The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told [Hardcover]

Lamar Underwood (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000 | Series: Greatest

Twenty-eight unforgettable fish tales as told by America's finest writers.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There's always a risk involved whenever the promise of "greatest" is dropped into a title. Simply "great" or just "outstanding" won't cut it when the superlative is the target being cast to. Given that this is a collection of fish tales both fictional and factual, a little truth-stretching wouldn't be unexpected, but veteran outdoors editor Lamar Underwood will have none of that; he tries to wriggle off the hook anyway, admitting his choices won't always match expectations. He didn't need to. His collection of 28 stories, covering fishing in its various forms, more than delivers on the titular pledge of utmost excellence.

Just look at the contributors. Some, like A.J. McClane, John Gierach, Robert Traver, Roderick L. Haig-Brown, Nick Lyons, Ernest Schweibert, and Philip Wylie are firmly mounted in the pantheon of angling lit, while others--Hemingway, Thomas McGuane, Patrick O'Brian, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and Zane Grey--are acknowledged trophy scribes. Their range--both as writers and anglers--is superb, and if the pieces aren't necessarily the writer's most famous or best, they are certainly, as a group, representative, beautifully written, and diverse in their approach. Not surprisingly, it's British Columbia's Renaissance man, Haig-Brown, who reels in the line of the book. In his tantalizing opening to "Sachem River," Haig-Brown captures the allure of great angling writing in a single sentence: "I have told this story before in different ways, but it is the best fishing story I know and it touches one of the loveliest rivers I know." Like every selection in The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told, it invites you to sit by the fire, coaxing you to read on as it thoroughly hooks you with its literary charms. --Jeff Silverman

Review

"Every once in a while, a book publisher comes up with a great concept for a series of books that deserve more than superficial recognition. Such a series is "The Greatest (fill in the blank) Stories Ever Told", anthologies that should win places on many bedside tables. On the long winter nights that lie ahead, such stories make great reading." --The Lexington County Chronicle

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158574140X
• ISBN-13: 978-1585741403
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,641,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Greatest? Not Quite., June 4, 2005

By 

J. Pace "Darrell Pace" (Tuscumbia, AL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told (Hardcover)

I was somewhat disappointed by this book and I think it was because the title built it up too much for me. It was a good book and had good stories, but not the greatest ever told. As a matter of fact, most fishermen have told or at least heard better stories than these. Storytelling and fishing just sort of go together. You have to be able to stretch a pretty good fish tale if you're a fisherman. I think it's a requirement. All of that being stated, I did find some of the stories pretty interesting and do recommend it to those who enjoy both fishing and reading. There is a great story about Tarpon fishing and another by Zane Grey, when he caught a Marlin. Those are both worth reading. Another thing the book does is stress fly fishing. It almost seems to be saying that Fly fishing is the only real fishing. I am afraid I would have to disagree. I do have a new appreciation for this method, though, and feel a need to learn more about it. Maybe that was the author's intent.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, June 23, 2007

By 

Mitchell Llewellyn "Gadget Freak NJ" (Belmar NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told (Hardcover)

Great fishing stories from around the globe. Not much more to say!!! Buy it !!!

4.0 out of 5 stars The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told, December 16, 2005

By 

Mid-Prairie Teen - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told (Hardcover)

If you want to read a wonderful novel of many stories you should read The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told. Lamar Underwood has collected 28 unforgettable fishing stories. These stories have been collected by some of the best authors in the world. You go from trout fishing in Colorado to tarpon fishing down in the gulf. Bass fishing in Florida to catching pike in Canada.

Lamar Underwood has done a great job in properly putting these stories together. He is able to write the art of fishing.

Some great authors that are in this novel are Patrick O' Brian writing "The Return," Ben East writing "Bruisers of the Weed Bed," and my favorite, Robart Traver writing "The Intruder."

In the end this book is worth its money. It might be a little long, but it gives you a great picture in your mind. Lamar Underwood's The Greatest Fishing Stories Ever Told is a great novel.