Standing in a River Waving a Stick
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4.3 • 19 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Brilliant, witty, perceptive essays about fly-fishing, the natural world, and life in general by the acknowledged master of fishing writers.
With his inimitable combination of wit and wisdom, John Gierach once again celebrates the fly-fishing life in Standing in a River Waving a Stick and notes its benefits as a sport, philosophical pursuit, even therapy: “The solution to any problem—work, love, money, whatever—is to go fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be.” After all, fly-fishing does teach important life lessons, says Gierach—about solitude, patience, perspective, humor, and the sublime coffee break.
Recounting both memorable fishing spots and memorable fish, Gierach discusses what makes a good fly pattern, the ethics of writing about undiscovered trout waters, the dread of getting skunked, and the camaraderie of fellow fishermen who can end almost any conversation with “Well, it’s sort of like fishing, isn’t it?” Reflecting on a lifetime of lessons learned at the end of a fly rod, Gierach concludes, “The one inscription you don’t want carved on your tombstone is ‘The Poor Son of a Bitch Didn’t Fish Enough.’” Fortunately for Gierach fans, this is not likely to happen.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Everything from bears to the mysterious ways of ornery trout comes under the attention of Gierach in this lighthearted collection of essays, which is less concerned with the craft of fly-fishing than with the gestalt. Gierach (Another Lousy Day in Paradise, etc.) does hold forth on tying flies, watching bugs and other aspects of the fisherman's art, particularly the equipment. Fly-fishing in remote areas calls for packing such necessities as an emergency fire-starting kit, a sweater and a coffeepot. For Gierach, fishing in the backcountry often leads "to excuses to stage an elaborate coffee break in a stunningly beautiful place miles from the nearest road, which makes the coffeepot as crucial as the fly rod." He is at his most interesting--and interested--when he turns into a riverbank philosopher. In the end, getting the fly to the fish may be a goal but not necessarily the essence of fishing, notes Gierach, who admits that he prefers to eat wild red meat and fowl--even though fish is brain food "and I could use the help." Readers won't find Gierach's favorite streams and ponds (he deliberately doesn't tell) or how to tie a #20 Olive Parachute, but they will get a folksy earful on how fishing is similar to the way a dog follows its master "with nothing much in mind except to see what's gonna happen next."
