ANY READERS ?

As an avid reader in general I love a good book, what are some of the best books you have read on the pit bull ? For myself and in no particular order :

30 Years With Fighting Dogs by George C Armitage
The Pit Bull Bible (Master Collection) by California Jack
The Hollingsworth Dogs by California Jack
The Complete Gamedog by ED and Chris Faron
Dogs Of Velvet And Steel (Revised Edition) by Bob Stevens
The APBT History Of Fighting Dogs Series by Joseph L Colby
Balkan Gamedogs Book One by L.S. Zinetti
Vili Heritage by L.S. Zinetti
Dogman's Handbook by L.S. Zinetti
Sporting Dog Journal Yearbooks
Bulldog Edition by Richard F Stratton

Hey Rock, if you haven’t read Mr. Hammonds book I’d recommend that one. Also the frank Rocca book “fighting for life” ,or something like that, is a good one as well. I’ve never had the chance to read “Bullyson and Sons” or the one by Jack Kelly. I’d like to get my hands on those at some point. On a side note, I’m enjoying your posts in general. Please keep it up, good to see some convo on this site again :)

Dogs of Velvet and Steel.

My favorite. Had a little bit of everything and for the time it was cutting edge.



EWO

I had that book for a while and paid way to much for it. I carefully read it, handled like it was made of glass lol, and had to resell It. I believe Bob Stevens republished it at an affordable price and added an additional chapter or so.

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Originally Posted by Milehighmisfit

Hey Rock, if you haven’t read Mr. Hammonds book I’d recommend that one. Also the frank Rocca book “fighting for life” ,or something like that, is a good one as well. I’ve never had the chance to read “Bullyson and Sons” or the one by Jack Kelly. I’d like to get my hands on those at some point. On a side note, I’m enjoying your posts in general. Please keep it up, good to see some convo on this site again :)

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Thank you.

I've looked for the Gary Hammonds book on ebay but haven't come across it, I know you can order from his site but I don't like the fact that he doesn't have paypal. Heard the book is well written though...

Gary does use Paypal, call him.

I have a copy from way back autographed by Mr. Stevens to me. I guess I was living in a bubble or something because I never seen the increase in value. I was somewhat keeping track of how it was progressing thru the court system. I guess when it got to the high court the book value sky rocketed.

I missed. I saw some had sold for $1000-1500 bucks on Ebay. I think I paid like $60 for mine way back when.

I'm thinking if offered that much mine would have had been on the next bus out. LOL

EWO

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Originally Posted by Milehighmisfit

I had that book for a while and paid way to much for it. I carefully read it, handled like it was made of glass lol, and had to resell It. I believe Bob Stevens republished it at an affordable price and added an additional chapter or so.

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Originally Posted by brokeback

Gary does use Paypal, call him.

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I'll do just that, thanks.

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Originally Posted by ROCK-MACHINE

I'll do just that, thanks.

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No problem..

Has anyone read either of the Mitch Kemmer As The Son Of A Dogman books ?

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Originally Posted by ROCK-MACHINE

Has anyone read either of the Mitch Kemmer As The Son Of A Dogman books ?

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Yes. I have all three books and waiting on him to finish the last book. The first book ( I smell blood) is a great read. The second book is a book on the families wild hog hunting adventures (past and present) and he has a reprint of Norman's original Cajun rules pocket book by Gaboon Trahan. And the last book is still being written. It will be a follow up of the first book about Norman's time in the game. More details on keeps and such.

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Originally Posted by BLADE

Yes. I have all three books and waiting on him to finish the last book. The first book ( I smell blood) is a great read. The second book is a book on the families wild hog hunting adventures (past and present) and he has a reprint of Norman's original Cajun rules pocket book by Gaboon Trahan. And the last book is still being written. It will be a follow up of the first book about Norman's time in the game. More details on keeps and such.

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Thanks for the info, they are next on my list now that I've ordered Gary Hammonds book.

Gary's book is ok. I have a ton of books on the dogs but in my opinion most of these books on the subject lack any real substance. Few of them keep me interested because they are just lacking in any real unknown information that isn't already out there. I will say that wether a person decides to believe it or not.. the I smell blood book will keep one interested. It sheds light on things that the general public wasn't privy to.

