Had a good few books bought for me at Christmas and it occurs to me when putting them on the shelf that the modern books all to often lack that certain quality that makes you just want to pick one of the shelf and browse it. The czech nymph book from the polish guy. Yes stuffed full of patterns and has some good info but readable not really forget the dodgy english it just doesnt have what it takes.. and books should be hardback with a DW not paperback.
Also when you get one bought why cant people inscribe them any more usually when I open books now all there is usually mark where the price ticket was . I have an old copy of Fly fishing by Sir Edward Grey inside it it has been inscribed with the words " To Archdeacon Wm Stanton Jones Vicar of Bradford . With best wishes for tight lines and full panniers From LM 1920 and it has a lovely pen and ink dwg on the front boards . Now how classy is that . No wonder Coch y bonddu make so much flogging repros of the old classics.
Anyway rant over no point to the thread just wanted to get it of mi chest

I have an extensive collection of early mountaineering books and a few fishing books, similar.

The old books "beckon" you somehow. Whether it's the fact that the writers could write or sheer nostalgia I don't really know.

Certainly, in the mountaineering field, I find some of the modern writers verge on the illiterate. That is not true of the fishing field but they do tend to be technical manuals whereas the early books have a tale to tell and they tell it well.

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Roy

For some time now I've collected older fishing literature, in particular those books that refer to fishing the border streams and Roy is correct in his summation. By comparison, many 'modern' books are poor, thinly wriiten and have little character about them being little more than 'How to ...' manuals with the result that we learn very little of the author and as a consequence develop little empathy with either the writer or the subject.

There are notable exceptions, Charles R-W for example and recently Gwilym Hughes', 'Angle of the Cast' which I found to be a very enjoyable read.

Roy raises an interesting point about 'nostalgia' and whereas we all recognise that nostalgia isn't what it used to be (), older books do give us a great opportunity to compare and contrast with our current experience.

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[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

[url]www.wildfly.net[/url]

[url]http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk/[/url]

I wonder if Orange Otter counts as a modern book? that would be the exception, also angling with the Artificial Fy - superb.

The Czech book I must have another flick through, the best bit was the Ponglais.

Otherwise agree, take a sample sentence from Kelson, though I do admire Bob Church's works strange as it may seem, strange as it may seem.

I agree, a very well researched book that's a joy to read and re-read.

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[I]"I still don't know why I fish or why other men fish, except that we like it and it makes us think and feel."[/I] Roderick L Haig-Brown

[url]www.wildfly.net[/url]

[url]http://www.gameanglinginstructors.co.uk/[/url]

It is true that most modern works on angling lack personality, depth, and texture. Consider the opening paragraphs from H.P. Well's "Fly Rods and Fly Tackle" - 1885"

FISH-HOOKS, AND THE PRINCIPLES WHICH GOVERN THEIR
EFFICIENCY.

THE hook is the foundation of the Angler's Art: it
is the point of attack. Weakness or inefficiency here
can be aided little by the art of him who handles it, and
not at all by any excellence of tackle elsewhere. The
most skilled can but strike at the proper moment, and
with the proper degree of force.

What senses a fish has, and to what degree they are
developed, has been the subject of frequent discussion;
and while there may be and still is some doubt among
scientists as to what he does possess, there can be but
one opinion among anglers: that he is, at least at times,
altogether destitute of the sense of propriety. Without
consultation with the angler, and without the slightest
deference to his wishes, he rises to the fly or ignores
it, as to him seems best ; and when .he does come he
comes in his own way, seizing the fly with resolution
or diffidence, and in a manner over which the angler
has no control.

Among modern writers, only, IMO, A.J. McClane presented the subject of a hook or a fly with the finesse expected of all the earlier writers. Our standards in literature have coarsened and we are limited in attention-span to the sound-bite... or so modern editors believe. Try to get a semi-colon past an editor of a major fishing magazine here in the US. It can't be done, their eyes are always alert for complex sentence structure, ever ready to expunge it; no matter how it might improve the texture of the piece.

Line drawings are another loss we have suffered. Illustration was, until the 1960's and the introduction of ready color photography, a delightful addition to any angling prose. Alas, no more. But we still treasure it.

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********
Best regards,
Reed

The book publishing industry has gone the way of many others, for instance autos, whereby they are not willing to deviate from the mainstream. In essence they are not willing to chance publishing a book that will not appeal to the masses. Thus generally the only interesting modern books tend to be printed privately or in limited edition format in order to recoup costs. Sad but a reflection of our modern day commercial world
Having said that many old publications were likewise privately printed but that was because the large publishers weren't predominately around and those that were did not look at angling.

Very well said.

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[COLOR="Blue"]"A fish seen is a fish nearly caught"[/COLOR]

Coasty... I am with you on your remarks about modern books... although I have Karel Krivanec's book and found it "useful" rather than an absorbing read.

I think that our Stateside compadres write with more philosophical and reflective outlook...

If you want to read some great writing, try Jim Babb: Fly Fishing Fool, Cross Currents, River Music et al.

Agree with the votes for OO, and Gwil's excellent "Angle Of The Cast"

Another author I enjoy is Haig-Brown

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"A homeward tramp thro' mist wrapped night,
With heart and creel in common light,
Complete content, the day has brought it,
They fished for pleasure - and they caught it"

P F Morgan
taken from the catch record book at Llanthony Hotel, Honddu Valley, Aug 1942

www.monnowlogue.com
www.monnow.org.uk

Haig brown is wonderful A river never sleeps is a great read . Plunkett Green , Halford , Skues , Scrope and Negley Farson are wonderful reads just a shame newcomers to the sport never have them recomended .....