Customer Reviews

Casting a Spell: The Bamboo Fly Rod and the American Pursuit of Perfection

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I myself am a maker of bamboo rods, so I may be somewhat prejudiced, but Casting a Spell cast a spell over me. Black has caught the spirit of our craft in his telling of the story of the development of the fine bamboo fly rod and the people involved in making them from the late 19th century until the present. He begins at the beginning-- that is, with H. L. Leonard and the group of marvelous rod makers who worked with him in the late 19th century. This core group of rod makers served as the wellspring of all bamboo rod making in the United States. Eustace Edwards, Fred Thomas, Edward Payne and the Hawes Brothers, and of course, Hiram Leonard himself.-- though each of them had distinct personalities, they all had one thing held in common; a drive for perfection.

It was not Black's intention to write a complete history of American bamboo fly rod making. Rather, it was his intention to trace the quest for perfection shown by lives and work of the original Leonard crew as they dispersed and established their own shops and their own versions of perfection in fly rod making. Black believes that Eustace Edwards, with his restless quest for the perfect fly rod, epitomizes all that is best in craftsmanship. Therefore, his book focuses primarily on Eustace and his offspring, their contributions to the art of rod making and the personal and professional interconnections among the great rod makers.

Black does not attempt to explain how the bamboo fly rod is made, but it is really unnecessary to know much about that to understand the book. There is really very little new in the book in terms of the history of the bamboo fly rod and its construction. What Black has accomplished here is to bring life to these remarkable men and put the history of bamboo fly rod making into the context of changes in the social and economic climate of the United States in the last century. Industrial mechanization changed the way in which many products are manufactured, marketed and consumed. Originally, bamboo fly rods were a luxury item, but mass production in the machine age, and the creation of the middle class changed all that. Then, almost anyone could afford a bamboo fly rod, but only the very rich could afford a rod hand-made by a fine craftsman driven toward perfection. And even then, a rod maker could only earn a pittance to keep the price of a rod competitive with the finest machine- made rods. These pressures relentlessly forced craftsmen to compromise their ideals to make a living. One can only describe this as agony and ecstasy. With these economic and social changes, the embargo on Chinese bamboo and the introduction of fiberglass and graphite, one would expect that the craft of fine bamboo rod making would be extinct -- not so. Black finishes his work with a whirlwind tour through rod shops of many of the modern makers who are carrying on the craft, portraying each as a distinct personality having a distinct approach to perfection in rod making.

For some bamboo rod history enthusiasts, there will be disappointment in that many of the large rod manufacturers -- Heddon, Granger, Chubb, Montague etc. -- are left out of the story. The book is an easy read, is well-written and the style is novelistic. Black's enthusiasm for the subject is obvious -- and quite contagious. However, the reader must have some appreciation for the useful beauty inherent in a fine bamboo fly rod in order to appreciate this book. The book should be all on the shelf of any bamboo fly rod enthusiast.

Regardless of whether you don't know the difference between a fly rod and a cane pole, or whether you not only know the differences but you've made your spouse learn about them, there's a place on your book shelf for Casting A Spell. George Black's investigative trail took him all over the country on a merry chase after the fly fishing equivalent of the Holy Grail: the perfect bamboo fly rod. Is there a piscatorial equivalent to the Stradivarius? George is convinced the best were from the hands of Eustis William Edwards, and he goes on to show the reader that the excellence that began in the mid 1800's flourished under the stewardship of makers like Billy Edwards as the new century began. Fly fishing in America certainly didn't start with A River Runs Through It and today the bamboo fly rod is alive and well as the new generations of rod crafters strive to create the next Strad. There are good reasons why the bamboo rod has enjoyed a renaissance in recent decades and when you've finished this book you'll understand both the craftsmen and their customers a bit better. This is a good read from an investigative writer with a proven track record in this area.

George Black has written a most literary and enjoyable history of the bamboo fly fishing rod. Unhurried, with frequent fascinating digressions, he takes one through the history of the development of this remarkable sporting instrument, beginning in the mid 1800's and coming down to the present. He provides much color to persons whose names were all we knew before: Leanard, Edwards, Hawes, Thomas and more. A grand book by a great author. You will really enjoy this book, even if you are not a fly fisher.

While the nominal subject of this book is the banboo fly rod, it's really about art. There are those who can look at the Mona Lisa and be enraptured. There are others who hear a piece of music and almost leave their bodies behind.

Then there are others who look at the Mona Lisa and see a picture not as good as a photograph, and to whom music is basically noise. (Of course to a lot of music lovers, that 'other kind' of music is just noise.)

This book goes a long way to explaining that there's another approach to art. The art of the bamboo fly rod 'casts a spell' on George Black. And as a professional writer he has the gift of words to explain just how it does. His poetic prose takes the reader from the technology and the reknown makers to little known streams across the country to make the perfect catch with the perfect rod. Will he ever reach the untimate? Of course not. Life is a journey not a destination.

The topic has started to catch my eye when I treat myself to a book on amazon. Bamboo rods really have a grasp on my interest in the sport right now. So, I bought this book with the intention of trying to further my awareness of these rods. Well, let me just say that the writing is great. It is unsurpassed within the world of fly fishing literature. However, the author's elitist attitudes did not really provide much of an insight into the world of bamboo rods, other than to recount how one person was able to use his credentials to make connections that others could not make. He met some great people and tells us of these meetings. Then the author engages in an ego boosting yarn about his rare and valuable rods he owns. That is about all that is in the book and why it does not really belong their with Gierach's book. It is up to you but there are other more enjoyable books on the subject.

What can one say about an obsession? What can one write about an obsessive book about a line of craftsmen who rarely made a profit and were never satisfied with their work?

If you fly fish, read this. If not but you are interested in technmology and craftsmanship, read this in bits. If you are not any of these, read something else.

Very well written history of the evolution of the bamboo fly rod craft beginning in mid 20th century America. My greatest disapointment (as in with some singer/song writers) is Mr. Black has a penchant to remind us he is a liberal democrat. I fact I could have lived without. I mean really, who cares?

This is a terrific book. It covers the history and personalities that shaped the evolution of the craft of bamboo fly rod making.

I bought this book thinking it would be informative, and it was. What was pleasantly surprising was how interesting and fun the book was to read. It gave me a real appreciation for the great bamboo rod makers and some insight into their lives. The author's careful research and enthusiasm for the subject matter is evident throughout. Highly recommended.

Overall a very good read which traces the lives of a select group of craftsman as they pursue their white whale in the form of a uniquely American art form. This book is for anyone interested in what drives an artist to do what they love (or in one case, tolerate) in spite of personal and financial hardship.

Other reviews of this book have brought up the other's political remarks in the book. There are a few included which are very out of place and not at all in keeping with the spirit of the subject. I actually side with the author politically but offhandedly referring to Republican's as "neanderthals" is childish at best. If he seeks to contrast Republican cane rod builders with the Buddhist rod builders he profiles then he couldn't be further from the mark (I've known several Buddhists who happen to vote the GOP line). I'm disappointed in both the author and the editor for letting petty feelings break up the rhythm of an otherwise fine book. And this is why I've given it 3 stars instead of 4.

If you like flyfishing and want to learn about the history of your tool, this is the book!