A Jerk on One End

A wonderfully witty, intelligent and surprisingly thoughtful book about the lifelong obsession with fishing - written by Robert Hughes, the celebrated Australian art critic and author. Hughes looks back on learning to fish as a boy in Australia and the many forms fishing took throughout his life, moving effortlessly between personal stories, salt water and fresh water fishing, fishing history, observations of nature and the peculiar psychology of the angler. He writes beautifully about the things fishermen notice: water, rocks, vegetation, fish and the changing world around them — as well as the patience, frustration, anticipation and occasional exhilaration that make fishing so compelling. And beneath the humour is something more serious: Hughes considers our relationship with fish and the natural world, ending with a powerful reflection on the destruction of wild fish stocks and the responsibility of those who fish. This is not a book about how to catch more fish. It is about why the pastime can get so completely under our skin. Witty, self-deprecating, erudite and full of genuine fishing soul. A superb piece of angling literature, and one that can be enjoyed even by someone who has never held a fishing rod. B&w artwork throughout. Very good condition. Hardcover, 22.5cm x 14.5cm, 117 pages.