There are some good books listed here. I don't have much time now but will recommend a few more. Fredric Maffei's books are worth reading, and he's put his LIFE OF HUMBUG and RED TINA books along with a couple newer stories all in one big book. You can buy it new for $36 --

https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Bul...der-test-a2-20

The old printings of HUMBUG and RED TINA were selling for $100 a copy a few yrs ago so this book is reasonable in price. Maffei is a good guy, he's pretty old now, not sure if he's still around but I knew him back in the 1970s when I first got into bulldogs.

Also TL Williams' books are worth having, his COURAGE, PIT DOGS, BRAVEHEART, AMERICAN PATRIOT and others are all fine references. Plus he's reprinted the old Pete Sparks YOUR FRIEND AND MINE magazines, those are excellent reads --

http://www.apbtbooks.com/

http://www.apbtbooks.com/books.html

There are more I can recommend… but I have to run now. Good thread, thanks for posting!

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Originally Posted by SGC

There are some good books listed here. I don't have much time now but will recommend a few more. Fredric Maffei's books are worth reading, and he's put his LIFE OF HUMBUG and RED TINA books along with a couple newer stories all in one big book. You can buy it new for $36 --

https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Bul...der-test-a2-20

The old printings of HUMBUG and RED TINA were selling for $100 a copy a few yrs ago so this book is reasonable in price. Maffei is a good guy, he's pretty old now, not sure if he's still around but I knew him back in the 1970s when I first got into bulldogs.

Also TL Williams' books are worth having, his COURAGE, PIT DOGS, BRAVEHEART, AMERICAN PATRIOT and others are all fine references. Plus he's reprinted the old Pete Sparks YOUR FRIEND AND MINE magazines, those are excellent reads --

http://www.apbtbooks.com/

http://www.apbtbooks.com/books.html

There are more I can recommend… but I have to run now. Good thread, thanks for posting!

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I've always wanted to read Mr. Maffei's books and now that they are collected into this volume and at such a fair price I no longer have any excuse, thanks for the link.

While on the subject of reading, does anyone know just what exactly happened with Scratchback Magazine ? I had received the Spring 2018 issue and as it were, that turned out to be it's finial issue. The website disappeared within a week (as did the Facebook page) of that last issue as well. I sent Lockdown an email inquiring as to what had happened but never received a reply back, also had sent him a msg on his personal facebook account and again didn't receive a reply back so I left it alone.

I didn't know he wasn't making it still currently. Interesting..

Yes Fredric Maffei's books are very good and well written. I used to loan out copies yrs ago to try to show more of the nature of these dogs, that they are not "forced" to fight, it is part of their nature and heritage. He really understands the bulldogs and based his stories on real dogs.

James Thurber the writer wrote "Snapshot of a Dog" in the 1930s about Rex the bulldog he grew up with. It used to be online to read for free, but I can't find the link now. I'll keep looking.

Another old time writer who a few pieces on bulldogs is John Taintor Foote, his "Allegheny" is worth reading, and so is the story "Bulldog" by the Western write Max Brand. Both men were well familiar with the pit bulls of the early 20th century.

A more recent book is D. B. Plummer's fine novel "Nathan A Pit Fighting Dog" which tells the life and combats of a Victorian era "bull n terrier" from pup to death. It's a bit hard to find but has been reprinted, and one can often find copies for sale at a reasonable price. It's a UK book and here is the Amazon UK page about it, the reviews tell more about it --

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nathan-Nove...oding=UTF8&me=

Plummer was a well known terrier man and author, he bred his own line of working terriers bred down from Jack Russells with a dash of Staffordshire bull added. He also ran lurchers on hares and other game, he was an interesting man and his other books, both fiction and nonfiction are worth reading.

The book on the Colby family of dogs is pretty good, and of course Richard Stratton's books are classics now. Amazon has copies of Colby's book --

https://www.amazon.com/Colbys-Book-A...oding=UTF8&me=

Bobby Hall's Bullyson books are good but pricey. I'll try to remember more good books to recommend, I have a large collection put together over the last 50 yrs…

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Originally Posted by SGC

Yes Fredric Maffei's books are very good and well written. I used to loan out copies yrs ago to try to show more of the nature of these dogs, that they are not "forced" to fight, it is part of their nature and heritage. He really understands the bulldogs and based his stories on real dogs.

James Thurber the writer wrote "Snapshot of a Dog" in the 1930s about Rex the bulldog he grew up with. It used to be online to read for free, but I can't find the link now. I'll keep looking.

Another old time writer who a few pieces on bulldogs is John Taintor Foote, his "Allegheny" is worth reading, and so is the story "Bulldog" by the Western write Max Brand. Both men were well familiar with the pit bulls of the early 20th century.

