Museum Library - New Books  h

NEW BOOKS

January/February 2007

Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier’s Art
Terry Hellekson, Gibbs Smith, Publisher ( Layton, UT ), (800)835-4993 or (801)544-9800, fax: (800)213-3023 or (801)546-8853, www.gibbs-smith.com, 2005, 719 pp., illustrated, $50, hardcover.
Contemporary Fly Patterns of British Columbia, Art Lingren
The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying, Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer
Frank Amato Publications ( Portland, OR ), (800)541-9498 or (503)653-8108, fax: (503)653-2766, www.amatobooks.com, 2006, 104/189 pp., illustrated, $25/$45, softcover/spiral hardcover.
  Newly revised and updated, Fish Flies: The Encyclopedia of the Fly Tier’s Art offers the original (1997) two volumes of Fish Flies in one hardcover edition creating a complete resource on almost 3,000 flies. In addition to sharing his knowledge of colors, fly-fishing techniques, and the best tools and materials, author Terry Hellekson also includes interviews with fly-tying greats from years past and the history of some of the popular individual flies. Because of its diversity in both fish species and water types, British Columbia has become a land rich in fly-tying talent. So rich, in fact, that more than 60 tiers have contributed flies to Art Lingren’s Contemporary Fly Patterns of British Columbia. For each fly there’s a detailed list of components, full-frame photograph and narrative. Designed for novice, expert, and all fly fishers in between, Lingren also includes useful hints on fishing the flies effectively. Ted Leeson and Jim Schollmeyer have come up with a unique way to look at the subject of fly tying. The Benchside Introduction to Fly Tying allows readers to simultaneously access fly recipes and tying steps. The first 50 pages are detailed photos of tying techniques. The next 150 pages are cut horizontally, with the top part showing tying steps for dozens of patterns and references to techniques explained step-by-step on the bottom half of each page. Perfect for beginners and a treat for all tiers.

Cover Girl & Other Stories of Fly-Fishermen in Maine
J.H. Hall, iUniverse ( Lincoln, NE ), (800-288-4677), www.iuniverse.com, 2005, 157 pp., $12.95, softcover.
Classic Fishing Stories, Nick Lyons, ed., 2002
Return to Travers Corners, Scott Waldie, 2002
Travers Corners: The Final Chapters, Scott Waldie, 2005
The Lyons Press ( Guilford, CT ), (888)249-7568 or (203)458-4500, fax: (800)820-2329 or (203)458-4603, www.globe-pequot.com, 291/276/270 pp., $9.95/$22.95/$22.95, softcover/hardcover/hardcover.
  Cover Girl & Other Stories of Fly-Fishermen in Maine is a fictional collection of stories in which author J.H. Hall chronicles the joys and tribulations of Maine fly fishermen, their loved ones, and their adversaries. All the quirky characters share a passion for fly fishing – their lifeline – and an indifference to most of society’s other conventions. Whether building an indoor trout stream or robbing a bank, they struggle gallantly to preserve a way of life and a part of Maine that is rapidly disappearing. In Classic Fishing Stories, Nick Lyons has compiled 20 timeless pieces, by some of the greatest authors in history, about the passion of fishing. These classic tales – by Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, Washington Irving, Rudyard Kipling, Henry Van Dyke, Anton Chekhov, John Taintor Foote, G. E. M. Skues, and others -- have stood the inescapable test of time and have given, and continue to give, great pleasure to generations of anglers. Scott Waldie’s Travers Corners titles (Return to Travers Corners is Waldie’s second book in the series; Travers Corners: The Final Chapters is the third and last) are filled with fascinating characters from this wonderful place in Montana. There’s Ed's Garage and Filling Station; McCracken's General Store -- still owned and run by Junior, the worst fisherman who ever lived to fish; the Tin Cup Bar and Cafe; Dolores' Beauty Parlor; and The Carrie Creek Boat Works and Guide Service - Judson C. Clark, proprietor. This fly-fishing paradise is filled with stories of love and fishing dories, of famous fishermen full of hot air and simple ones filled with awe. You’ll find yourself caring deeply about what goes on in Travers Corners, and wishing you could spend some time in a place just like it.

