Manson Lee Clark of the rural Chambers County, Texas community of Cove
compiled such a record, spanning more than sixty years of his outdoor experiences
and observations with the wildlife of southeast Texas. In all truthfulness, it must be
stated that Clark did not have the future work of historians in mind when he began
keeping records so many years ago. He simply recorded facts, figures and dates for
his own future reference, rather than having to face the prospect of later relying upon
his memory to recall such matters. The result became the compilation of probably
one of the most detailed accounts of outdoor life in south-east Texas during the better
part of the twentieth century. It consists of all the ingredients of man's endeavors:
achievements, failures, trials and errors. It records from an individual perspective
both the good and difficult times.
If you like hunting, fishing, and wildlife, then you are going to love this book! If you like history and learning about a way of life that for all practical purposes no longer exists, then you are going to love this book! If you like real-life experiences told by someone who was there, you are going to love this book! It is well-written and so interesting you will find it hard to put down. I particularly enjoyed the pictures and maps that helped to portray the fantastic saga of a true marshman. Rabid Reader
The book MARSHMAN gets 5 stars from me. Manson Clark is "everyman" for many of those who live in the area around the Trinity River of Texas. Manson learned at an early age to hunt and fish from his dad and other men in the Cove community. It didn't take long for him to become a master at hunting fowl like ducks and geese, fur mammals such as muskrats, minks, and nutria, and, yes, even alligators. Many of his more exciting stories are told about his encounters with the "gators." Wait until you meet Old Nub Foot. Indeed, Manson was a man of his time and place. The marshes are still there, but the mammals and fowl are not nearly as plentiful as they were in his life time. If you like a good adventure book that makes you want to live in an earlier, and somehow simpler, time, this book is for you. Written by his son Kendon, MARSHMAN is a loving tribute to a man who made the natural world his love and his vocation. Yes, he hunted alligators, but he also respected them as well. He kept alligators in ponds on his land and treated them like his pets which indeed they were. Get the book for someone you know will enjoy it, but you probably should get one for yourself, too, because if you start reading it, you won't want to give it away. Wynona Montgomery
