On The Water: A Fishing Memoir Download Free (EPUB, PDF)
From the acclaimed author of Fragrance of Grass comes a meditation on water and nature, fishing and growing older. On the Water is a gorgeously written collection of essays that all take place on or near the water and pay tribute to the flora and fauna associated with those ecosystems. There are essays about the finer points of tickling rainbow trout in the streams of Normandy, and of eagles and ospreys fishing for bass while barely breaking the surface of the water. There are stories of droughts and floods, of dogs and boats, of worms and rattlesnakes and even of catching and cooking soft-shell turtles that taste like osso-bucco. There is fishing and diving in the Bahamas, tarpon fishing in the Florida Keys, and fly fishing for sailfish in Central America. And there are larger-than-life personalities that are bigger than the fish tales they tell! On the Water is a finely honed and well crafted collection of tales for the true sportsman and makes for a perfect companion volume to la Valdene’s celebrated collection of essays on hunting.
Hardcover: 192 pages
Publisher: Lyons Press (February 1, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1493007939
ISBN-13: 978-1493007936
Product Dimensions: 5.7 x 0.7 x 8.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #414,297 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #187 in Books > Science & Math > Biological Sciences > Animals > Fish & Sharks #210 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Miscellaneous > Essays #519 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Nature Writing & Essays
Mr. de la Valdene's books are always well written and of interest to me because we share the same outdoor sports passions and experiences. This book is a follow-up to his Fragrance of Grass. Fragrance dealt with the joys and difficulties of managing a plantation for quail hunting. This book covers his experiences with the pond on his plantation, bass fishing, nature watching, and how his actions affect the cycle of life in the pond. I was disappointed there were a couple of technical errors in the book-Lee Wulff would be too. While this book was enjoyable I did not think it to be the equal of Fragrance of Grass.
First let me say that my husband is a fishing buddy of Guy's. Though not a sportsman, I enjoy good writing on any subject.And when I'm transported from France to the Florida Keys to my own back yard on Lake Jackson by a true story teller, I'm thoroughly entertained. Perhaps my sportsman said it best, " When two people have a love for good dogs and bird hunting and fly fishing for brook trout or tarpon or fresh water bream and bass--there is a profound common denominator thatbrings them together.Guy has the unique talent to express those loves in beautiful prose."
Once again Guy de la Valdene delivers a wonderful book on a specific part of his outdoor life. As he previously did with quail and gray partridge he writes in his funny, lyrical, meditative way about all things fishing related. But of course he goes deeper into friendships, nature, growing old, etc. if you have ever cast any sort of line, I encourage you to pick up this book!
There are certain special writers that have the uncanny ability to bring life to any and all subject matter, regardless of one's preferences in reading material, and for me, Guy de la Valdene is one of those writers. My typical reading fare does not generally include hunting, or in this case, fishing, but Valdene manages to capture my full attention with his poetic prose, unique turns of phrase, and his profound knowledge of the outdoors and it's occupants, all told with his unique sense of humor and through the lens of nostalgia, detailing geographies that simply aren't available to anglers today as they were when Valdene brought fish from their waters. If you enjoyed The Fragrance of Grass, Making Game, or For a Handful of Feathers, don't skip this one. You would regret it.
"On the Water" is beautifully written. More a series of discrete reminiscences than a unified memoir, it's held together by the author's distinctive voice and by his appreciation for all the natural and human creatures that attend the act of fishing. It is not, perhaps, quite as wonderful as his "The Fragrance of Grass" on bird hunting, but very satisfying, nonetheless. I do hope, however, that a couple of the glaring errors ("oriole" for "aureole" and "Lee Wolf" for "Lee Wulff") will be corrected in a second printing. This book is worthy of many.
It's been a while, but another masterpiece that is hard to put down. I wish de la Valdene produced more literature. I've read everyone of his books and the entertainment, insights and conversations never disappoint.
For a "no account" Count I am always entertained by Monsieur Valdene. At times funny, and at others touching, there are in his words and expressions of "life" and truly "living" life.Valdene is never afraid to be openly frank about his life using words that some might consider "TMI." I applaud his aplomb!
A tremendously well written story book. The descriptions and prose is enchanting and you want to be fishing along side of him. A fascinating life. Sometimes his words sent me running to the dictionary but it was well worth the journey as is reading these wonderful stories.SteveAhoy Marine Product
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