Thomas McGuane's "The Longest Silence."

[fadeaway263]

There have been some references to this book on other threads but given how great a read it is I thought I'd highlight it. One of my favorite lines is "feeling that pull that only anglers know".

 

[BrookieChaser]

I thought that book sucked. It was by far the worst fly fishing book I've read.

I thought the author was trying too hard to make it something it was not. With that attempt I felt he was writing over the head of his audience.

 

[raftman]

I thought that book sucked. It was by far the worst fly fishing book I've read.

I thought the author was trying too hard to make it something it was not. With that attempt I felt he was writing over the head of his audience.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that has found this book to be grossly overrated. I'm glad people dig it and find a lot in it, but it really has never resonated with me.

 

[fadeaway263]

I felt he was writing over the head of his audience.

Could be but given the book was strongly recommended by Tom Brokaw and David Halberstam I will just leave off my comments there. In fact couldn't find one negative review other than yours.

 

[fadeaway263]

You Tube Review together with an interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLe6C_dLMIQ

 

[fadeaway263]

Interview with Tom Brokaw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfr6T1u5XVc

 

[BrookieChaser]

fadeaway263 wrote:

I felt he was writing over the head of his audience.

Could be but given the book was strongly recommended by Tom Brokaw and David Halberstam I will just leave off my comments there. In fact couldn't find one negative review other than yours.

So Raftman's (who has written for "The Drake") response doesn't count if mine is the only negative review ever written?

The next time I need a fly fishing book I'll be sure to check if it has Tom Brokaw's endorsement on YouTube. Then I'll know to pass on it.

 

[rrt]

I, too, think it was overrated, though I don't think it's as bad as a couple of you guys do. It has a few good stories. But, if I were limited to 25 fly-fishing books, this wouldn't be one of them.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

I know my wife ordered it for me for a gift.I look forward to reading it. I've enjoyed other works by Mcguane especially some of his short stories.
Has anyone read much by JIm Harrison? I know he is a buddy of Mcguanes. He doesn't write much about flyfishing specifically but it comes up in his stories from time to time. He is an interesting writer of that generation I think.

 

[raftman]

Has anyone read much by JIm Harrison? I know he is a buddy of Mcguanes. He doesn't write much about flyfishing specifically but it comes up in his stories from time to time. He is an interesting writer of that generation I think.

I've read quite a bit of Jim Harrison...great writer tho at times his motifs can become a bit redundant and tired: old man in love with younger woman, inability to come to terms with declining manhood, booze...either way, I'd check out his novella collections. Some great stuff.

If your looking for more in the vein of Harrison and McGuane...I'd highly recommend Rick Bass. His short stories - In the Loyal Mountains, Hermit Stories, etc are absolutely stunning. He doesn't mention fly fishing much, but there's a lot of Montana, wilderness, hunting, etc. Great great stuff. He was a mentee of Harrison's and McGuane's.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Thanks raftman!

 

[raftman]

My pleasure Foxtrapper! I love passing along good reads and listens.

 

[fadeaway263]

To say it best

 

[pete41]

Tom Brokaw is very qualified -has his own place on a great trout stream in Montana.lol

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Almost finished this book and have really enjoyed it. I have read a few of the stories somewhere before. The author uses a lot of quirky, personal lines and humor and it took me a while to get used to his way of putting words together. In fact that's what I ended up liking about the stories. He is of course writing about some exotic places and it was interesting to hear about all that and the fishing but he also brings a lot of personality to each story. His personal, idiosyncratic vision comes through and in the end was the strongest element of the book.