National Network for Equitable Library Service

In A Life Afield, A. Hunter Smith welcomes readers to sit by his fireside as he recounts 12 evocative tales from his extensive experience as a hunter and hunting guide. Though Smith could draw from some 350 years of ancestral sportsman stories, he instead describes his own successes and mishaps with an intimacy that captivates audiences. Through his narratives Smith shares his philosophy on hunting and rambling in the outdoors and questions what it means to be a true sportsman in today's Deep South. As his stories make clear, the South's outdoor heritage has changed drastically within the last 25 years or more. The beauty and majesty of the natural world, as well as the principles of honor, integrity and humanity found within circles of sportsmen, are seemingly no longer reward enough for the sporting world of today. As Smith would argue, many of the age-old and time-proven wisdoms of woodsmanship are in danger of being forgotten or dismissed by a new era of "immediate reward" for minimal effort. A Life Afield reminds readers what it means to be a woodsman: to hold the woods and waters deep within one's heart. Taken as a whole, the collection chronicles the author's quest to adulthood, influenced by his outdoor adventures and friendships, while also subtly providing solid lessons in sporting ethics, gun safety and general woodsmanship. A Life Afield includes a foreword by Ellison D. Smith, IV, an environmental attorney and brother of the author.