The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing

(Paperback)

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National Outdoor Book Award Winner for Outdoor Literature From the award-winning, bestselling author of Codthe irresistible story of the science, history, art, and culture of the least efficient way to catch a fish. Fly fishing, historian Mark Kurlansky has found, is a battle of wits, fly fisher vs. fishand the fly fisher does not always (or often) win. The targetssalmon, trout, and char; and for some, bass, tarpon, tuna, bonefish, and even marlinare highly intelligent, athletic animals. The allure, Kurlansky learns, is that fly fishing makes catching a fish as difficult as possible. The flies can be beautiful and intricate, some made with over two dozen pieces of feather and fur; the cast is a matter of grace and rhythm, with different casts and rods yielding varying results. Kurlansky is known for his deep dives into specific subjects, from cod to oysters to salt. But he spent his boyhood days on the shore of a shallow pond. Here, where tiny fish weaved under a rocky waterfall, he first tied string to a branch, dangled a worm into the water, and unleashed his passion for fishing. Since then, his love of the sport has led him around the world's countries, coasts, and riversfrom the wilds of Alaska to Basque country, from Ireland and Norway to Russia and Japan. And, in true Kurlansky fashion, he absorbed every fact, detail, and anecdote along the way. The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing marries Kurlansky's signature wide-ranging reach with a subject that has captivated him for a lifetimecombining history, craft, and personal memoir to show readers, devotees of the sport or not, the necessity of experiencing natures balm first-hand.

Reviews

Mr. Kurlansky is a veteran writer. Over the course of 34 booksincluding bestsellers on such seemingly mundane subjects as salt, cod and paperhe has come to be known for his ability to weave history, philosophy and personal experience into compelling narratives. His latest, The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing, is on a subject that is clearly dear to his heart. . . . The book offers fascinating chapters on the history of fly fishing and tackleflies, rods, reels, lines, even waders. . . . The fishing trivia Mr. Kurlansky cites is often marvelous. * Wall Street Journal *
This being a book by Kurlansky, who never met a fact he didnt like, the narrative turns from his experiences as a fisherman to a more universal history. . . . Stuffed full of trivia, data, lore, and anecdotea pleasure for any fan of trout fishing. * Kirkus Reviews (starred review) *
[A] vibrant treatise on fly-fishing . . . This is a thoroughly enjoyable mash-up of vivid memoir and fastidious, eccentric history. * Publishers Weekly *
Perfect for your favorite angler and gifts all around. * Napa Valley Registers Fishing Report *
This is a book about fishing that isnt a book about fishing at all. To be clear, Kurlansky has been a fisherman his entire life. But this fresh, revealing memoir reflects on the life lessons he has learned from fish and the many things that make the pursuit such a special part of his life. * Arizona Daily Star *

Author Bio

Mark Kurlansky is the New York Times bestselling author of Milk!, Havana, Paper, The Big Oyster, 1968, Salt, The Basque History of the World, Cod, and Salmon, among other titles. He has received the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Bon Apptit's Food Writer of the Year Award, the James Beard Award, and the Glenfiddich Award. He lives in New York City. www.markkurlansky.com