mr Stratton. I think it was "This is the APBT" with a boy and a girl on the front page with a pied female if I recall correctly.
    I am no writer at all, but with some encouragement I managed to write an article on Ch Cutlass which I also posted on this site. I couldn't care less about grammar and flow and there was no structure because I wrote from what I could recall, I just wanted to finish the article as I definitely do NOT enjoy writing as much as I love reading about the APBT.
     
    The Saint, Jan 16, 2015
    #20
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