It just occurred to me that lately, over the last couple of years, I've been thinking more and more about reading about the subject of our passion including books about places around the globe which for some reason have a special significance.
I think this maybe the type of thread that might need a separate Flytalk grouping altogether, like "books" or "literature" but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.
I'll tell you what I've been reading lately and what books I've purchased over the holidays, so as to keep me busy through the winter whenever there's some leisure time available.
Having read The "Earth is Enough" by Harry Middleton I realized how lucky we are to have writers of his caliber that can write about fly fishing, life, places and personal philosophies. I also realized how unlucky we are that he died so young and that we won't have any more of his writings. I recently picked up "On The Spine of Time" and "Rivers of Memory" which I have yet to read. I also tried getting "The Bright Country" but it's out of print and I have not yet located a copy through out of print book outlets.
Another book I've picked up and that comes highly recommended is "Meanderings of a Fisherman" by Seth Norman. Haven't read that one yet either.
Today I went through a book sale at the University where I work and picked up a copy of "Secrets of the Saltwater Fly" by f-stop Fitzgerald. It was a good buy, I think, with nice glossy pics of saltwater patterns, history, name of originator, uses, etc. Figured it'd be good to get some of the salty lexicon before my trip at the end of May.
Having been born in Argentina and travelled to Patagonia in '99, Patagonia has become sort of an obsession with me. This obsession doesn't stop with fishing and I'm reading more and more descriptions and historic accounts of this area through the words of naturalists, essayists, historians, fishermen, and other men of letters of English, Spanish and American descent. This includes works that span almost a couple of centuries.
Here's some of the contemporary stuff I've read:
Argentine Trout Fishing: A Fly Fisherman's Guide to Patagonia by American Bill Leitch
Thankfully there was a recent second printing of this work, especially now that Bill passed away. I had heard about this guide and finally bought a copy. This is a tremendous book for anyone seriously thinking about going there or even if you just like to dream. He writes about the place, the people, and of course, the fishing from a fly fisherman's perspective and he knows what he's talking about after fishing the area for over 30 years. I read in detail about the National Park I fished with local friends when I was there and his descriptions are right on the money. Excellent work.
If you want vivid images of Patagonia then you must read Bruce Chatwin's "In Patagonia". This book is not about fishing. An English writer, Bruce wrote this book in 1973 and he's also been long dead, but the powerful images he portrays from walking that part of the Earth are absolutely unmatched.
Anyone interested in what that place was back long ago, must read Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. His diaries from his trip around the world onboard the Beagle go back some 170 years and the descriptions offered by this naturalist about the places and the "savages" are captivating. In fact, this book prompted me to get other works from other people who lived there at the turn of the century and who had insights of what it was like in those times.
I just picked up, through and out of print service, a first edition of "Uttermost Part of The Earth" by E. Lucas Bridges who lived among the Fuegians (native indians of Tierra del Fuego) for many years about a hundred years ago. haven't read it yet, but can't wait.
One other related book is "Patagonia: Natural History, Prehistory& Ethnography at the Uttermost End of the Earth" by McEwan, Borrero y Prieto which is siting on its shelf waiting for me to pick it up.
Another work from before the turn of the century is that by English naturalist Hudson who wrote "Idle Days in Patagonia"
He was a bird man and descriptions of local bird species abound.
I'm also trying to get copies of some of the reports from J.W. Titcomb, one of the original American biologists sent to Argentina with fertilized eggs of rainbow and brook trout somewhere around 1906. Should be interesting reading to trace some of the fish populations in Patagonia.
Hope I have not bored you with this post. I, for one, would like to see what others in the Forum are reading.
I think this maybe the type of thread that might need a separate Flytalk grouping altogether, like "books" or "literature" but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.
I'll tell you what I've been reading lately and what books I've purchased over the holidays, so as to keep me busy through the winter whenever there's some leisure time available.
Having read The "Earth is Enough" by Harry Middleton I realized how lucky we are to have writers of his caliber that can write about fly fishing, life, places and personal philosophies. I also realized how unlucky we are that he died so young and that we won't have any more of his writings. I recently picked up "On The Spine of Time" and "Rivers of Memory" which I have yet to read. I also tried getting "The Bright Country" but it's out of print and I have not yet located a copy through out of print book outlets.
Another book I've picked up and that comes highly recommended is "Meanderings of a Fisherman" by Seth Norman. Haven't read that one yet either.
Today I went through a book sale at the University where I work and picked up a copy of "Secrets of the Saltwater Fly" by f-stop Fitzgerald. It was a good buy, I think, with nice glossy pics of saltwater patterns, history, name of originator, uses, etc. Figured it'd be good to get some of the salty lexicon before my trip at the end of May.
Having been born in Argentina and travelled to Patagonia in '99, Patagonia has become sort of an obsession with me. This obsession doesn't stop with fishing and I'm reading more and more descriptions and historic accounts of this area through the words of naturalists, essayists, historians, fishermen, and other men of letters of English, Spanish and American descent. This includes works that span almost a couple of centuries.
Here's some of the contemporary stuff I've read:
Argentine Trout Fishing: A Fly Fisherman's Guide to Patagonia by American Bill Leitch
Thankfully there was a recent second printing of this work, especially now that Bill passed away. I had heard about this guide and finally bought a copy. This is a tremendous book for anyone seriously thinking about going there or even if you just like to dream. He writes about the place, the people, and of course, the fishing from a fly fisherman's perspective and he knows what he's talking about after fishing the area for over 30 years. I read in detail about the National Park I fished with local friends when I was there and his descriptions are right on the money. Excellent work.
If you want vivid images of Patagonia then you must read Bruce Chatwin's "In Patagonia". This book is not about fishing. An English writer, Bruce wrote this book in 1973 and he's also been long dead, but the powerful images he portrays from walking that part of the Earth are absolutely unmatched.
Anyone interested in what that place was back long ago, must read Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin. His diaries from his trip around the world onboard the Beagle go back some 170 years and the descriptions offered by this naturalist about the places and the "savages" are captivating. In fact, this book prompted me to get other works from other people who lived there at the turn of the century and who had insights of what it was like in those times.
I just picked up, through and out of print service, a first edition of "Uttermost Part of The Earth" by E. Lucas Bridges who lived among the Fuegians (native indians of Tierra del Fuego) for many years about a hundred years ago. haven't read it yet, but can't wait.
One other related book is "Patagonia: Natural History, Prehistory& Ethnography at the Uttermost End of the Earth" by McEwan, Borrero y Prieto which is siting on its shelf waiting for me to pick it up.
Another work from before the turn of the century is that by English naturalist Hudson who wrote "Idle Days in Patagonia"
He was a bird man and descriptions of local bird species abound.
I'm also trying to get copies of some of the reports from J.W. Titcomb, one of the original American biologists sent to Argentina with fertilized eggs of rainbow and brook trout somewhere around 1906. Should be interesting reading to trace some of the fish populations in Patagonia.
Hope I have not bored you with this post. I, for one, would like to see what others in the Forum are reading.