Fishing for Authors

[Zeno]

Years ago it was Ed Zorn, then Patrick McGinnis, and others that I have forgotten. But for fly-fishing John Gierach is very good (Two Books - Death, Taxes, and Leaky Waders; Sex, Death, and Fly Fishing are excellent). I have never heard of Ian Frazier who has a book out called, The Fish's Eye. It is suppose to be good but I was wondering if others have heard of him and read anything by this hack. Some of the stuff was published previously (or previously published) in The New Yorker and Outside Magazine; what does that mean? Any one knows? Or does anyone know? Or do you know any one that knows? Do You Know?

-Zeno

[Ed I]

Never heard of him.

Gierach is enjoyable.

You might like Steve Raymond. Author of 5 books on fly fishing, including Steelhead Country and the award winning The Year of the Angler. Retired from a 30 yr. career as an editor and manager at The Seattle Times. In 1993 he received the Federation's(Federation of Fly Fishers) Roderick Haig-Brown Award for "significant contributions to angling literature."

[John Cole]

Zeno,

I've only read a few of Frazier's essays in both the New Yorker and Best American Essays collections, but he has written much more, and his book on his family received very good reviews. Frazier is very funny. In one essay, he wrote about the books used as background in fashion catalogs.

I heard him interviewed this weekend on NPR about the fishing book. He spoke about Hemingway's "Big Two-Hearted River" as an exemplary fishing story, and compared it to the usual "my rod snapped back" kind of crap. Anyway, I've always enjoyed his essays.

John

[Ray Zee]

i got stopped with ed zorn. i remember ed zern who wrote the back page for field and stream in the 50's and 60's and was one of the funniest writers of sports ever(maybe it was ed zorn). also pat macmannus not mcginnus who wrote they shoot canoes dont they. and other semi funny works.
the new stuff is way past me as i am still getting through my copy of ray bergmans trout that i have had for 40 years.
i did get to run into him in the early 1960's at the hackensack river in new jersey.

[Zeno]

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like it is worth getting so I think I'll order the book. Maybe even post a "review" after I have read it. I have Hemingway's short stories so I'll go and read (or reread) Two-Hearted River.

-Zeno

[Zeno]

Yipps! Ed Zern is correct! My mind is a mush pie of late as I also missed Patrick's correct last name. My game is way off. Yes, it is Ed Zern that I remember, as my dad use to get Field and Stream and I recall always thumbing to the last page for the Exit Laughing column. I was young but always in search of a laugh. By the way, there is a Best of Ed Zern book out in case you ever get through Ray Bergman's book.

Why Zorn? Zorn.......now I remember - there was a Zorn that was a quarterback for the Seahawks in the early 80's. I think. /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

-Zeno

[Zeno]

Thanks for the tip on Steve Raymond. My dad, I think, as mentioned him before and may have some of his books. But then, I just proved that my memory is getting distorted like one of Dali's clocks so I best exit before I become anymore surreal.

-Zeno

[M2d]

I like Gierach, if only for his affinity for warm water fishing and appreciation for the non-glam (greenback cutts) species. I also like Nick Lyons because his sometimes struggles with the long rod often approximate my own.

[Gitz]

I finally read something on this forum and I don't even fish!!!!

[Phat Mack]

Speaking of old timers, I don't know if you remember Ted Trueblood. He came and talked to my Boy Scout Troup in the early 60's about how to cast a fly, and I've been a fly fisher ever since.

[Jimbo]

Phat Mack, that is an unnerving coincidence. Tiny Tim came to one of our Boy Scout meetins demonstrating how he "cast his fly" open with just one hand. Ever since then I have been wary of being in a room full of Boy Scouts whether they are carring fishing poles, flowers or a tiny mandolin. /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

[Ray Zee]

yea i know ted trueblood. i bought an english setter from one of his dogs. i still have a letter from him talking about my dog. this was in the mid seventies.

and tiny tim. well he lived down the road from me in new jersey and i used to see him in the bar all the time. he was a strange bird. but alot of people didnt know he was a singer on broadway for awhile and not just some flake.