Fishing the Delaware and Maryland Coasts
Andy Snyder, Burford Books ( Springfield, NJ ), (888)258-0960 or (973)258-0960, fax: (973)258-0113, www.burfordbooks.com, 2006, 180 pp., illustrated, $16.95, softcover.
Fishing: The Complete Guide to Basics
Craig Ritchie, Key Porter Books ( Toronto, Ontario ), (416)862-7777, fax: (416)862-2304, www.keyporter.com, 2006, 167 pp., illustrated, $21.95, softcover.
Early Northwest Fly-Fishing, Blaine Hallock
Fly Fisher’s Bible: Montana, Greg Thomas
Steelhead Fly Fishing Nez Perce Country, Dan Landeen
Frank Amato Publications (contact information above), 2006, 232/311/111 pp., illustrated, $19.95/$24.95/$25, softcover.
  Capt. Andy Snyder’s Fishing the Delaware and Maryland Coasts is a complete where-to guide for the world-class fishing opportunities – surf, inshore, back bay and inlet for flounder, weakfish, dolphinfish, shark tuna, bluefish, striped bass and more -- along this 59 miles of coastline. Tips and techniques specific to each locality, and notes on charter and head boats, are also included. Whether you’ve never cast a line, or have had one too many disappointing outings, Fishing: The Complete Guide to Basics will help make every fishing trip an exciting adventure. Author Craig Ritchie serves as your guide as you learn the fundamentals of identifying and locating fish; using appropriate bait, tackle and equipment; casting methods and trolling and fly fishing techniques; fighting and landing your catch, and more. The manuscript for Early Northwest Fly Fishing was discovered almost 60 years after the death of the author, Blaine Hallock. Here he shares a lifetime of adventures angling in Europe, Great Britain, the Far East, South Pacific, and the great rivers of the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Alaska. Hallock was an early proponent of catch-and-release and these vignettes, about a time when leaders were still made with gut and all rods were made from bamboo, are charming. Greg Thomas spent 20 years compiling information for Fly-Fisher’s Bible: Montana, an authoritative guidebook to Big Sky Country angling. He provides detailed maps for every major body of water in the state (blue-ribbon rivers, smaller tributary streams, lakes), tying and fishing notes for 66 of Montana ’s most innovative and productive fly patterns, seasonal advice, and much more. Dan Landeen’s Steelhead Fly Fishing Nez Perce Country chronicles the history of the sport on three of America ’s most storied rivers: the Grande Ronde, Clearwater, and the Snake. There are interviews with more than 30 master fly fishers, who tell their own stories of memorable places, memorable fish and memorable people; Steve Pettit gives an overview of steelhead politics and biology on the Clearwater; and Jimmy Green explains how he came to build his famous two-handed rod.

Hooked: Pirates Poaching and the Perfect Fish
G. Bruce Knecht, Rodale Books ( Emmaus, PA ), (800)848-4735 or (610)967-9527, fax: (610)967-9527, www.rodalestore.com, 2006, 278 pp., illustrated, $24.95, hardcover.
50 Ways to Save the Ocean
David Helvarg, ed., Inner Ocean Publishing ( Makawao, HI ), (800)863-1449, fax: (808)573-0700, www.innerocean.com, 2006, 186 pp., $12.95, softcover.
The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida, and the Politics of Paradise
Michael Grunwald, Simon & Schuster ( New York ), (800)223-2336 or (212)698-7000, fax: (800)943-9831 or (212)698-7336, www.simonandschuster.com, 2006, 450 pp., illustrated, $27, hardcover.
The New York Times Book of Fish
Nicholas Wade, ed., The Lyons Press (contact information above), 2002, 251 pp., $16.95, softcover.
  Hooked is a fascinating story about the Patagonian toothfish (known to Americans as Chilean sea bass). The book is built around the pursuit of the illegal fishing vessel Viarsa by an Australian patrol boat in one of the longest chases in maritime history. Author G. Bruce Knecht chronicles how a fish merchant “discovered” and renamed this obscure and unappealing fish, kicking off worldwide demand for a species no one had ever heard of -- and suddenly everyone had to have. 50 Ways to Save the Ocean spotlights the urgency of saving the seas and offers concrete steps to protect and conserve this vital resource. David Helvarg’s personal and sometimes whimsical text addresses the daily choices we can make to contribute: what fish we should and shouldn’t be eating; protecting local water tables; keeping household refuse nontoxic; using less plastic, plus 46 more. The Everglades was once reviled as a liquid wasteland and Americans dreamed of draining it. Now it is revered as a national treasure, and the largest environmental project in history has been launched to try to save it. The Swamp, by Michael Grunwald, a prize-winning reporter for The Washington Post, is the story of the destruction and possible resurrection of the Everglades, the saga of man’s abuse of nature and his unprecedented efforts to make amends. For more than 20 years readers of The New York Times have looked forward to the high-quality writing found in Tuesday’s “Science Times” section. Now, the best articles on fish and other creatures of the sea have been compiled by Nicholas Wade in The New York Times Book of Fish. Columns included cover new discoveries in the evolution of fish, the remarkable variety of species that live at the bottom of the sea, freshwater parasites, environment loss, impact of commercial fishing, and much more.

