Customer Reviews

Never Sniff a Gift Fish

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NEVER SNIFF A GIFT FISH
By: Patrick F. McManus

Have you ever heard of a great outdoorsman? You know, the one whose fly-casting technique can be compared to an old lady fighting off a bee with a broom handle. Or maybe the one whose attempts to pitch the family tent terrorized entire campgrounds. Well, for those of you who haven't heard of him, this book, will give you a little insight into the life of the great outdoorsman. Never Sniff A Gift Fish, is a great source for those useful camping phrases. Here are some of them.

Corn Flakes: A common camp food. Often eaten dry with salt and pepper since no one thought to bring milk.

Camping manuals: Books filled with ingenious camping tips which are forgotten the instant the camper sets foot in the field. "I read about a way to cook a chicken with a camera lens and a wire clothes hanger, but I can't remember how," he says. "Better just fry it."

Downwind: Whichever side of the campfire you happen to be on.
And who could forget "When hell freezes over": An expression used by wives and mothers to indicate the next time you'll get them to go on another camping trip.

This book is a hilarious combination of philosophy and fishing, all rolled into one. I loved the book, and I would definitely recommend this book to any outdoorsman, great or not, that has a sense of humor and a sense of what the author is going through.

i first theses books when i was ten years old and i haven't stopped yet.. we only have four books but i intend to get more of the books.. they are funny.. i like the one where he goes hunting on his bicycle and gets the deer stuck on the pedals.

Never Look a Gift Fish was my introduction to the wonderful world of Patrick F. McManus. Each story had me remembering similar incidents in my life, only mine were not near as entertaining.

While listening to these tapes during a cross-state drive to a football game, I caught myself driving slower as I approached my destination because I did not want to have to wait until the return trip to continue listening.

It is ironic that many of his stories are based on fishing because I, for one, am HOOKED!!

...to enjoy these genuinely humorous stories. Patrick McManus's way of saying things quite seroiusly and having them end up being funny is really a riot. These stories are almost as good when you read them the 10th time as they are when you first read them. My favorites: "Poof!No Eyebrows!", and "the Mountain Car". These two are absolutely hilarious, but all the stories in this book are great. This book makes for great summer reading.

Patrick F. McManus has an unsurpased gift for humor. He will relate stories about his experiences in such a way that one or two details are left out or made to seem unimportant. Later in the story, when these details are uncovered, the situation he has described to that point suddenly takes on a whole new and hilarious twist. Truely, this is simple (often nastolgic) humor at its best.

Shelton S. Herbert

It's almost like he's watching me and my family. I couldn't stop laughing so went and bought four or five more by him. Thanks!

This man is a genius, as much as for what he leaves you to imagine as for what he writes. Great entertainment.

I picked up this book by accident and after reading my first story "Poof No Eyebrows" I was rolling on the floor laughing. I have now included all Mr. MaManus's books to my collection. I'm a woman and it give me a totally new look at boys and men. It also gave me an idea of what to expect out of my teenage son. This book is a keeper.

Patrick McManus is one of the few authors I know who can make me laugh after reading only the first sentence of one of his stories. His writing teems with belly-aching ineptitude about the great outdoors and life in general. This book and others by him are sure to bring tears to the sensible (or maybe not so sensible) reader.

This collection of more of McManus's outdoor humor continues to find my funny bone. He has yet to disappoint me. Anyone who likes irony and nostalgia with more than a bit of exaggeration will most likely enjoy this book!