The Library

[ness]

Been cleaning out the place, prepping for a move in a year or so. One of the biggest pains in the neck is moving books. And, I’ve got a ton of them, and each of the three nesslings have a ton too—especially my daughter. I have a hard time parting with books, and will likely keep most of them. But the kids are gonna get theirs or they’ll go to Goodwill. Unless I like them.

As I was looking them over today, I thought maybe I’d share a couple photos of my fishing section (with a little overlap to my bird hunting section) and see if anyone else would share theirs. See any familiar books in there?

 

Kinda hard to see, but I’ve got just about every John Gierach book in here. Deep thinkers will scoff at his stuff, but I enjoy his easy reading style. Mind candy. I’ve got his latest one in the loo right now.

When I got into flyfishing there wasn’t much of an Internet or anything on TV. So, I started with books. I kinda feel sorry for younger kids today who won’t understand the pleasure of sitting in a nice chair, in a quiet room, with a good book and just reading. No ads, no tempting links, just you, the book and the warm glow of an incandescent bulb. Been thinking more and more about turning things off and going back to my books.

I’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite, but besides Gierach I like Robert Travers stuff: there are a couple in there (and also, ‘Anatomy of a Murder’ elsewhere in the stacks). Others I like: ‘Fishing and Thinking’ was quirky and fun. Same with ‘Fish are Such Liars’. I chopped off Chuck Tryon’s ‘Flyfishing for Trout in Missouri’ on the right side of the first picture, but there’s two, and one is signed. Couldn’t find my first copy so I went out and bought the second. Now I’ve got them both. Just a great book. Not my first flyfishing book, but the one that made me realize it was doable. ‘Curtis Creek Manifesto’ is a great one for learning. ‘Many Rivers to Cross’ is a favorite, about the damage man has done to the native trout populations out West. I liked the cover art on Gierach’s ‘Fly Fishing Small Streams’ so much that I tracked down the artist and bought a print. It’s been hanging in my office for many years. Lotsa good stuff in there, and I’ll keep most of it. My next of kin will have to deal with it at some point I guess. 

So, whatcha got and whatcha like?

 

[Flysmallie]

Books are a pain but still nice to hold onto. 

When I traveled a lot I would go to Barnes & Nobel, grab a big coffee, a fly fishing book, and a nice big comfy chair. Beat sitting in a hotel room and the scenery was interesting. I can not say for certain that nothing else was ever added to the coffee. I always had my backpack. 😎

Bought my first new book in years just yesterday. 

[fishinwrench]

Yup, lots of familiar ones.  Sadly I lost about as many as you've shown in that pic to a twister in '06.  

I have only replaced the ones I felt I couldn't live without.  

[Gavin]

I usually don't keep fiction books. Just read them, then give away. See a couple matches on your shelf.

[Al Agnew]

I think Gierach's stuff is a lot better than a lot of fly fishing books, which tend to get a little pretentious and have way too much navel gazing.  I buy every book he publishes.  Other than that, though, I'm not a huge collector of fishing books, although over the years I've accumulated quite a few.  As high brow as some of the fly fishing books are, though, I like them better than most bass fishing books, which are either unrelenting how-to without good writing, bragging on how good they are at winning tournaments, or way too redneck southern cornpone.  I wish there was a writer in the river smallmouth fishing world that writes the kind of stuff that Gierach does.  I'll photograph my collection when I get a chance...at least the Missouri collection, because I have about as many fly fishing books at our place in Montana as I do in Missouri, and none of them are duplicates.

[ness]

13 minutes ago, Al Agnew said:

I think Gierach's stuff is a lot better than a lot of fly fishing books, which tend to get a little pretentious and have way too much navel gazing.  I buy every book he publishes.  Other than that, though, I'm not a huge collector of fishing books, although over the years I've accumulated quite a few.  As high brow as some of the fly fishing books are, though, I like them better than most bass fishing books, which are either unrelenting how-to without good writing, bragging on how good they are at winning tournaments, or way too redneck southern cornpone.  I wish there was a writer in the river smallmouth fishing world that writes the kind of stuff that Gierach does.  I'll photograph my collection when I get a chance...at least the Missouri collection, because I have about as many fly fishing books at our place in Montana as I do in Missouri, and none of them are duplicates.

Yeah -- there are a few I've just gotten rid of, and a few on the shelf that I haven't been able to finish, but I've kept them hoping I'll get in the mood and get back to them someday. Gierach is entertainment for me.

There seems to be better bird hunting literature out there than fly fishing stuff. Missouri's own Joel Vance is excellent. 

[fishinwrench]

John G., Harry Middleton, and Dave Hughes stuff was what got replaced after the tornado.   Everything else I can live without rereading it over again.

[ness]

7 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

John G., Harry Middleton, and Dave Hughes stuff was what got replaced after the tornado.   Everything else I can live without rereading it over again.

‘Earth is Enough’ is one of the books I haven’t been able to get through. Got it because a friend highly recommended it. Just a weird feel to it — like the guy trying too hard to make the place wonderful or something. I’ve been hanging on to it, but it may not make the final cut. 

[Gavin]

Never made it through Earth is Enough. Starlight Creek was enough, a buddy made a copy of it at the library of congress. Used to have it in PDF format but lost track of it. Like Tom McGuane's stuff. 92 in the shade, and the Sporting Club are really good. Traver's short stories are favorites.

[fishinwrench]

4 hours ago, ness said:

‘Earth is Enough’ is one of the books I haven’t been able to get through. Got it because a friend highly recommended it. Just a weird feel to it — like the guy trying too hard to make the place wonderful or something. I’ve been hanging on to it, but it may not make the final cut. 

When I first read The Earth is enough it was during a time of turmoil and my life was a bit of a mess.  It put my mind back in order and helped me through a tough time.  That overly descriptive style of writing takes a certain mindset to appreciate I think.   My daughter started to read it...but it annoyed her.  😀