Roy’s Fish & Seafood: Recipes from the Pacific Rim
Roy Yamaguchi, Ten Speed Press ( Berkeley, CA ), (800)841-2665 or (510)559-1600, fax: (510)524-4588, www.tenspeed.com, 2005, 242 pp., illustrated, $35, hardcover.
Fish on a First-Name Basis: How Fish is Caught, Bought, Cleaned, Cooked, and Eaten
Rob DeBorde, Thomas Dunne Books ( New York ), (646)307-5565, fax: (212)674-6132, www.thomasdunnebooks.com, 2006, 214 pp., illustrated, $24.95, hardcover.
Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest
Andy Lamb and Bernard P. Hanby, Harbour Publishing ( Madeira Park, BC ), (800)667-2988 or (604)883-2730, fax: (604)883-9451, www.harbourpublishing.com, 2005, 398 pp., illustrated, $69.95, hardcover.
  TV host and restaurant owner Roy Yamaguchi is considered one of today’s greatest seafood chefs. In Roy’s Fish & Seafood he explains the uses, flavors, and cooking qualities of 24 key Pacific species, including tuna, mahimahi, snapper, opah, sea bass, lobster, squid and shrimp. There are 100 recipes featuring Yamaguchi’s unique style that combines fresh local ingredients, bold Asian spices, European-influenced sauces and techniques, and Pan-Pacific and Hawaiian traditions. Fish on a First-Name Basis is both a cookbook and a resource for seafood information, history and mythology. Rob DeBorde teaches you how to buy, store and cook fish, and provides background on the fish’s life in the water, how it was caught, and environmental issues associated with the species. One hundred recipes interspersed with interesting facts, practical knowledge and humor make for an entertaining read. With 1,700 photographs of more than 1,400 species, Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest is an impressive collection of virtually every coastal organism that might be encountered from southern Alaska to central California. Each species description includes a color photo plus information on range, habitat, appearance and behavior. Andy Lamb and Bernard P. Hanby are the authors of this comprehensive “photographic encyclopedia”.

Dances With Sharks
Dave Ames, Lodgepole Press ( Ellington, MT ), (406)492-7734, www.lodgepolepress.com, 2005, 184 pp., $24.95, hardcover.
Underwater to Get Out of the Rain: A Love Affair with the Sea
Trevor Norton, Da Capo Press ( Cambridge, MA ), (617)252-5200, fax: (617)252-5285, www.perseusbooksgrou.com/dacapo, 2006, 385 pp., $25, hardcover.
Nervous Water: Variations on a Theme of Fly Fishing, Steve Raymond
Pale Morning Done, Jeff Hull
The Lyons Press (contact information above), 2006/2005, 214/341 pp., $23.95/$14.95, hardcover/softcover.
  Fly fishing winds like a time machine through the stories in Dances with Sharks, casting light on contemporary world issues. Dave Ames shows us that fly fishing is as good a lens to use as any, and better than most, when trying to find the meaning in life on this planet, and his stories are funny, poignant and thought-provoking. Underwater to Get Out of the Rain is part natural history, part anecdote and part personal memoir. It’s an entrancing account of Trevor Norton’s lifetime of adventures under or near the water. From his first underwater explorations with his childhood snorkel to his stay in a submerged laboratory well below the water’s surface, Norton (now Professor of Marine Biology at the University of Liverpool ) details both the exhilaration that comes from working in the ocean and the inherent dangers. Steve Raymond has long contemplated the issues that are nearly always going on down below the tranquil surface of the sport of fly fishing, and in the articles and stories in Nervous Water you’ll find 34 variations on the theme. Together they form a selective, opinionated chronicle of the trends, developments, and changes from the 1960s to the present, along with a look back at some pioneers of the sport and the fish that make it all possible. Jeff Hull’s first novel, Pale Morning Done, is about Montana, fly fishing, making choices, and finding home. In the midst of transforming his father’s ranch into prime spring creek fishing, the main character Marshall is learning to love the land as he’s literally molding it.

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