Gentlemen's Pursuits

Book excerpt: The rich and largely unseen archive of Country Lifedates back to 1897. In Gentleman's Pursuits, the doors are thrown open and a host of fascinating details emerge. Country Lifecontributed hugely to the cult of country sports in late Victorian/Edwardian England, and there is an enormous wealth of material from the time, of which a choice selection is presented here. Within this volume are found tips on pipe-smoking for discerning males, advice on gun dogs, rules about how to lay on the best shooting lunches (usually involving long trips to Fortnum and Mason's), detailed musings on tweed coats and caps, intense discussions on the correct ammo with which to take on a rogue elephant, and all you ever want to know about fishing tackle.