LINES ON THE WATER: A FLY FISHERMAN'S LIFE ON THE MIRAMICHI

LINES ON THE WATER: A FLY FISHERMAN'S LIFE ON THE MIRAMICHI As a child I had the idea that trout were golden, or green, in deep pools hidden away under the moss of the riverbank. And that someday I would walk in the right direction, take all the right paths to the river and find them there. Anyone who has ever tied a blood knot in a leader or spun a line on the reel, felt the tug of a salmon or seen the glimmer of a brook trout in the early morning sun, understands that fishing is more than a sport. It is, for many, a way of life. In Lines on the Water, we are reminded us why this is so. Writing with the same mastery that has won him praise for his fiction, Richards takes useven those unfamiliar with days spent in chilly waterson an unforgettable journey to the famed Miramichi River, casting a light on the magical world of fly-fishing and the community that surrounds it. Richards pays tribute to all who have shared in the joy of fishing, by weaving together tales of the guides and poachers, the sports and the city slickers. Starting at the age of four when he lands his first trout, to his friendship with fellow fishers like Peter McGrath, to his life-long search for the next great fishing pool, Richards takes us beyond the river and into his mind and his heart. He offers thoughts and insights about our relationship with nature, about hunters and fishermen, friendship and family, history and memory, and the changes that todays modern world has brought. Lines on the Water teems with lore and wisdom, humor, and most of all, passion. Fly-fishing has always been a literary sport, and Richardss book, winner of the Governor Generals Award, is sure to become a classic along side works such as Izaak Waltons The Compleat Angler and Norman MacLeans A River Runs Through It. PRESS REVIEWS: Kirkus ReviewsA gentle, almost shy evocation of New Brunswicks Miramichi and of growing up along that great salmon rivers banks. . . . An affectionate tally of days on Canadian salmon rivers: and an envy-maker for those who only dream of wading in.David Pitt - BooklistReaders of the author's finely written fiction will flock to this memoir; fishers, or those who like to read about fishing, will be equally entranced.Atlantic Salmon JournalThis is a book rich in salmon lore, insight and wisdon; but above all else this is a work of unforgettable writing. Richards writes beautifully. . . . To say that I enjoyed Lines on the Water would be an understatement.James Prosek, author of Joe and Me and Early Love and Brook TroutEloquent and evocative . . . A warm and gracious book in what it shares . . . the smell of burning hickory, the light from a Coleman lantern, the legends of woodsmen, the colors of the brook trout are all in there.Paul Quarrington, author of Fishing with My Old GuyLines on the Water reminds me why I love to fish and, more importantly, Richards' fine writing reminds me why I love to read.National PostThese stories, netted from the amber waters of the Miramichi and warmed over the campfire under the stars, are for the kind of fly fisher who can see more than fish when he or she looks in the water. . . . A warm book for a cold winter's night.Edmonton JournalHe spins his line, testing the waters until--bang!--you're hooked. . . . Richards writes with such heartbreaking courage tht we cannot help but feel ennobled by the poise of his vision. . . . Lines on the Water is a remarkable dialogue between a fisherman and his prey.ABOUT THE AUTHOR:David Adams Richards has won numerous awards for his fiction and nonfiction. He lives in Toronto with his wife, Peggy, and their two sons, John Thomas and Anton. ISBN: 1-61608-413-8 publish date: 02/29/2012