Excellent, witty, perceptive essays about fly-fishing, the natural world, and life in general from the acknowledged get good at of fishing authors

Along with his inimitable mix of wit and wisdom, John Gierach once again celebrates the fly-fishing life in Standing in a River Waving a Stick and notes its benefits like a sport, philosophical pursuit, even therapy: ‘The treatment for any problem-work, love, money, whatever-is to look fishing, and the worse the problem, the longer the trip should be.’ After about Position in a River Waving a Stick all, fly-fishing does teach important lifestyle lessons, says Gierach-about solitude, patience, perspective, humor, and the sublime coffee break.

Recounting both memorable fishing spots and memorable fish, Gierach talks about what makes an excellent fly pattern, the ethics of writing about undiscovered trout waters, the dread to getting skunked, as well as the camaraderie of fellow fishermen who are able to end almost any conversation with ‘Good, it’s type of like angling, isn’t it?’ Reflecting on a lifetime of lessons learned by the end of a fly rod, Gierach concludes, ‘The one inscription you don’t want carved on your own tombstone is usually ‘The Poor Kid of a Bitch Didn’t Fish Enough.” Thankfully for Gierach supporters, this is not more likely to happen.