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Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers

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Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers

By: John Gierach
Narrated by: David Colacci
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About this listen

In his latest fresh and original collection, Gierach shows us why fly-fishing is the perfect antidote to everything that is wrong with the world.

In Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers, Gierach looks back to the long-ago day when he bought his first resident fishing license in Colorado, where the fishing season never ends, and just knew he was in the right place. And he succinctly sums up part of the appeal of his sport when he writes that it is "[A]n acquired taste that reintroduces the chaos of uncertainty back into our well-regulated lives".

Lifelong fisherman though he is, Gierach can write with self-deprecating humor about his own fishing misadventures, confessing that despite all his experience, he is still capable of blowing a strike by a fish "[I]n the usual amateur way". He offers witty, trenchant observations not just about fly-fishing itself, but also about how one's love of fly-fishing shapes the world that we choose to make for ourselves.

©2020 John Gierach (P)2020 Tantor Animals Biological Sciences Essays Fishing Hunting & Fishing Outdoors & Nature Science Nonfiction Witty

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All stars
Most relevant
As a British all-round angler with a library mainly consisting of Chris Yates, BB, H T Sherringham, and a few other similar authors, I wasn't sure what to expect from this, an American fly fishing book. I have to say I am very glad I chose it! I think it has all the hallmarks of a classic (I assume it is already regarded as such by those in the know) and can confirm that it has made it in to my top 5 fishing books of all time. The book itself is a delight, with the description of people and places, and the stories themselves, being utterly captivating. I did not want the book to end. It even moved me to tears at one point. The performance of the narrator David Collaci is also superb. I felt like an old friend was telling me a story. All in all, this is a thoroughly enjoyable production which made some long monotonous commutes not just tolerable, but something I looked forward to.

A classic - very highly recommended

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I listened to this while either tying flies or driving to fish. It greatly enhanced both. Wonderful book great performance.

Gentle and immersive

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