→ 7 answers so far ↓

• 1 jon // Nov 19, 2009 at 10:22 am

  Fictional Tough – Mike Hammer

  Mike Hammer is a no-holds barred Battle of Guadalcanal veteran private investigator who carries a .45 Colt M1911, named “Betsy” in a shoulder harness under his left arm. His love for his secretary Velda is only outweighed by his willingness to kill a killer. Hammer’s best friend is Pat Chambers, Captain of Homicide NYPD.

  So far as violence is concerned, the Hammer novels leave little to the imagination. Written in the first person, Hammer describes his violent encounters with relish. In all but a few novels, Hammer’s victims are often left vomiting after a blow to the stomach or groin. (from the wikipedia)

  No Fiction Tough: My Granfather Louis C Chappell
  In real life my Grandfather is pretty tough. He hates wearing a shirt if it is warm out. At 80 something he is always lifting heavy stuff and working around the house. He has also lived for 80 some years without dying.

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “props”

• 2 phil // Nov 19, 2009 at 10:50 am

  Aron Ralston, he cut his own arm off because it was trapped underneath a boulder:

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aron_Ralston

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “[applause]“

• 3 beth // Nov 19, 2009 at 11:27 am

  Sure sure, I’ll give this Aron guy a lot of credit…that is an amazing story. But, like Jon, I think my g-pa is the toughest man around. He fought through Europe during WWII at the tender age of 16-17 with one of these: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle He even made it out relatively unscathed, even though a grenade got him.

  Disclaimer: I don’t like war and I don’t like guns. But I really admire my grandfather and his conviction to stand up against injustices in the world (and his willingness to fib about his age so he can fight.)

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “hooray!”

• 4 Stace // Nov 19, 2009 at 12:47 pm

  Non fiction: My grandfathers.

  My mother’s father fought in the Battle of Guadacanal and chose to stay even after being injuried and an offer back to the mainland. He talked a little bit about it, staying beyond his recall date and being really committed to seeing the war through. I learned more after he died since my cousin wanted to make sure we knew about him and his involvement in serving the country. At least my cousin thought to ask about it when he could.

  My father’s farther also fought in the Pacific region during the war and was injured by shrapnel. That’s about all I know though. The family never talks about his war experiences and I never dreamed of asking while he was still capable of speaking. It’s sad that when he lost the ablity to talk he also lost the abilty to write.

  And now I cannot ask either of them about it.

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “I take my hat off to the person who made this comment”

• 5 NateG // Nov 19, 2009 at 12:52 pm

  TR was pretty tough in many ways. Too many ways to write really… i am surprised he has not come up yet.

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “that’s what she said!”

• 6 beth // Nov 19, 2009 at 4:59 pm

  Dare I ask…TR = Theodore Roosevelt?

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “word”

• 7 zjyw // Nov 24, 2009 at 8:04 am

  Ben Franklin.

  current votes: 0 vote if this makes you say “kudos”

You must log in to comment. I tried it the other way and had to erase 1,000 ads for viagra and mortgages one by one. Register here, it takes less than ten seconds.