A more recent book is D. B. Plummer's fine novel "Nathan A Pit Fighting Dog" which tells the life and combats of a Victorian era "bull n terrier" from pup to death. It's a bit hard to find but has been reprinted, and one can often find copies for sale at a reasonable price. It's a UK book and here is the Amazon UK page about it, the reviews tell more about it --

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nathan-Nove...oding=UTF8&me=

Plummer was a well known terrier man and author, he bred his own line of working terriers bred down from Jack Russells with a dash of Staffordshire bull added. He also ran lurchers on hares and other game, he was an interesting man and his other books, both fiction and nonfiction are worth reading.

The book on the Colby family of dogs is pretty good, and of course Richard Stratton's books are classics now. Amazon has copies of Colby's book --

https://www.amazon.com/Colbys-Book-A...oding=UTF8&me=

Bobby Hall's Bullyson books are good but pricey. I'll try to remember more good books to recommend, I have a large collection put together over the last 50 yrs…

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For those interested in the Max Brand short story Bulldog it was later renamed Blondy and appears in the book Max Brand : More Tales Of The Wild West.
I found a copy online for under $5 U.S.

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Originally Posted by ROCK-MACHINE

For those interested in the Max Brand short story Bulldog it was later renamed Blondy and appears in the book Max Brand : More Tales Of The Wild West.
I found a copy online for under $5 U.S.

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Ahhh thanks for the info… I did not know that. I am pretty sure I read it in the collection of dog stories titled DAWGS by Charles Wright Gray from 1925, I think there are several other pit bull stories in that book. It is also available online for about $5 --

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...awgs&kn=&isbn=

I've not read the Max Brand collection but he also wrote an odd novel titled THE WHITE WOLF in 1926 about a bull terrier raised by a wolf. The animals talk and I did not think it was as good as his Bulldog (Blondy) story, but I'd think his "bull terrier" hero was really a white pit bull since in 1926 they were called bull terriers. I doubt he means the fat white dogs now called "bull terriers" which can hardly waddle around a show ring…

For some more modern pit bull books, Frank Rocca wrote 3 books on gamedogs which are worth reading, Wayne Brown wrote HISTORY OF THE PIT BULL TERRIER which went thru 3 printings but is hard to find now (be careful of bootleg reprints), and James Crenshaw's book MY LIFE AND TIMES WITH THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER along with Jack Kelly's 50 YEARS WITH FIGHTING DOGS, plus Schoolboy's book THE BIG RED HANDBOOK, these are all good books.

I'll post more as I think of them….

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Originally Posted by SGC

Ahhh thanks for the info… I did not know that. I am pretty sure I read it in the collection of dog stories titled DAWGS by Charles Wright Gray from 1925, I think there are several other pit bull stories in that book. It is also available online for about $5 --

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...awgs&kn=&isbn=

I've not read the Max Brand collection but he also wrote an odd novel titled THE WHITE WOLF in 1926 about a bull terrier raised by a wolf. The animals talk and I did not think it was as good as his Bulldog (Blondy) story, but I'd think his "bull terrier" hero was really a white pit bull since in 1926 they were called bull terriers. I doubt he means the fat white dogs now called "bull terriers" which can hardly waddle around a show ring…

For some more modern pit bull books, Frank Rocca wrote 3 books on gamedogs which are worth reading, Wayne Brown wrote HISTORY OF THE PIT BULL TERRIER which went thru 3 printings but is hard to find now (be careful of bootleg reprints), and James Crenshaw's book MY LIFE AND TIMES WITH THE AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER along with Jack Kelly's 50 YEARS WITH FIGHTING DOGS, plus Schoolboy's book THE BIG RED HANDBOOK, these are all good books.

I'll post more as I think of them….

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Thank you again for your recommendations, I look forward to your further posts.

Any other ''hidden gems'' out there ? I know there are two books co-authored by Mister Bill & Bad Momma called The Ultimate Gladiator Book I & II that are almost impossible to find as are Lockdown Rudy's Fire On The Mountain and Pit Side.

didn't really like the kemmer book was just a bunch of how great we were and how bad everybody else was...

I have The Ultimate Gladiator book signed by them when they were at my home for a show . Great book and even better people ! By far my favourite book thus far pertaining to the breed .

Villi Dogs Heritage
School Boys 2nd book

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Originally Posted by apeman

Villi Dogs Heritage
School Boys 2nd book

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Ape, do you know where I can find schoolboys second book?Thanks!