The selections in" The Armchair Angler" range from classic pieces by Isaak Walton and R.D. Blackmore to writings by such contemporary favorites as Arnold Gigrinch, Nick Lyons, Patrick McManus and Ernest Schwiebert. Every type of fishing experience is explored: Zane Grey searches the rivers of the Everglades to round up tarpon; Ernest Hemingway proves his mettle on the high seas; John MacDonald, in a piece sure to resonate with anyone who has ever cast a line, reminisces about the ones-that-got-away. In Richard Brautigan's "The Hunchback Trout, " the "counterculture" perspective on fishing is perfectly rendered, while the female point of view on both fishing and fisherman is delightfully brought to life by Beatrice Cook, a woman who confesses to being "joined to anglimony."
The age-old affiliation of fine writing and fishing continues today. Pieces by Thomas McGuane, Russell Chatham, and Bill Barich, and moving excerpt from Norman Maclean's best-selling" A River Runs Through It" exploring the subtle yet profound influence fishing has on uniting a family are prime examples of contemporary works that transcend traditional boundaries.
